New rules about gas can tossing

[edison18]

At Chicagoland NASCAR has announced that teams may no longer throw the empty gas can over the wall. This is supposedly an effort to limit gas spills in the name of safety.

I really thought the issue of partially full gas cans being dragged down pit road was a greater safety hazard than an empty can being tossed from one crew member to another.

And now how will the gas man and the catch-can man synch their efforts so that they get their jobs done and not slow down the stop or get in the way of the rest of the crew.

The catch-can man makes adjustments and can't let go of the catch-can, so will he hold on to the first can during the entire stop or will the gas man take it back to the wall and return for the second can?

Do you think this is a good rule or will this just create headaches for the pit crews?

 

[Bucky Badger]

Well, I don't see a lot of problems happening at this time. There probably have been incidents in the past, but I can't remember any recent. I guess it's NASCAR's way of making the sport safer for the future being teams are clicking off 13+ second pitstops. Mabey its a way to make the pitstop a tad longer.

 

[DJFan]

Steve and I noticed that some of the teams appeared to be "practicing" the gas can handling during their stops at Sears Point. Boris's catch can man made the round of bite adjustment before taking the empty can from the gas man and it did not seem to hinder their stop any. I can see where it could be confusing and time consuming for both fellas. I can also see where tossing the empty can back beyond the wall could be a physical hazard and fire threat. Nascar is right to go the route of "safety" versus saving the teams a couple tenths of a second in the pit box.

Kel

 

[Highboy90]

Originally posted by edison18@Jun 23 2003, 06:54 PM
Do you think this is a good rule or will this just create headaches for the pit crews?

Safety is number one. This goes for NASCAR and the places where most of us work.

 

[Ward Burton]

Originally posted by Highboy90+Jun 23 2003, 07:39 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Highboy90 @ Jun 23 2003, 07:39 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--edison18@Jun 23 2003, 06:54 PM
Do you think this is a good rule or will this just create headaches for the pit crews?

Safety is number one. This goes for NASCAR and the places where most of us work. [/b][/quote]
Safety is number one, you cant be too safe when you are driving at 200 mph, and doing 13.0 pit stops throwing junk in the air.

 

[redrock]

NASCAR just annouced a modification to this rule:

If the gas can is set on fire, team members will be allowed to throw the burning gas can at other cars coming down pit lane in order to gain a competitive advantage. :lol: