NASCAR has made two adjustments to its 2008 pit road rules

kelloggs5TLfan

kelloggs5TLfan

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By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
January 10, 2008
05:22 PM EST
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Citing safety concerns, NASCAR has made two adjustments to its 2008 pit road rules for its three national touring series. (Swan: Pit dangers)
http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/01/10/pit.road.rule.changes/index.html
Sprint Cup Series director John Darby addressed the two changes Wednesday, the final day of the opening session of Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway, which is also the site of each series' opening event during Speedweeks 2008 in February.


In the first, over-the-wall pit crews in the Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Truck series will no longer be allowed to push-start their stalled race vehicles for more than three pit stalls beyond their assigned service area.

Darby said that in the past, for example, if a vehicle ran out of fuel on its way to its pit box for refueling, it might not readily restart, thus "the crews might have to push the vehicle the full length of pit road, while everyone else was entering and exiting the pits, and that's not a real good situation.

"We've limited crews to the same three-box length for pushing as the vehicles can drive through getting onto pit road."

Darby said if the vehicle does not restart within the three-box limit, it would have to be returned to its assigned pit box to be worked on.

"We're much more comfortable with them pushing it back to the pit box and getting it started than we were with them pushing it the length of pit road," Darby said.

The actual rule book states "...Cars may not be pushed past the flag person at the end of the pit road. Unless otherwise authorized, once the race is underway, cars may be started by hand pushing in the pit area only, but under no circumstances is any car to be hand pushed more than three pit boxes away from their assigned pit box or into the acceleration zone or onto the race track from the pit area. Cars may not receive any assistance after the white flag has been displayed, except those cars making pit stops ..."

In the second, outside tires that have been removed from a vehicle during a pit stop can no longer be free-rolled from the outside of the pit box to the pit wall; rather, they must be hand-directed to the inner half of the pit box before being released.

"The way we saw the procedure develop, the tires were going, unattended, back to the pit wall," Darby said. "As long as their aim was correct, and nothing was in the way it works pretty good -- but typically it was not a good situation.

"So now we've mandated that the tire changer or carrier has to hand-roll or pick up the tire and carry it to the inside of the pit box."

The actual rule book states "A team member must be in contact with the outside tire(s) until the outside tire(s) reach the inside half of the pit box before the car leaves its assigned pit box. Any tires left in the outside half of the assigned pit box, or beyond, will result in a time or other penalty ..."

The changes will be reflected in the 2008 rule books for the respective series, which are currently being distributed.
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so i guess the carrier has to carry it back immediately and the changer has to actually mount the new tire and put it on?


I guess that does make the ters right though. Cuz the carrier was changing them and carrying them and the changer sat there and ran the gun. I expect pit stop times to go up by about a second.
 
I'm thinking that it won't be that big of a deal, they only have to be in contact with the tire to the center of pit lane, shouldn't bother much. And pushing the cars on pit lane, I always thought someone was going to get killed doing that, I believe that a good rule. Duane
 
id hate to be the guy having to catch the tires cause you know the carriers will just start throwing them. Not across the stall but hard enough and close enough i dont wanna be in the way lol.
 
Let's go back to the good o' days. No speed limit on pit road, pit guys in jeans and t-shirts, smoking on a Lucky! :D
 
Lap3Forever said:
Let's go back to the good o' days. No speed limit on pit road, pit guys in jeans and t-shirts, smoking on a Lucky! :D
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Good point, there isn't near enough carnage on pit lane, hell the guys getting hit now are only flying 4 of 5 ft. Duane:eek2:
 
So you're saying they should hire the guy in the Jarrett commercials who throws the tire over the car and knocks over the tool chest...
 
barelypure said:
So you're saying they should hire the guy in the Jarrett commercials who throws the tire over the car and knocks over the tool chest...
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Nah, the key word here is "hand carry" the tire. Throwing the tire or bouncing it just isn't in that definition. Of course, the teams will push the envelope to the limit.
 
now here's a curly que-

if a car ran out of gas on pit road BEFORE reaching it's stall, would the/a crew be allowed to push the car to the assigned pit box or would they have to carry a fuel can out there and start it?
 
Magnethead said:
now here's a curly que-

if a car ran out of gas on pit road BEFORE reaching it's stall, would the/a crew be allowed to push the car to the assigned pit box or would they have to carry a fuel can out there and start it?
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Doubt they could carry a fuel can to the car. Maybe some spray but I doubt that as it exposes them to being run over as well. They may have to get a push from another car or a wrecker.
Maybe Jimmie's habit of picking the last stall would come in handy...
 
barelypure said:
Doubt they could carry a fuel can to the car. Maybe some spray but I doubt that as it exposes them to being run over as well. They may have to get a push from another car or a wrecker.
Maybe Jimmie's habit of picking the last stall would come in handy...
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under the pre-amended rulebook, i had seen several teams run up pit road to push the car to their stall. Thats why i asked.
 
If it's a safety issue, perhaps crews shouldn't be allowed to go on pit road to push cars period.
 
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