No More Passing Under Yellow

[macdaddy]

Hi. I don't usually post in this forum, but the news that NASCAR has adopted this rule is worth mentioning!

NASCAR has banned drivers from racing back to the yellow flag under caution, changing a rule strongly criticized by drivers and team owners.

The new rule, which takes effect for this weekend's races, forbids passing once the caution flag is displayed.

http://espn.go.com/rpm/wc/2003/0918/1618817.html

IMO...
It's about time!!!
This practice was downright dangerous, and I've never understood the logic behind it.

It's great that they're pro- rather than re-active.
But they've been lucky.

[MrSal]

I have to agree. The yellow flags are brought out because there is something on the track that is a danger to the drivers. To then have a mad charge back to the start/finish line before they slow down seems to have been a dangerous contradiction.
I believe they are allowing the first car who is a lap down behind the leader to get a lap back which seems like a fair compromise.

[gttouring]

this will change strategy and race 'moves' and driver motivation to go fast it will improve green flag racing i think, a pretty radical move though, 30 years of competition was going well, good move though.
this would have changed many race descisions before huh

[Emfa]

I can only echo macdaddy's comment "It's about time!" I guess that after DJ's incident last week they finally decided that they had better do something before it was too late. I'm not sure about this 'free ticket' thing for the first car one lap down - obviously a compromise, but still a bit hokey.

[Asp]

It certainly is a necessary move - although it will remoce the thrill chasing to the line when the caution comes out with 3 to go. We will also see some rule tweaking soon - when 2 cars are side by side when the caution comes out, regardless of how many TV cameras or officials they have - some will cause argument. I could see in some circumstances having to go back to the last scored lap: but with any luck it could be cleared up by next season based on the experience for the rest of this year.

[Joe Fan]

Although I think this will improve safety, I think it will make it more frustrating when your favorite driver gets a lap behind. Now, it will be much more difficult to make up a lap.

[garcon]

Thoroughly enjoyed watching the Speed Channel while I was in the US for the last week or so. And ignited a little more interest in Nascar!

As a relative rookie to the oval, it seems to me that the race to the line under caution was too dangerous to justify the thrill factor. The rule HAD to come in before some stricken car halfway up the circuit got punted into oblivion by someone still going flat out.

I'm not so sure about the free lap back for the leading lapped car - that seems a little contrived to me and became possibly the decisive factor in Newman's win at Dover... am I right in thinking this is geared more to holding the fans' interest than treating the drivers right?
Maybe it balances Joe Fan's point though - without the race to the line it's harder to get your lap back...

[muggle not]

I think that there is at least a 50% chance that they will do away with the 'free lap back' rule after it is tried a few more times.

[24thunder]

I'm not thrilled with the automatic lap back to the first driver a lap down,but it does seem a necessary compromise as the only alternative to getting back on the lead lap would be to pass the leader on the track(perhaps in the pits),as this doesn't usually happen,there would be little chance of a driver getting a lap back without the automatic lap back rule IMO.
I do agree that this will be a much safer & efficient manner in handling cautions,but too bad that the new breed of driver's aren't entlemen as NASCAR wouldn't ahve had to step in otherwise.

[codename_47]

Not that I'm complaining, I too think the rule is a great idea, but has there EVER been an accident involving a car wrecked on the track and another car collecting it trying to race to the line?? :confused:

Seems a bit weird NASCAR finally starting to be pro instead of re-active, but I'm glad they've made the change!

[Chevyguy]

I would like to take that one, codename. It would seem to me that the big accident was just waiting to happen. Besides, with the fuel cell fires that have become the norm, the speed of safety vehicle arrival is crucial. If the driver is knocked out, the car's on fire, and the safety vehicles have to wait an additoinal 30 seconds to arrive on seen, one of our heroes will die.

It's good to see this forum is unanimous on this rule change. It's been my experience that NASCAR fans tend to meet change with little exceptance. That's not the case here, and that's wonderful.

[Crash Test]

What about the single file into pit lane? That certainly hasn't stopped crew members from being skittled. The guy who got smacked on the weekend certainly had some good airtime! Perhaps something more drastic has be done, because there are going to be more times when the skittled folk don't just bounce back up...