Rule Change

[comfortably numb]

Anyone know of a good reason NOT to put the lapped cars on the outside row on restarts?

[Cygni]

Takes away some of the fun.

[lkchris]

Anyone know of a good reason NOT to put the lapped cars on the outside row on restarts?

How are you going to rationalize this change with the rule that says passing on outside on restart before s/f line is ok but on inside isn't? Clearly outside is harder.

[Indy500fanatic]

Anyone know of a good reason NOT to put the lapped cars on the outside row on restarts?

Been there, done that...until the late '80's (IIRC), the lap down cars restarted on the outside...
And heres the reason, guys on outside would cut down as to get into the 'fast lane' and a lot of wrecks occurred.

...nowadays, with the rules the way they are (the 'lucky dog' nonsense), nascar could restart these races single file and at the end of the day there'd be 32-35 cars on lead lap..

[NJDMONEY]

Been there, done that...until the late '80's (IIRC), the lap down cars restarted on the outside...
And heres the reason, guys on outside would cut down as to get into the 'fast lane' and a lot of wrecks occurred.

That's not the reason.

...the rule that says passing on outside on restart before s/f line is ok but on inside isn't?

That is.

[Doctorindy]

I've never been found of the rule in the first place (lining up lapped cars on the inside, or outside for that matter) because sometime they have no business there at all. But I guess it's the best thing they can come up with.

Right now the rules say that 10 laps to go or less they line up at the back of the pack. However, I think it should start earlier that that. Perhaps that last 1/4th of the race. Not to mention when someone has a 20 lap down clunker thinking he belongs up there, doing nothing but creating a hazzard.

As for passing on the outside only before the line, I don't see why they're so bent on that. All that does is cause checking up sometimes. If a leader hugs the outside wall (especially on a plate track), then takes the field down slow on purpose, all it usually ends up doing is crunching up the cars 10-15 positions back. I think once they hit the "restart line," anything goes. Perhaps they should actually paint a restart line to make it clear.

[midtown]

I think clunkers generally stay at the back of the longest line. The one's on the inside are only a lap or two down. As far the restart line being painted on the track, its probably not a bad idea. It could be brought to you by Microsoft (you know from the "Start Me Up" ad campaign).

[lkchris]

It could be brought to you by Microsoft (you know from the "Start Me Up" ad campaign).

Or the Rolling Stones!