NASCAR told all three series in Wednesday morning’s safety meeting that the sanctioning body is looking at redefining the green-white-checker rule to finish races. In the past, when a caution occurred in the closing laps of a race, the field made one attempt at a green-white-checkered flag finish. Under the new rule, NASCAR will make sure the track is clean, run multiple green laps before waving the white and finally the checkered flag. Robin Pemberton, Vice President of Competition for NASCAR, used the analogy of Saturday night’s multi-car wreck [in the Bud Shootout] in Turn 3 where the leaders came around to the white flag and Kevin Harvick led the field around to the track for the final lap. Pemberton said, “At least with the new rule they’re going to race (one full lap of green) and then go on the white if we do this.” The rule could go into effect for all three series as early as Thursday’s qualifying races for the Daytona 500.(FoxSports)(2-10-2010)
UPDATE: NASCAR told drivers before Thursday’s 150-mile qualifying races that it will have up to three green-white-checkered restarts if the first and second attempts don’t make it through the first lap without a caution. A green-white-checkered finish signifies two laps will be run. NASCAR throws a green flag and the cars race a lap until the white flag — signifying the final lap of a race — is shown and then the drivers race that final lap to the checkered-flag finish. The new rule will be used in the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Truck series. In the past, drivers have had only one shot at a green-white-checkered finish. At many tracks, particularly superspeedways Daytona and Talladega, a caution often comes out before the conclusion. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said the new rule will hopefully allow more races to finish under green.(ESPN.com)(2-11-2010)
