Question on Rahal's last restart

[IRLFan9]

I know the pace car leaves the field to the leader but what would it take for the leader to get black flagged for excelerating to early.

As I saw it Rahal got on it exiting turn 10 and my first thought was oh **** he got on it to soon and will get penalized...he then however slowed up entering and through turn 14 beforing getting on it again.

My question is, if Rahal did not slow up at turn 14 do you think he would have be penalized for jumping the restart?

Keep in mind I am not saying he should have been penalized, I just asking what the rule is...

Thanks

[saidhead]

I'm not even sure if their was a commitment line yesterday like the ovals have with the cones in the fence. The leader can lead the field around to the green at his own pace right???

[IRLFan9]

I believe the leader can lead around at own pace, but i guess my question is when does pace become jumping the green...he was on it real hard until he slowed up in 14.

[fla-agr]

Sitting in Turn One it appeared that the Green was being given as soon as they got around 14 and was pointed at the start finish line.

I would imagine that what you saw in 10 was warming the tires up as the rain came with a 10 degree temp. drop.

[IRLFan9]

Sitting in Turn One it appeared that the Green was being given as soon as they got around 14 and was pointed at the start finish line.

I would imagine that what you saw in 10 was warming the tires up as the rain came with a 10 degree temp. drop.

No he was on it from turn 10 to turn 14 before he slowed down...I rewatched the race last night and thats what made me wonder...it seems to me he was seperating the field a bit before the restart.

[fla-agr]

No he was on it from turn 10 to turn 14 before he slowed down...I rewatched the race last night and thats what made me wonder...it seems to me he was seperating the field a bit before the restart.

Oh, well that's different... but still he did slow down, but this was the kid's first IRL race and for the most part I'd say he did okay for a rookie.

[Powercat]

The field is in the hands of the leader following the pace car, but Race Control can communicate with the leader to pick up or back down the pace. Same goes with anyone else in the pack who is holding people up or driving away.

[silvercrown]

Restarts in the IRL have been screwed up on both ovals and RC for a number of years. I think it comes from the league trying to micromanage everything.

They don't want them starting too early, but they don't want the leader to bring them to the green too slow either... And it varies from race to race what is allowed as well.

Graham got on the gas way earlier. But, with Helio right behind him, I can't blame him. Helio is real good at pushing the envelope for restarts as well, he normally goes way earlier than he should, too. And he did manage to keep up with Graham.

I say get rid of the cones and the "go zones". Either give the leader control of the race and let him go as fast or slow wherever he wants, OR do the nascar thing... you come down the straight to the flagman at yellow speeds until the Green flies, then you go. Give them the green about a 100 yards before the SF line.

Actually, I think I would prefer that second method...

[IRLFan9]

Silvercrown...so what if Rahal continued and did not slow in turn 14 and he and Helio seperated themselves from the field; would or could Rahal have been penalized for jumping the start or would it have just been waved off? I guess my end question is the result if someone does clearly jump a start.

[silvercrown]

technically, the can wave off the restart. It has happened when someone jumps the gun, the put the yellow back out and try again the next lap.

however, with the time running down on that race, I think the IRL would have dropped the green no matter what.

But the answer to your original question is yes, they will wave it off. Now if its repeatedly blown, they may penalize the driver by dropping him back. Not sure if that has ever happened though.

[ptistheboss]

Whoever was leading on the restart before that did the same thing. A vereran move by Graham.

[TexRacer]

Graham did an awesome job on that restart! He even hit some debris on the track and that didn't even throw him off that much.

I think the reason that he sped up that way is so that he was carrying momentum into the corner. That would help him to get his best exit speed, which is what he needed the most.

Most every other driver in the lead would've taken off at that point. Good job!

[racer1977]

I didn't see any turn 14 slowdown?!?

What I did see was a nervous kid lock up the brakes for about 3 consecutive turns before getting his groove back! Great job for the win!

jpb