One of the things touted about the points system in NA$CAR is that it rewards consistency. Yes it does, overly so. What I can't understand is why we, THE FANS, aren't rewarded with consistent rules enforcement by NA$CAR concerning the Red Flag. Apparently the suits at Daytona Beach are concerned enough about this that there is a poll on NA$CAR.com about developing a consistent rule regarding red flag procedure. As I write this column the response is 73% YES and 27% NO.
NA$CAR seems bent on being consistently inconsistent with the red flag, with Out of Bounds at Daytona and Talladega. The following are a few suggestions to help them become uniform in their rulings and race conduct:
Rockingham runs 393 laps to equal 400 miles. The final caution flew on lap 390. Mike Helton says they didn't have enough laps to red flag the race then restart it, open pit road and gather the field back up and race to the checkered flag. Excuse me Mr. Helton, where is it written in stone that pit road has to be open? Why not, with three laps to go, red flag the race on the backstretch. When the track is clean give the word for the pace car to lead them back toward the flagstand and give them the green flag with two to go? Better yet, let's make the rules for all three major series consistent and ensure that every race end up with at least a green, white, checker finish?
What I fail to understand is why the pits have to be open in the first place and why so many laps are ran under caution to allow for pit work after the track is cleaned up. When a car spins out with no wall contact and no debris deposited on the track, why must we endure four, five or six laps under caution for pit work?
Why aren't the cautions consistent? Early in the race, regardless of who it is, a single car spin that ends up out of harms way will invariably bring out a caution. By the same token, if we are near the end of a race and have a single car spin the caution flag may or may not get thrown. Where is the consistency here?
What I fail to understand is why the race is started under yellow pace laps and the laps don't count until the green flag is thrown. Yet, when the race is red flagged and then restored to yellow the laps immediately start counting. Why don't they put a pause button on the automatic scoring computer and run a red-yellow format until the field is lined up. Give them one to go and drop the green and restart the scoring computer. I realize the automatic timing and scoring is backed up by manual scoring and they could use a green light to tell the manual scorers when to resume. I don't know about you, the reader, but I don't pay to see useless laps run under caution. I want to see the cars at speed, framin and bamin and puttin on a good show and I'd like to see all the laps remaining in a race ran under green.
I am sure there is some concern about the time block allotted by the TV networks and NA$CAR has to give some consideration to that element. Having said that, I am sure FOX and NBC would rather run past the allocated time slot than bear the wrath of the fans by cutting the telecast short. How many of you remember the infamous Heidi incident? I have noticed that NFL games or Golf tournaments backing up the schedule on numerous occasions. Why should our sport be cut short by the networks due to delays unforeseen?
The numerous columns that I have written here and on SpeedwayMedia.com have generated many forms of feedback. Some favorable, some not so favorable and a few downright nasty. A few of my columns have attracted readership with no comment. Imagine my surprise, if you will, when I read my feedback today and had an e-mail from Jim Hunter of NA$CAR. I often thought we, the columnists, were whistling past the graveyard when it came to offering critical comment or constructive suggestions about how our favorite sport is being ran. For my three or four devoted readers, we are making a difference and we are being heard. When I say we, I mean you, dear fans. Most of what I write now is based on the input I get from you that support our sport in person or through the convenience of TV.
Regardless of what we write on this site, all the columnists need your feedback to see if we are reflecting your thoughts and opinions. If you read one of our columns and agree but say nothing to us, how are we to know if we are making valid points or arguments? As always, you have the right to disagree but not the right to be disagreeable. God bless America and never forget the victims of 911.
Don@insidethepitbox.com
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