Support » SCENE-please remove inappropriate photos of the dead/horrific
Meg, I liked the flowers, too! Especially the gold/yellow one. I would much much rather look at those than the wrecks. I opened one of the wrecks and ignored...
Kenny Bruce: Judgment calls will always leave NASCAR open for criticism
By Kenny Bruce - Assistant Managing Editor
Friday, October 10, 2008
Regan Smith, driving the No. 01 Dale Earnhardt Inc. entry goes below the yellow line to pass Tony Stewart on the final lap in Sunday's Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Jerry Markland
Getty Images for NASCAR
Now that we’ve got last weekend’s yellow-line rule all straightened out ...
Well, maybe not. The whole “no passing below the yellow line” sounds pretty simple, but few things are ever as simple as they seem in NASCAR.
Go below the yellow line and improve your position and you’ll be penalized. It should be one of the easiest rules to understand. Doesn’t
leave a lot of room for interpretation. Or manipulation. It certainly doesn’t sound as if there is any gray area involved.
It gets kind of fuzzy, though, when fans start writing in, questioning the difference between the finish in the first Cup race at Talladega this year and the second race. Fuzzier still when fans recall, accurately, other instances when drivers advanced their positions by going below the line and were not penalized.
In the April race, Kyle Busch went below the yellow line to pass Jimmie Johnson for the lead with five laps to go.
This past week, Regan Smith went below the yellow line and passed Tony Stewart on the final lap.
Busch got the lead, got to the line first and got the win.
Smith got the lead, got to the line first and ... got the win taken away.
NASCAR officials have said that Busch wasn’t penalized because they felt he was “forced” below the line. But if he was forced, whoever pulled such a dastardly stunt must have slipped out unnoticed with the crowd since no one was ever penalized.
Smith, they said, “violated NASCAR policy by driving under the yellow line to improve his position.”
OK, when is a guy on the track NOT trying to improve his position? Bump drafting is every bit as dangerous a practice, yet NASCAR hasn’t outlawed that particular move. The fact of the matter is, there are drivers on the track who can pull off a pass by going down on the apron, and there are those who can, and do, use the bump-draft perfectly to execute passes.
It’s also true that there are drivers who don’t have the ability, or the experience, to successfully pull off those moves. Or perhaps they are simply wise enough to know better.
But getting back to the rule ... It isn’t the same as a car that doesn’t fit the templates during inspection or a crewman missing a lug nut during a pit stop. The car fits the templates, or it doesn’t. All the lug nuts are in place, or they aren’t. And that’s is the problem. The bottom line is that the rule regarding the yellow line, or rather the enforcement of it, appears to
be a judgment call.
But should it be?
Are NASCAR, the teams and fans of the sport better served when officials have the latitude to rule on issues such as this? Should NASCAR keep a bit of wiggle room in the rule? Officials have trotted out the old explanation that “every situation is different” on a number of occasions. And for good reason – it is true.
But just because the situation is different, should the rule be applied, or ignored, based on those differences?
Shouldn’t the rule, if it’s going to exist at all, be applied the same regardless of the circumstances? Doesn’t implementing the rule based on circumstances open up a whole can of worms and leave such decision-making, and the sanctioning body, open for criticism?
Officials seemed to at least take a step toward attempting to clarify the rule earlier this week with President Mike Helton stating that, going forward, “There will be no passing under the yellow line at any time during NASCAR races at Daytona or Talladega, period. This includes any passing below the yellow line near the start/finish line on the final lap.”
Then again, that’s pretty much been the official stance all along.
And we see where that’s gotten us.
Mentioned Drivers: Regan Smith
2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings
Driver Standings after the AMP Energy 500
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 6248 |
| 2 | Mark Martin | -184 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | -192 |
| 4 | Juan Pablo Montoya | -239 |
| 5 | Tony Stewart | -279 |
| 6 | Kurt Busch | -312 |
| 7 | Greg Biffle | -340 |
| 8 | Ryan Newman | -402 |
| 9 | Kasey Kahne | -414 |
| 10 | Carl Edwards | -437 |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | -448 |
| 12 | Brian Vickers | -556 |
Popular News
-
Hendrick Motorsports' Dale Earnhardt Jr. eager for return to Texas Motor Speedway
Comments (138) -
Richard Petty Motorsports' AJ Allmendinger charged with driving while impaired
Comments (73) -
JR Motorsports continues work on bringing Danica Patrick to NASCAR
Comments (69) -
NASCAR says bump-drafting rules not to blame for single-file Talladega racing
Comments (67) -
Dave Rogers to become Kyle Busch's new Cup crew chief at Joe Gibbs Racing
Comments (64)
Recent Headlines
-
Nationwide penalty likely for opening-day violation by Kyle Busch team
Comments (6) -
Kyle Busch pulls off Texas two-step by winning Nationwide race
Comments (9) -
Oklahoma teacher named Dickies American Worker of the Year
Post Comment -
Roush Fenway Racing's Donnie Wingo set to return to organization for 2010 NASCAR season
Post Comment -
Toyota executive addresses Formula One decision, Earnhardt Ganassi possibility
Comments (6)
Poll PositionView All
Which NASCAR Sprint Cup race winner from the past two seasons is most likely to earn his first victory of 2009 in the next three races?
Promotions
-
Play "WIX Filters' Pick 3" stock car fantasy and win prizes. Season 2 is now in session!
-
Tweet your thoughts about each race and join the conversation with other fans.
-
Drive an authentic NASCAR Sprint Cup car at the NASCAR Racing Experience.
-
Cast your vote for the NASCAR Illustrated 2009 Person of the Year, presented by Old Spice.
-
Make weekly pics for the Chase and be entered to win weekly SPEED Merchandise.
Comments
21 responses to "Kenny Bruce: Judgment calls will always leave NASCAR open for criticism". Post a Comment.
JLynn F said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 9:21 AMI just can not understand how Regan was NOT forced below the line. Did Tony not cut down on him when he was above the yellow line with his nose at the back quarter panel and push him below the line? What is the problem here NASCAR? Im sick and tired of NASCAR picking who wins races! Its not even worth watching anymore everyone knows who gets favored and who doesnt.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportDON NOVAKOWSKI said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 10:27 AMYou know Jlynn maybe keep your glasses checked because it was a wrongful pass and he wasn't at his quarter panel. Lucky if he was even at his rear bumper.
Report as AbuseIam with NASCAR's ruling on this. OH by the way Iam not a Stewart fan.
Report Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportJLynn F said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 12:18 PMYa know Don.. dont leave rude comments. Oh BTW... I AM a Stewart fan!
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportBrian Schultz said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 2:17 PMI think NASCAR's interpretation of the rules are the result of America's public education system and cheap beer.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportJerry Kirkpatrick said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 2:53 PMI agree with the article. Lets have the same rule applied the same. You suppose NASCAR would rather tell Smith he lost than Stewart?
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportCraig Spangler said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 3:15 PMRegan Snith won the race. NASCAR should have black flagged Tony Stewart not Regan Smith. I have a DVD of of the constant re-plays, and Stewart forced him down below the yellow line. Tony even admitted that he did. But He's Tony Stewart so that makes a big, big difference to NASCAR.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportTerry Duling said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 3:40 PMThe root cause of all this is painting a line on a perfectly useful part of a race track and expecting drivers to treat the line like a wall. Yeah, sure. Hey NASCAR, you don't want 'em to go below the line? Make it so they can't. Don't want to do that? Then paint the line black and let 'em race. Isn't that what we pay you to do?
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportCraig Spangler said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 4:10 PMTerry Duling is "Right On." Let them race like they did before NASCAR decided they did't wan't racing anymore, and painted the Yellow Line at Daytona and Talladega. The races went just fine, before the yellow ine! While you are at it, Remore the restricter plates too. It is just as dangerous to race at 190 as it is at 200. Face it NASCAR join the fans, or don't you want any?
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportLiz Thawley said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 7:00 PMThe "no passing under the yellow line" rule was created in the name of safety, right? OK, then. In the name of safety, why would NASCAR say "anything goes" on the final lap, especially at a plate track where all Hell usually breaks loose on the final lap anyway? What's up with that? If NASCAR would stop making so many rules with gray areas, they'd reduce the risk of contradicting themselves and looking like idiots. Jeez.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportKenneth Farley said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 7:15 PMI am all for eliminating restrictor plates. You are trading one type of danger for another. You never had "the big one" before restrictor plates. You had some serious accidents, sure, but now with "The Car of Tomorrow", "Safer Barriers", why can't they just do away with the plate and let them race. That was the idea of the sport, wasn't it? You already dropped the cubes once, isn't that enough. You've killed the draft and introduced bump drafting. Dump the plate!
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse Reportneil douglass said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 7:19 PMThe Nascar rulebook seems as easy to read and understand a the IRS Codebook, I thought the yellow line rule was that if one was forced down below the line that he would be allowed to get his position back without improvement or penalty, but it would appear the rule was different for Busch as he went on and passed Johnson for the win. It is like the rule book being rewritten every time Smokey Yunick raced and found some new way to make his car perform better.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportKenneth McLellan said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 8:37 PMWe all know whos gonna win when you have JOE GIBBS+TONY STEWART+TOYOTO. End of statement.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportGladys Bedwell said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 9:28 PMI think you guys need to worry about more important things like how much money you are losing in the stock market and quit crying about Tony winning the race. It is what it is and if you think it is unfair then quit watching the races. I still believe if it was your favorite driver who won, you wouldn't be pitching such a fit.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportFRANK LAVACCA said:
Oct 10, 2008 at 9:35 PMi agree anything for gibbs and toyota,but not tony.he is no favorite of nascar,but then again he drives for gibbs.smells bad,don't it.i'll say it again,if it was the punk,kyle busch,he would have put tony in the fence ala jr. and go for the win.regan was clean,went down to avoid tony and won.nascar has got to stop"in our opinion"and look at the tape and see the kid was forced down below the hallowed yellow line.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportTim the Fan said:
Oct 11, 2008 at 7:47 AMLet's face it fans, our only hope is next year, last lap Tony is leading the pack and Smith is in second!!!!! Think he'll give quarter then? I'm not sure it will even take that long. If I were Smith, one day and very soon I would pick Tony or one of the other NASCAR kids and put them in the wall when it really hurt their finish. Now before you over react,,, I said hurt their finish, not hurt them. Then he could smile at NASCA$ and say, "hey you created me"!
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportRobert Petrosky said:
Oct 11, 2008 at 12:39 PMTim, your sick, Why can't you just accept that Smith violated a rule, for which he was penalized. End of story. It doesn't matter what others got away with in the past. What he did was wrong.... The only ones making the rule fuzzy as the writer above states is him and others like you who for whatever reason won't accept the facts.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportJulie Fedele said:
Oct 11, 2008 at 4:40 PMIt all depends on who you are and who you know. Favorites play a big part in the decision of Nascar. Regan Smith should have WON that race!!!! But the Big Baby Tony would have made a total seen if it had'nt gone hiw way. When are the officials going to see through this guy??
Report as AbuseJulie
Report Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportMichael Petrose said:
Oct 11, 2008 at 6:46 PMRegan Smith won the race.
Report as AbuseStewart came clearly forced him below the yellow line.
NASCAR is NOT G-O-D!!
Let's take the yellow line off the tri-oval from the entrance of pit road to the end of pit road. Let them race!!!
Report Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportKenneth Farley said:
Oct 12, 2008 at 5:22 PMThis was a valuable lesson for Regan Smith and a reinforcement from NASCAR. If Regan Smith had gone on the outside to make the pass, he probably would have made it stick and no story would be made. But it happened. NASCAR has the rule in place, doesn't like to see it broken and made a decision. It won't happen again you see. I don't care if it was Mark Martin or Jeff Burton that did it, they would have lost too. Tony doesn't need another win. He has his efforts focused on next year, getting back with Chevrolet and trying to put Toyota in it's place. Go Smoke!
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportMarti Heath said:
Oct 12, 2008 at 6:50 PMSorry but NASCAR is GOD in THEIR sport. Whether it's ref, an umpire or NASCAR, someone has to make the bottom line decision. Every official can and will make a mistake. Smiths mistake was saying "everybody says". Apparently he was listening to everyone except NASCAR in the drivers meeting. Good lesson for Smith and it tightened up the rule book for NASCAR so lets move on.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse Reportrobert portano said:
Oct 13, 2008 at 9:08 PMFor you new fans Tony was forced below the yellow line at Daytona and nascar ruled against Tony so stop saying its all about toyota kenneth and craig...is this your first season as a fan?
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse Report