Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 10, 1991 TAG: 9102070425
SECTION: RACING PAGE: AR7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The yellow-flag pit stop will become only half a pit stop. The green-flag pit stop, complex and heavily regulated, may become the real benchmark for pit competition and race strategy.
The new rules, designed to protect crewmen from pit-road crashes such as the one that killed Bill Elliott crewman Mike Rich last November in Atlanta, take about six paragraphs to explain in detail.
Briefly, tire changes and right-side car work are effectively banned during yellow-flag stops. If a team has to change a tire, it is penalized a lap. Adding fuel still is allowed.
The real pit action, with those crucial tire changes, can begin only under a green flag in the second lap after a caution period ends. At that time, the odd-numbered half of the field may pit, if they so choose. On the third green-flag lap after a caution, the even-numbered half of the field may pit. After that, as long as the green flag flies, any car can pit at any time.
Cars will be designated odd or even by their qualifying positions.
Nobody knows how it will work out, but NASCAR officials say they intend to stick with this program, although they may make some adjustments if necessary.
Today's ARCA 200, which usually features horrendous crashes, becomes the first race under the new rules, which were announced by NASCAR in December. Obviously, the race will be watched closely to see how the complicated procedures work.
In the meantime, they have become the object of much speculation. Everybody has more questions than answers.
"I've laid down in bed maybe for two or three hours and thought about it," crew chief Harry Hyde said. "I've thought an awful lot about it. I welcome it, but there's still some mystery in it to me."
"There's so many different scenarios, it's going to be confusing," said Steve Hmiel, Mark Martin's team manager. "Sometimes you may win a race because of it, and sometimes you may lose a race because of it."
Pit-stop timing and strategy likely will become all important.
"There's going to be a lot of pressure on the pit crews to call the race strategy," Ricky Rudd said.
"We'll probably stub our toes a few times, but other teams probably will, too," said Bill Ingle, Michael Waltrip's crew chief.
"You don't need to pit as much as you're pitting now," Hmiel said. "You don't pick up appreciably at some race tracks on new tires. I think you'll pit based on whether or not you need fuel."
Buddy Baker sees it differently. "I think you'll see a resurgence of crew chiefs who really know how to make race cars run long distances on worn tires."
That's one of the reasons Darrell Waltrip says he thinks the new rules may create new safety hazards for pit crews.
If cars fill up with fuel under yellow, then make tire changes when the green comes out, "now the cars will come down into the pits with full tanks of fuel and worn-out tires," he said.
Waltrip, for one, is not a fan of this new, untested system.
"It's going to be hard to judge it until we try it, but there seems to be so many better ways to solve the problem," he said. "It's a piece of cake. Let's take racing out of the pits."
Waltrip believes cars should be allowed to make full pit stops under yellow, but should remain in the same order they were in when the yellow flag flew.
"I mean, give me a break," Waltrip said. "Who's going to make all these [rules] calls? Are you gonna have 50 people out there watching everybody?"
Waltrip envisions huge pit-road traffic jams on the short tracks, where "before the [odd-numbered cars] get out of the pits, here comes the evens. It's just too many problems."
Obviously, as Waltrip noted, he was not among the "select group of people" who were brought together by NASCAR to advise on what should be done about pit stops.
Car owner Richard Childress was. He and three other car owners, two crew chiefs and a track promoter helped NASCAR devise the new rules.
"You can't take racing out of pit road," Childress said. "That's part of the sport. That plays a big role in race strategy and with race fans. We felt we put as much safety back in the pits and took as much danger out as we could. There's no simple solution to it."
Even if the rules are complex, Gary Nelson, Kyle Petty's crew chief, says he thinks pit road will be much safer this year.
"It's a big responsibility for me as crew chief to send people out there" on pit road, Nelson said. "I'm sure they'll come back every time this year. I wasn't so sure last year."
\ Rules of the Road\in Nascar's Pits A summary of NASCAR's new pit-road regulations for Winston Cup and Grand National cars:
During caution flags, teams will be allowed to add fuel and make minor left-side adjustments, but no crew members will be allowed on the right side of the car. Crew members must wait until their car comes to a complete stop before going over the wall. Pit board men no longer will be allowed over the pit wall. They will have to hold their signal boards on long poles.
Teams will not be allowed to change tires during yellow-flag periods. If a team has a problem and must change a tire, it will incur a penalty of at least one lap.
Two pace cars will be used during caution periods. One pace car will remain on the track. The other pace car will drive down pit lane each lap, leading cars at a controlled speed. Nobody can pass either pace car, but if cars pit, they will line up in order of when they exit their pit. Therefore, teams will try to fuel their cars as quickly as possible and competition will continue among crews during yellow-flag stops.
After qualifying, every car will be assigned an odd or even number. After a caution period ends, the entire field must complete one full lap. On the second green-flag lap, cars assigned odd numbers can pit, but they don't have to. On the third green-flag lap, cars assigned even numbers can pit, but they don't have to. After that, as long as the green flag flies, any car can pit at any time.
No backing up will be allowed in the pits. Cars that overshoot their pit must continue around the track. Penalties will be given to cars that spin, stop at a 45-degree angle or hit other cars.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB