NASCAR creates 50-foot zone for leader to restart race

By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Saturday, February 07, 2009
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NASCAR has implemented a new rule regarding restarts.

David Griffin
NASCAR Scene

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR has created a 50-foot area for the leader to restart the race instead of giving the leader the option of  not accelerating until reaching the starting line.
 
In the past, NASCAR had set of double-red lines on the wall, typically coming out of Turn 4, and drivers had the option of starting in the vicinity of the lines or anytime before reaching the flagstand.
 
NASCAR now will throw the green flag if the leader is 50 feet past the double-red lines and has not mashed the gas. A single-red line on the wall will signify the end of the restart zone. There will be no penalty for a driver who fails to restart the race in the zone, but the driver would certainly be in danger of getting run over by the cars behind him. Restarting before the double-red line would be a pass-through penalty as in the past.
 
Last year, drivers kept restarting closer to the flagstand instead of the vicinity of the red lines.
 
“Things change from time to time, and we’re getting to where we wanted to talk about it and the teams wanted to talk about it,” NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said. “We talked to the drivers and the teams, and this is a start of what we think would be a solution to some of the restarts.”
 
The rule will go into effect for the Budweiser Shootout tonight at Daytona International Speedway and the length of the zone could change.
 
“We want to stay as consistent as we can,” Pemberton said. “We know that there might be situations, whether it be road courses, 2 1/2 miles, five-eighths miles [tracks]. Our goal is to have a zone that can go almost everywhere we go. We’ll see.”

Comments

7 responses to "NASCAR creates 50-foot zone for leader to restart race". Post a Comment.
  1. 1
    Bob said:
    Feb 8, 2009 at 8:46 AM

    Hopefully it will help avoid some of the restart crashes.

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  2. 2
    spd said:
    Feb 8, 2009 at 4:51 PM

    Let's see, restarts should be run at about 55MPH, at that speed, it is about 80 ft. per second (think freeway speed), combine that with a helmet, head bracing and HANS devices, they will likely need a spotter just for the restart zone. This is not going to be easy to enforce, too subjective in my opinion. Ask Regan Smith if he was forced below the yellow line or not... get my point?

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  3. 3
    Werner said:
    Feb 8, 2009 at 6:32 PM

    forget the line on the wall...start racing when the green waves...you would think the drivers need to look ahead, instead of a line on the wall...

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  4. 4
    Tim said:
    Feb 8, 2009 at 6:59 PM

    I agree with Werner, but at least their trying to do something to make it somewhat consistant. Some guys use the restart to an unfair advantage. Anyone remember Tony Stewart winning on a road course just because he suprised everyone by starting out over 1/4 mile from the flag stand. I like the idea of starting on the green flag just like the beginning of a race.

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  5. 5
    Pat said:
    Feb 9, 2009 at 2:51 PM

    All races should start on the green flag. Forget about any red line. The drivers should keep there eyes looking at the flag not at some wall with a red line on it. Just another Nascar mistake.

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  6. 6
    James said:
    Feb 9, 2009 at 3:12 PM

    All tracks have a start finish line, why not use it. Jim

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  7. 7
    Werner said:
    Feb 9, 2009 at 5:00 PM

    it's going to cause a wreck because of the confusion as to where to start...always does...

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