Right Turns
A NASCAR BLOG BY Jim Duff
Should NASCAR follow F1 and put a time limit on races?
In the wake of the havoc that Mother Nature rained on the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600, should NASCAR consider taking a couple of cues from the world’s other leading motorsports series, Formula One?
Specifically, F1 has a two-hour time limit on its grand prix races, and it awards only half the normal points if a race has to be halted before it reaches three-quarters of the scheduled distance.
In the open-wheel series, if weather slows the cars so much that they can't complete the scheduled distance within two hours, officials simply wave the checkered flag after that period. Two hours would be too short for most NASCAR fans, but some time limit would certainly benefit both fans and competitors. Many of the Sprint Cup teams at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Monday might have made very different decisions before pitting during the caution for rain that eventually ended the event. Fewer crew chiefs would have been left guessing whether or not a race stood any chance of resuming if they knew they were up against the clock.
Spectators, meanwhile, wouldn’t have had to sit out in miserable conditions if they knew the time limit would expire before a race could be resumed. And the victor in a rain-shortened event might still be able to celebrate while there were still some fans around.
Whether awarding partial points for shortened events would have any impact on NASCAR is an issue that would have to be studied. In F1, only the top eight finishers of the 20 starters score at all and there are fewer points offered, while in NASCAR all 43 cars on the grid earn points, so it might not make as much difference.
Odds are NASCAR officials won’t adopt either of these ideas, but they certainly need to give some consideration to formulating better plans to deal with the kind of situation they faced this week, because sooner or later, they'll face the same problems again.
Jim Duff
Veteran motorsports editor Jim Duff is special projects editor with NASCAR Scene and a former editor with On Track: The Auto Racing Magazine of Record and with NASCAR Illustrated.
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Comments
19 responses to "Should NASCAR follow F1 and put a time limit on races?". Post a Comment.
Villebilly said:
May 26, 2009 at 6:48 PMWhy would they want to copy a losers format? Yeah go ahead and go with an F1 limit I'll just find somethingf else to watch.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportelmo321 said:
May 26, 2009 at 10:39 PMGood Gawd NO! And BTW, you can keep prima donna Danica over in indycars too.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportelmo321 said:
May 26, 2009 at 10:40 PMGood Gawd NO!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbkbroiler said:
May 27, 2009 at 5:50 PMNext time? Do as they always do. Everything possible to get the race in. If they cant call it and whoever is in first is the winner. Fans, and writers, who dont like it can go watch open wheels. This is stock car racing. One thing that should change is the green, white, checker stuff. If its a 500 mile race it ends at 500 miles. If they finish under caution so be it. No need for the extra laps.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportsteadman_sam said:
May 27, 2009 at 9:49 PMDon't EVER put NASCAR and Formula One in the same sentence. Remember the Michelin Tire fiasco at Indy 3 or 4 years ago? They can't make a ruling without going to some fuddy duddy world racing council and getting their approval. Yeh, let's pattern ourselves after them..........UH.................NO!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportPhere said:
May 28, 2009 at 3:58 AMNo!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmanzytrophygirl said:
May 29, 2009 at 12:03 PMNO!!!!!!!!!!!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmanzytrophygirl said:
May 29, 2009 at 12:09 PMHELL NO!!!!!!!!! ...agree with #5--NASCAR and F1 should not be in the same sentence!!!!!!!!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportsteadman_sam said:
May 29, 2009 at 8:37 PMI think Jim just hates waiting around in rain delays. Must have something hot at home. Did I really say that?
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» Confirm Abuse Report24shaun24 said:
Jun 5, 2009 at 7:36 PMNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is the stupidest article ive ever read! i agree with #5 dont ever put them in the same sentence uggghhhh
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» Confirm Abuse Reportrwilliamhayes said:
Jul 4, 2009 at 12:15 AMWhen F1 cars get fenders and compete on oval tracks then NASCAR can think about time limits.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportlgerringer said:
Aug 6, 2009 at 3:43 PMHey..time limits?
Report as AbuseI say slap on the rain tires, turn on the windshield wipers and "Let's go Racin' Boys".
Aren't these the best drivers in the world?
I hear that every week by the talking heads............well prove it.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportcollettelenard said:
Aug 7, 2009 at 4:19 PMNO,NO,NO,NO,NO
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» Confirm Abuse Reportfalconman said:
Aug 10, 2009 at 10:44 PM#12 I agree! I would love to see a road course race on rain tires. Harvick even said the other day he would like to try it.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportPhere said:
Aug 20, 2009 at 3:48 AMNASCAR should:
Report as Abuse1. Mandatory amount of pit stops for each different track will keep fuel mileage racing at lower rate and give the fans more action in the pits.
2. 75% of race must be completed before calling any race for weather THIS year. Next year notify each team that they have 'til the start of next season to wet weather ready their cars (i.e. wipers, rain tires), for any race, this would give the fans more for their money and some fun racing. If Indy cars can race in rain why can't cup cars?
3. Allow decisions on gear ratios AND tire manufacturer to be decided by each separate team. This would take some pressure off engine builders, spread the field out some, and allow each racer the style he likes.
4. Pre-determine which track should be ran at what time during the year and change schedule to meet that standard.
5. Absolutely stay with the double lane starts. That's good racin'
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» Confirm Abuse Reportrubbinisracin said:
Aug 25, 2009 at 8:23 AMNo way No way F1 is not Nascar. That's one problem the pretty boyz of F1 don't have. The stamina and endurance of Nascar drivers. Shorten the race length by 20% but not by time.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportrubbinisracin said:
Aug 25, 2009 at 8:30 AMNo way F1 is for pretty boyz. That's what makes Nascar drivers #1 stamina and endurance. True leaders of the road or track. Some of the cookie cutter tracks as they call them could be shorten by laps or miles but not time.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportphillipwafford said:
Sep 20, 2009 at 10:42 AMNO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! end of discussion
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» Confirm Abuse Reportminethief said:
Sep 22, 2009 at 2:32 PMNo, and no to rain tires also unless you lift the testing ban and they can practice with them. Even on dry pavement it slows them down and changes the grip a lot. I'd change a few things in NASCAR, but not this. Mandatory pit stops? Are you kidding? Fuel mileage doesn't really change a large percentage of outcomes. Although they like to talk it up in the booth.
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