NASCAR Rule Changes: What’s Gone What’s Still Ok

NASCAR Changes Rules and Chase Entrants

The credibility of NASCAR auto racing has hit an all time low with allegations of fixed results to races and the sale of track position by small to teams to those with the largest funds. NASCAR Chairman Brian France has decided to fight back following the unopposed spin by Clint Bowyer towards the end of the final regular season race in an attempt to place a race under caution to give his teammate Martin Treux Jr into the end of season Chase over Ryan Newman.

France has responded quickly by threatening large penalties for those not giving 100 percent throughout a race and those attempting to artificially alter the result of a race. Amid accusations of track position being bought by Penske Racing from smaller teams the field for the end of season Chase has been expanded to 13 from the usual 12, with the inclusion of both Newman and Jeff Gordon. Treux has been removed from the field even though he is regarded as innocent of involvement in the fixing of the previous race.

New rules brought in to make NASCAR fairer for all teams and drivers include teams being limited to one spotter and banned from using private digital communications, and a change to the restart rules that have been controversial throughout the 2013 season.

 

Among the moves deemed unacceptable:

— Offering a position in exchange for favor or material benefit and vice versa

— Directing a driver to give up a position to the benefit of another driver

— Intentionally causing a caution

— Intentionally wrecking a competitor

— Intentionally pitting to gain an advantage for another competitor.

These moves will remain OK:

— Contact while racing for position

— Yielding to a faster car

— Laying over for all drivers on a restart.

On the Web:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/09/14/nascar-seeks-restore-credibility-after-scandal/gX0MJ15FuqJDu3cNZcs7eO/story.html