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Wild restarts await Truck series drivers in 2010 season
By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Kevin Harvick Inc.'s Ron Hornaday makes a pit stop in a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway.
David Griffin
NASCAR Scene
Double-file restarts could mean add a little craziness to the NASCAR Camping Truck Series next season.
As if they weren’t a little physical already.
“It’s going to be fun,” series veteran Stacy Compton said. “Double-file restarts, needless to say, [are] going to be a little crazy in the Truck series. But still, it’s all about the racing, and it’s going to make better racing."
NASCAR announced last week several rule changes for the 2010 Truck season. In addition to double-file restarts, the pit-road rules requiring teams to stop for either fuel or tires, but not both at the same time, will be eliminated. Teams will only be allowed to have six members of the crew over the wall instead of the traditional seven but will be allowed to use a fuel can that will be self-venting and not require a crew member with a catch can over the wall.
“Restarts are already interesting,” quipped team owner and occasional series driver Kevin Harvick. “You mix in tire strategy and double-file restarts, it will be exciting.”
Compton said that not only is it important that the restart rule be the same as the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series but that he expects the racing will be better because it is difficult to pass with some of the current rules.
“You know you’re going to tear up some stuff, but these trucks with the motor rule [with the tapered spacer], racing is terrible, and it’s hard to pass,” Compton said. “It’s going to give you a little bit more chance to make up spots with double-file restarts than it does if you’re sitting single file.
“Everybody has gotten so competitive with these trucks now; you just run wide open everywhere you go. So I think the rule changes are a huge plus. I applaud NASCAR for realizing we needed to make a few changes.”
NASCAR has also changed some engine rules. Next year, teams will not be allowed to use a new, unsealed engine in more than two consecutive races (with the exception of Daytona and Talladega). This year, they can’t use a new engine in more than three consecutive races.
“The pit-stop rules that we had, I think it just confused everybody, confused the drivers,” HT Motorsports driver Terry Cook said. “I think we opened ourselves up to getting somebody hurt. … [And] the new engine rule is going to help a bunch.”
Teams also will have the option of using the spec motor used in the Camping World East and West series on tracks 1.25 miles in length and shorter. That will allow a team on a small budget to run a cheaper engine, and it would allow an East or West team to have fewer engine costs if it wants to move to the Truck series.
“Hopefully, this brings more people out there, more trucks and more team owners,” said Kevin Harvick Inc. driver Ron Hornaday. “Going back to putting fuel and tires on [the same stop], we seemed to make it work this year. We’ll make it work next year.”
Although there have been no announcements, there is an expectation in the garage area that some new teams will compete in the series next season.
“We’ve made huge strides on cost over the last year,” Harvick said. “We accomplished everything we needed to this year. We’ve got a lot of new Truck teams coming next year because the series is getting to be back more affordable. I look forward to next year, ... and a lot of the rule changes seem to be headed in the right direction for competition and costs.”
Mentioned Drivers: Ron Hornaday
2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings
Driver Standings after the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 6492 |
| 2 | Mark Martin | -108 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | -169 |
| 4 | Kurt Busch | -211 |
| 5 | Tony Stewart | -285 |
| 6 | Juan Pablo Montoya | -289 |
| 7 | Greg Biffle | -321 |
| 8 | Denny Hamlin | -352 |
| 9 | Ryan Newman | -411 |
| 10 | Kasey Kahne | -476 |
| 11 | Carl Edwards | -520 |
| 12 | Brian Vickers | -666 |
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Comments
2 responses to "Wild restarts await Truck series drivers in 2010 season". Post a Comment.
bthompson133 said:
Nov 3, 2009 at 9:18 PMdoes he really think they'll tear up more stuff being side by side?LOL
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» Confirm Abuse Reportrwilliamhayes said:
Nov 4, 2009 at 12:33 PMwho cares what the trucks do.make them drive in reverse the whole race.it's going back words anyway.
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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.
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