Here we go again and it’s a very good thing indeed.
Great set-up, WCG. Thank you.
Well Mr. “Bender de Fenders” with the tweaking done to the rules to let the boys be boys you might indeed see quite a few bent fenders.
What a difference a year makes. Last year I would have made several changes to my drivers by now. This year I haven’t even considered who to run. This unemployed stuff is teaching me to “walk” a bit instead of “running” 24/7.
Alas, Mrs. Happydog is still running. She’s already packed for the race in Las Vegas.
I have been told there are several drivers ordering large red & white bulls-eye decals with the #48 in large letters...
Getting us all up to speed on rules for today........
NASCAR has changed two pit-road rules, one to keep drivers from being penalized when they are not at fault and another to keep drivers from exploiting the rules.
The changes, which apply to the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck series, were revealed by NASCAR officials Thursday during a session to go over pit-road rules with select media.
A driver can no longer speed down pit road to avoid being lapped. In the past, if a driver needed repairs to his car on pit road, the team would work as long as possible and then the driver would speed down pit road to remain on the lead lap. The penalty would send him to the tail end of the longest line – where the driver would be anyway because the time spent on pit road would put him at the back of the field.
Now a driver caught speeding down pit road in an attempt to beat the caution car would either be held at the end of pit road or be forced to stop on the track and give the lap back.
The other change involves a situation in which a driver crosses the pit-road commitment line under green but then the yellow flag comes out before the driver hits the pit-road entrance line where the green/red light is located. Now, instead of being penalized, the driver can continue down pit road – even though the pits are technically closed – as long as the driver does not pit. The driver would be put back in line where the car was when it entered pit road.
In the past, drivers were penalized – either for coming back on the track after crossing the commitment line or for entering pit road when the pits were closed.