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 | | Subject: Double file restarts begin this weekend Thu Jun 04, 2009 7:26 pm | |
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- NASCAR announced Thursday that it will implement double-file lead-lap-car restarts with this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway.
The double-file restarts will be used for all restarts at all tracks for the Sprint Cup Series. Implementation for the Nationwide and Camping World Truck series will come in the near future.
The former restart procedure had lap-down cars on the inside, and the lead-lap cars on the outside for the restarts.
“We’ve heard the fans loud and clear: ‘Double-file restarts – shootout style’ are coming to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series,” NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said in a news release. “This addition to the race format is good for competition and good for the fans.”
Implementing the new procedure at Pocono should give drivers and NASCAR plenty of time during cautions to get the cars lined up properly because the track is 2.5 miles long. If a driver is in the wrong position with a lap remaining before the race is restarted, NASCAR should have the time to direct the driver to the proper position.
The race leader will have the choice of starting on the inside or outside lane, but the third-place car will always start on the inside line. Lane selection will be made as the leader crosses the start-finish line with one lap to go before taking the green flag. The second-place car cannot pass the first-place car before the start-finish line on the restart.
“At times, when you’re the leader ..., you’re not going to like it,” three-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson said about the rule’s proposal on Sunday. “But the other 42 guys are going to love it. I think we all need to step back and say, ‘If it’s good for our sport, if it helps the show, we need to seriously consider it.’”
In determining the restart order, the lead-lap cars will be ordered by the way they come off pit road, followed by the lap-down cars that did not pit, followed by the free-pass car. All other cars will line up behind them by their respective track position when they come off pit road (including lead-lap cars that pit a second time under caution).
The change is being made to increase competition by having the front two drivers start side by side instead of having the car in second restarting behind the car in first. It also eliminates issues of lapped cars getting in the way of the leaders on a restart.
NASCAR also is eliminating the possibility of cars on the tail end of the lead lap restarting in front of the leader. Those cars will be sent by the pace car and restart from the back of the field – and no longer will be in danger of being lapped quickly.
In another tweak, NASCAR announced that the free-pass rule will be used throughout the entire race. In the past, the free pass wasn’t awarded over the final 10 laps. The free pass – also known as the “lucky dog” - is where the top driver a lap down, when the caution comes out, gets to pass the leader and typically gets back on the lead lap.
“I’m excited about it,” said two-time Cup champion Tony Stewart. “The good thing is that when they drop the green, you’re going to be racing with the guys you’re racing for position instead of trying to clear lapped cars.
“Since NASCAR has adapted the free pass, I think that’s something that now justifies being able to put those lapped cars to the back and let them race with each other, and let the guys who are racing on the lead lap do the same. I’m behind NASCAR 100 percent on this.”
The double-file restart rule is used in the Sprint All-Star Race, and many drivers have said in the last couple of weeks that they would support having double-file restarts every week.
“As long as we can sort it out to make sure that the [free-pass] situation works fairly and the guys that are a lap down don’t end up with some type of advantage and that it’s fair to them – there’s some other things to work out there – it’s not going to hurt anything,” Johnson said. | |
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