NASCAR reveals formula for determining restart zone at tracks
HAMPTON, Ga. – NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Friday that the sanctioning body has settled on a formula to determine the length of the restart zone on the track.
Officials will take the pit-road speed limit, double the figure and then make that the distance in feet of the restart zone,
NASCAR created a zone where the leader must restart the race instead of giving the leader discretion from a certain area coming out of Turn 4 up to the starting line to restart the race. The rule is designed to limit the options for the leader as far as where he restarts.
Pit-road speeds typically range from 30 to 55 mph, depending on the track. That means the restart zone will vary from 60-110 feet, depending on the track.
“It will be twice the pit-road speed,” Pemberton said. “It’s a means to get variable lengths in there for the race track itself. Is it perfect? Maybe, maybe not. But it’s a start. It’s something the garage area asked us to do. Last year, it got a little dicey on restarts.”
“The pit-road speed generally relates to the track size. The restart zone at a short track doesn’t need to be as long as a Daytona or California.”
