June 6, 2009
By Brenda Benedict
NASCAR announced Thursday that it will begin using double file restarts in Sprint Cup races beginning this week at Pocono.
The news came as no surprise to fans of This Week in NASCAR which is seen on Speed-TV on Monday nights. Michael Waltrip let it slip during this week’s telecast that NASCAR was going to use the popular method to restart the races after a caution.
Fans have been asking for this change and for once it appears that NASCAR is listening to us.
“We’ve heard the fans loud and clear: ‘double-file restarts – shootout style’ are coming to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “This addition to the race format is good for competition and good for the fans.”
NASCAR had been using single file restarts for the Sprint Cup races, with lead laps cars starting in order front to back in the outside lane and lapped cars restarting in the lower lane.
The move to double-file restarts appears to be popular with drivers as well.
Tony Stewart expressed his approval by saying, “I’m excited about it. The good thing is that when they drop the green, you’re going to be racing with the guys you’re racing for position instead of trying to clear lapped cars. Since NASCAR has adapted the ‘free pass’, I think that’s something that now justifies being able to put those lapped cars to the back and let them race with each other, and let the guys who are racing on the lead lap do the same. I’m behind NASCAR 100% on this.”
Kevin Harvick said, “I think it’s great that NASCAR is listening to the fans. These new restart procedures are going to make our sport even more exciting than it already is. This will not only benefit the lead lap cars, but also the cars that go a lap down, so you get the best of both worlds.”
The media continues to talk about the All-Star Race and the quality and exciting racing that we saw there.
Chuck Abrams, my colleague here at Insider Racing News put it well earlier this week.
Abrams said, “I have long hated the current restart system with lap down cars on the inside row. That just makes for crazy racing when the leaders are trying to race each other instead of lapped cars. These are lapped cars; they are there for a reason. Put them where they belong.’
After last week’s town hall meetings, fans and drivers had been hoping to see NASCAR implement some of the suggestions offered to them by the ‘stakeholders’ in NASCAR.
However, the real stakeholders, the fans, have not asked for their opinion. But we’re going to give it anyway.
Racing seems to have been reduced to a bunch of guys who are saying, “Why can’t we just get along”. But what fans want to see is exciting racing, drivers with real emotions and a car that makes lots of passing possible.
The NASCAR executives may now be willing to listen since the TV ratings for races are falling faster than the number of General Motors plants. Their response seems to be late in coming. The fans are saying “Digger just isn’t cutting it for us
There is a long list of issues that could be contributing to the ratings decline such as races that are too long, lack of consistency in start time, and yes, even Digger, the Gopher. I believe that Fox TV’s attempt to add the cuteness factor is part of the problem adding to the fan’s impatience with the current state of NASCAR.
Double-file restarts are a great step of improvement. But come on NASCAR. Keep the ball rolling. Listen to all your stakeholders. If you want our loyalty and money, give us a race that is exciting and keeps us on the edge of our seats.
Double-file restarts fit that bill. But we are waiting to see how much more you are willing to listen to your fans. The proof will be in the pudding!
The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.
