NASCAR says it didn’t compromise safety on final lap at New Hampshire
By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Sunday, September 20, 2009
LOUDON, N.H. – NASCAR waited until the leaders were between turns 3 and 4 on the final lap of the Sylvania 300 to throw the caution flag as Richard Petty Motorsports’ AJ Allmendinger sat stalled on the frontstretch of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway track.
NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton indicated that NASCAR did everything it could to finish Sunday's Sprint Cup race under green-flag conditions.
“We were waiting to see if the 44 car [of Allmendinger] could get going and get out of the way, and we realized there was a potential blocking of part of the race track,” Pemberton said. “You know when the cars are going to get there, and you wait as long as you can to try to not affect the outcome of a race. We felt like we had adequate time when we threw the caution.”
Pemberton said NASCAR often waits as long as possible throughout a race.
“We don’t like the race to end under caution,” Pemberton said. “We felt like we gave enough time for safety’s sake, and it is what it is. I believe we wait as long as we can. There are times during the middle of the race when a car will turn around and we bide some time to see if it gets going. It happens quite a bit. It just gets more noticed when it’s the last lap of the race.”
Race winner Mark Martin got hit from behind as he slowed but others didn’t. He said the call was a good one because Allmendinger possibly could have gotten restarted, and he said at a place such as Daytona International Speedway, if a car is flipping, they wouldn’t need to wait.
“I did slow down, and I don’t know who [they were] but two cars come flying up through there. … Somebody came up there and ran into the back of me,” Martin said. “Of course, I went back to accelerating. I knew the race was supposed to be over, but I’ve done lots of stupid stuff and I didn’t want to lose this race.
“I knew it was supposed to be over. AJ was getting going and I felt pretty confident and comfortable about where he was going to stay, so I picked up the speed, which is not the thing that we’re supposed to do.”
Martin’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon said he never was told about the caution.
“All I know is my spotter was saying there was a car down low on the front straightaway stopped, and I never heard them say, ‘Caution,’” Gordon said. “So everybody was still going, and I saw the caution out of the corner of my eye. I said, ‘I never heard the caution’ and [my spotter] said, ‘That’s because it didn’t come out until just now’ and I was surprised by that.”
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22 responses to "NASCAR says it didn’t compromise safety on final lap at New Hampshire". Post a Comment.
Andi said:
Sep 20, 2009 at 7:10 PMYeah right. They got lucky that the 44 started to move and got out of the way, otherwise it WOULD have been a safety issue. It scared the heck out of me when I saw those cars coming off of 4 and there was a stalled car on the front stretch. They're lucky it worked out, but it could have gone, VERY, VERY wrong. I think that's the one time they should have thrown the caution. They better count they're lucky stars it turned out the way it did and not the disaster it could have been.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportarnaudin said:
Sep 20, 2009 at 7:30 PMNASCAR timed it about right by allowing racing to continue as long as possible. Yet, a problem ensued. The problem is that the finish ultimately had the appearance of an old time "race to the line" because many drivers failed to heed the yellow, either on account of miscommunication or that adrenaline was propelling them at or near full speed to the checkers.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportarnaudin said:
Sep 20, 2009 at 7:32 PMNASCAR timed it about right by allowing racing to continue as long as possible. Yet, a problem ensued. The problem is that the finish ultimately had the appearance of an old time "race to the line" because many drivers failed to heed the yellow, either on account of miscommunication or that adrenaline was propelling them at or near full speed to the checkers.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportMeg said:
Sep 20, 2009 at 7:51 PMI agree Arnaudin.. Everyone complains that racing is boring and not like it used to be. Until DJ spun in turn 4 and ALMOST hot hit, we didn't have to freeze the field all the time but they raced back to the line.. That was racing..
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» Confirm Abuse Reportgwen_susie388 said:
Sep 20, 2009 at 8:27 PMWell that sure wasn't boring. I thought someone was going to run into him for sure! Mark Martin even said he went faster! It could have ended up a disaster, but thankfully it didn't!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportAndi said:
Sep 20, 2009 at 9:26 PMNo it wasn't boring at all, that's for the sure the race wasn't, and I thought someone was going to hit him too #5. Some drivers were wondering why the caution lights were flashing and didn't even know there was a caution. Others saw him and slowed down, why some didn't, like Mark who just went faster while the yellow was clearly out. Um....that's not what yellow means, Mark!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportCCL55 said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 5:56 AMAs usual, nascar makes a big mistake, and gets lucky in that no one got hurt..I can only guess that call was made by forest gump...stupid is as stupid does.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbuddyppc said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 6:25 AMI think the #44 was the biggest piece of debris I have ever seen. Too bad we didn't have 3 or 4 more cautions, maybe Juan could have finally pulled it off.
Report as AbuseWe will have to wait for next time for diversity.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportAnonymous said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 7:36 AMROTF @ BuddyPPC
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbeefjurski said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 7:39 AMsafety this and safety that. We have this block on wheels now because of it. we have this lucky dog because of it. who remembers the day when i believe it was Pearson's crew push him across the line at Daytona. We throw the flag at tracks on the last lap when they will never have a competitive lap on the backstretch again. These cars are invincible and your taking away the excitement of pushing to the very last moment. This sport is not in a position to take away excitement when it has enough problems creating it.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSheilaLovesNASCAR said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 3:20 PMNASCAR has a habit of throwing the caution, not because someone blows up, but because someone slips in the oil and crashes. 44 was clearly in the middle of the track with the whole field coming at him. They are lucky nothing happened. Did anyone notice how many cautions came out during commercials for debris? A car in the middle of the track near the Finish Line is certainly a safety issue.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 3:57 PMany other time they would throw a caution for a hot dog wrapper...the yellow they threw in the truck race with about 12 to go was never explained...starting to see a pattern here...the 10 lap warning, a tv timeout or lets tighten the field so we can get a wreck...let's keep trak of it...
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» Confirm Abuse ReportAndi said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 3:59 PMBuddy's right, the 44 car was the biggest piece of debris that was on the track ALL day, and yet they didn't throw the caution. It was what...5-6 years ago this race that they stopped the "racing back to the yellow" because of what happened to Dale Jarrett? I believe they said something in one of the prerace shows, I only caught a glimpse of it because they actually said something different, and that's usually when my ears go off automatic mute.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSTP43FAN said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 4:52 PMDeep down NASCAR knows this "freeze the field" rule doesn't work. Why the sanctioning body maintains this rule is puzzling, because they can find something else that works. I watched the whole thing from halfway up the stands and as the leaders kept racing down the backstretch I kept thinking, "NASCAR is a bunch of fools; they stopped racing to the yellow because of Dale Jarrett being stopped like this and now they're going to break their own rule - again."
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbthompson133 said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 5:10 PMthey wanted jpm to win! mark only sped up because he got hit by an idiot
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» Confirm Abuse Reportleftturn said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 5:24 PMThis is where NASCAR looses fans and potential fans. Inconsistency in their own rules. This constant attitude of 'it is my game and I can change the rules when I want' makes it impossible to follow this sport. The NFL, MLB, NBA, and so help me, the NHL rule committees set any rule changes after the season is over and before the new one starts so all teams, owners,coaches,players,equipment managers, trainers, mascots, cheerleaders, vendors and fans are on the same page. This saves money and time, two of the most valuable commodities in NASCAR especially in these economic times.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportgrovertoys said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 5:44 PMYeah right, there never was a safety issue, because a Hendrick car was leading. It wasn't one of the three "J"s, Jimmy Jeff or Junior but old Mark is the red-headed stepchild and creates press for NASCAR, since none of the fair haired stepped forward.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportctjeepinguy said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 5:58 PMSitting in row 38 on the start/finish line, my view of 44 crashing or Martin getting rear ended couldn't have been more clear. I literally held my breath as the field rounded turn 4 hoping there would be no further crashes. Although it was an exciting race, I was bothered by the numerous debris cautions thrown. One in paticular was in turn 3. I looked through my banoculars and there were 2 white objects. Was it napkins, something dangerous to a tire or something thrown from a car? Makes ya wonder sometimes. BTW, the Modified race was rippin!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportjethro3fan said:
Sep 21, 2009 at 9:36 PMwhy would the great almighty NASCAR ever admit they could have been wrong? They are wrong all the time and either take no blame or blame it back on the competitors if something goes wrong. just like the above comment, half the time there is may be half a car layin on the track and they won't throw the caution and the other times if a bird flies by and poops on the track we have to clean the whole track off...I love my racin, but sometimes they do somewhat control the outcome.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportxbrownsx said:
Sep 22, 2009 at 12:36 AMNASCAR will wait until a driver is seriously hurt or killed (again) before it does anything. AJ's stalled #44 should have had a yellow flag and caution come out long before the field roared out of turn 4, coming right at him.
Report as AbuseAgain, NASCAR makes up it's own rules as it sees fit -- you think we'd have seen the Hans device or safer barriers installed if Dale SR. had not died? Please...
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» Confirm Abuse Reportfredstephens said:
Sep 22, 2009 at 9:36 AMDid anyone expect NASCAR to admit it comprised safety on the last lap?
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» Confirm Abuse Reportjjrizzo said:
Sep 22, 2009 at 2:47 PMThe perfect call and a great race and the modifies were super too!
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