Getting much email about Dale Jarrett’s pass of the pace car during the caution, saw it didn’t think much about it. Here is a rule: “Cars may not pass the caution car/truck unless directed to do so by an Official in the caution car/truck. Any cars illegally passing the caution car/truck or race leader will be black-flagged”. Not looking to speculate on this, if NASCAR saw a problem they would have given a warning, the way I look at it is he never completed the alleged pass and Jarrett was in the proper position at the start/finish line each time — UPDATE: DJ explains ‘the pass’: Why was Dale Jarrett riding around on the track apron as the final two laps of Saturday’s Pepsi 400 were run under caution? He was trying to make sure he had enough gas to make it around the 2.5-mile track to take the checkered flag. By riding on the bottom of the track, he kept the fuel cell level to allow as much gas as possible into the fuel pickup, which is on the right side. As Jarrett drove on the apron, his Ford actually got ahead of the pace car as the field came off of Turn 2. Jarrett says he lost sight of the pace car(see That’s Racin’ for the story) as far as NASCAR is concerned, a pass isn’t a pass until a car crosses the start/finish line — FINAL UPDATE: From NOL: NASCAR Director of Operations Kevin Triplett said the rule regarding passing the pace car is designed to prevent competitors from gaining an advantage, primarily by passing the pace car while pitting, thereby getting to their pit sooner; or passing the pace car in order to pick up a full lap on the competition. According to Triplett, Jarrett did neither. “Jarrett, in an obvious effort to conserve fuel, (dived) to the apron,” Triplett said. “With the pace car remaining on the race track, Jarrett took the shorter distance, thus temporarily moving ahead of the pace car. He slowed down, moved back into place and gained no advantage. It turned out to be a non-issue.” ( NOL )
