The controversial decision at Texas involved a pass between Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth. Credit: Autostock
Helton admits mistake in caution call Sunday
By Lee Montgomery, Turner Sports Interactive April 1, 2003
CONCORD, N.C. -- NASCAR president Mike Helton took the bold step of admitting a mistake in a call made during the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway last Sunday.
At issue was the decision to return Matt Kenseth to the lead and give Kurt Busch and Ricky Rudd a lap back. Jeff Gordon, running second to Kenseth when the caution came out, had passed Kenseth and kept Busch and Rudd a lap down.
But instead of Gordon keeping the lead, NASCAR put Kenseth back out front. And Busch and Rudd were allowed to make up a lap. Tuesday, Helton said that was the wrong call.
"The biggest reason I'm here today is to tell you that after the fact, if we had to do that call over again, we would do it different," Helton said. "In other words, we made a mistake Sunday making a call in a scenario of something we had never seen before when someone took the lead of the race and then gave it back."
Helton said NASCAR would not reverse its decision, and the results from Sunday's race remain official. Helton also said NASCAR would not change its rules regarding racing back to the caution.
"What happened to the leaders was their prerogative," Helton said. "What we did Sunday was interject NASCAR into the prerogative that we leave to the drivers. And we shouldn't have done that."
Helton pointed out the need to make quick decisions when a caution comes out because of potential danger on the track, and NASCAR will continue to tell the drivers that racing back to the caution is up to the leaders.
At Texas, Elliott Sadler spun on the backstretch to bring out a yellow. Kenseth slowed off turn 4 to let teammates Jeff Burton and Busch get a lap back, but Gordon sped past and beat Kenseth back to the start-finish line. Gordon also passed Busch and Rudd - who had gotten by Kenseth -- putting those two drivers a lap down.
"As it unfolded, it appeared the 24's intent was to keep lapped cars down more than to lead the race," Helton said. "We were faced with mostly a scoring issue at that point. Our two options were to recognize the 24 as the leader, and also recognize his decision to not keep the lead position. Our second choice was to recognize the 17 as the leader, and therefore give the 97 and the 21 their laps since they had passed him before they got to the start-finish line."
Gordon was angry at the decision after the race and criticized NASCAR for it. It wasn't the only controversy of the weekend. In Saturday's Busch Series race, NASCAR penalized Brian Vickers for passing to the left on a restart, even though Vickers wasn't completely by Chad Blount's car, which had moved right with an apparent problem. NASCAR deemed Vickers to be in the "act of passing" by pulling to Blount's left.
Helton called Sunday's decision a "procedure" and "scoring" call.
NASCAR has talked to drivers about changing the rules of racing back to the caution, but Helton said there's not a consensus. Plus, if NASCAR were to revert back to the last green flag lap or freeze the field, Helton said the sanctioning body can't be sure of every car's position.
"It's not possible for NASCAR, when a caution comes out, to be sure every spot out there -- even though we may declare that we're going to freeze the field -- it's not possible to be sure that that happens," Helton said. "Technology is getting to the point -- we've gone a long way, and we're close to it; we're just not there today -- to be able to give us the ability to 100 percent police that if we choose to do it."
Helton admits mistake in caution call Sunday
By Lee Montgomery, Turner Sports Interactive April 1, 2003
CONCORD, N.C. -- NASCAR president Mike Helton took the bold step of admitting a mistake in a call made during the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway last Sunday.
At issue was the decision to return Matt Kenseth to the lead and give Kurt Busch and Ricky Rudd a lap back. Jeff Gordon, running second to Kenseth when the caution came out, had passed Kenseth and kept Busch and Rudd a lap down.
But instead of Gordon keeping the lead, NASCAR put Kenseth back out front. And Busch and Rudd were allowed to make up a lap. Tuesday, Helton said that was the wrong call.
"The biggest reason I'm here today is to tell you that after the fact, if we had to do that call over again, we would do it different," Helton said. "In other words, we made a mistake Sunday making a call in a scenario of something we had never seen before when someone took the lead of the race and then gave it back."
Helton said NASCAR would not reverse its decision, and the results from Sunday's race remain official. Helton also said NASCAR would not change its rules regarding racing back to the caution.
"What happened to the leaders was their prerogative," Helton said. "What we did Sunday was interject NASCAR into the prerogative that we leave to the drivers. And we shouldn't have done that."
Helton pointed out the need to make quick decisions when a caution comes out because of potential danger on the track, and NASCAR will continue to tell the drivers that racing back to the caution is up to the leaders.
At Texas, Elliott Sadler spun on the backstretch to bring out a yellow. Kenseth slowed off turn 4 to let teammates Jeff Burton and Busch get a lap back, but Gordon sped past and beat Kenseth back to the start-finish line. Gordon also passed Busch and Rudd - who had gotten by Kenseth -- putting those two drivers a lap down.
"As it unfolded, it appeared the 24's intent was to keep lapped cars down more than to lead the race," Helton said. "We were faced with mostly a scoring issue at that point. Our two options were to recognize the 24 as the leader, and also recognize his decision to not keep the lead position. Our second choice was to recognize the 17 as the leader, and therefore give the 97 and the 21 their laps since they had passed him before they got to the start-finish line."
Gordon was angry at the decision after the race and criticized NASCAR for it. It wasn't the only controversy of the weekend. In Saturday's Busch Series race, NASCAR penalized Brian Vickers for passing to the left on a restart, even though Vickers wasn't completely by Chad Blount's car, which had moved right with an apparent problem. NASCAR deemed Vickers to be in the "act of passing" by pulling to Blount's left.
Helton called Sunday's decision a "procedure" and "scoring" call.
NASCAR has talked to drivers about changing the rules of racing back to the caution, but Helton said there's not a consensus. Plus, if NASCAR were to revert back to the last green flag lap or freeze the field, Helton said the sanctioning body can't be sure of every car's position.
"It's not possible for NASCAR, when a caution comes out, to be sure every spot out there -- even though we may declare that we're going to freeze the field -- it's not possible to be sure that that happens," Helton said. "Technology is getting to the point -- we've gone a long way, and we're close to it; we're just not there today -- to be able to give us the ability to 100 percent police that if we choose to do it."
