NASCAR has whiffed with its rules for 2019.

The series cut horsepower, added downforce and implemented air ducts at some tracks for 2019. The changes were drastic. And, with the air ducts involved, were made with the purpose of drastic effects on the racing.

Sunday’s race at Auto Club was the second race with air ducts. It didn’t look all that different than the 2018 race at Auto Club. And that’s a big problem for NASCAR.

[Kyle Busch gets NASCAR win No. 200 at Auto Club]

The ducts were put on the cars with the hope that drivers would be able to use the draft to make passes on each other thanks to increased air displacement. That felt like a big responsibility for the draft before the season. And it looks like an overwhelming one now.

Thanks to the increased downforce via larger front splitters and taller rear spoilers, the effect of “dirty air” — turbulent air from a car ahead — has become more pronounced in 2019. While the drafting effect is enhanced, it’s countered by the fact that drivers can’t get too close to each other after tires start to wear out because of that dirty air. The close racing that NASCAR wanted and gets immediately after restarts peters out after a few laps.

“The restarts were wild and crazy like we always see here and track position was king,” Aric Almirola said. “We got strung out and fought track position a lot today. The cars are very difficult to drive in the wake of air of the cars in front of you. It is very challenging.”

Added Joey Logano: “Clean air meant a lot once the tires wore out. You're battling trying to get it.”

And, perhaps just as importantly, NASCAR made the cars easier to drive in the process. Top speeds are lower thanks to the increased aerodynamic drag and lower horsepower. Corner speeds and grip is up thanks to the increased aerodynamic downforce. Those two things added together means drivers are off the throttle a lot less than they used to be and their cars are glued to the track more.

Need proof? The lap 60 caution when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. spun on on old tires immediately after a restart was the first — and so far only — crash caution through three intermediate track races in 2019. Drivers don’t seem to be on the edge of control like they used to be. While asking for more crashes is a macabre racing desire, wrecks are a part of the racing game. They’ve all but disappeared from certain tracks so far.

The racing has been closer overall through the field in 2019 at Atlanta, Las Vegas and Auto Club. That’s an undeniable fact. Intervals throughout the top 20 have generally been smaller.

But the impact on parity hasn’t been nearly as significant as the changes NASCAR forced upon its teams, both in terms of cost and in the way drivers now have to attack certain tracks. NASCAR somehow figured out a way to change the racing from the cockpit far more significantly than it did for the fans watching in the grandstands and on TV.

Maybe that’s what happens when you try to improve on a product that you think is already the best it’s ever been.

“I can say that we do believe that this racing, which today arguably is the best we've ever had, is going to get better,” NASCAR president Steve Phelps said in November of 2018. “We have a promise to our fans, and that promise is about close, competitive, side‑by‑side racing, and we believe that this 2019 rules package will give us exactly that.”

So far, that promise isn’t being fulfilled at intermediate tracks.

Clint Bowyer doesn’t seem to be a fan

Clint Bowyer retired from Sunday’s race with an engine problem. He cracked a joke about the issue on Twitter after getting out of his car.

Hardest part of the new package is trying to figure out whether or not I actually dropped a cylinder.....😂 — Clint Bowyer (@ClintBowyer) March 17, 2019

At least drivers will have 750 HP again next week at Martinsville. And Bowyer is the defending champ at Martinsville. Sunday’s race should be a fun one.

Qualifying changes will be made

Look for changes to be made to NASCAR’s qualifying protocol at intermediate tracks in the wake of the hilariously stupid qualifying session on Friday where no cars got a lap in during the third round.

AUDIO: @NASCAR's Scott Miller addresses the media after what we saw today @ACSupdates during #AutoClub400 qualifying.



"Making a mockery (of qualifying) is not what we expect for our fans."👇 pic.twitter.com/XOqGCorDro — SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) March 15, 2019