One attempt at green-white-checkered is fine
Bob Pockrass
Bob Pockrass began covering NASCAR in 1992, primarily covering short-track racing and events. He has worked for Street & Smith's Motorsports Group since 2003.
Speed’s Ray Dunlap and I had a lively discussion on the green-white-checkered rule during this week’s version of PRN’s “Pit Reporters” weekly radio show.
Ray thinks that NASCAR should end every race under green, that anytime the yellow comes out, NASCAR should line the cars back up for another two-lap sprint to the finish. While I understand his point, I like the one chance at a green-white-checkered finish. It adds intrigue to that one attempt. It won’t drag the finish the way multiple overtimes do in college football. It’s here we go, give us two laps of your time, and you’ll know who wins.
Plus, I don’t think it’s fair to ask teams that have judged fuel mileage to make them run 10 or 20 extra laps because people keep wrecking on restarts.
But I will admit that this issue is something to watch with the new double-file, lead-lap car restart format. If there are more cautions on the first green-flag lap because the leaders are near each other, forcing more races to end under caution, then maybe it would be better to have unlimited green-white-checkered finishes.
But for now, I’m content for a one-and-done format on the green-white-checkered deal.
