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The NASCAR Sprint Cup Coke Zero 400 had its moments. There was some great racing, a couple of multi-car wrecks (though none qualified to be called a “Big One”) and a green-white-checker finish...

NASCAR: A Peek Inside The "Rule" Book

by Adam Amick (Senior Writer)

14

1963 reads

Opinion

July 05, 2008


The NASCAR Sprint Cup Coke Zero 400 had its moments. There was some great racing, a couple of multi-car wrecks (though none qualified to be called a “Big One”) and a green-white-checker finish.   

Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards would wind up side-by-side on the white-flag lap. When carnage occurred in the pack the race was called. Video replay indicated Busch was leading and was thus declared the winner.   

However, I want to bring something to your attention that you may or may not have realized.   

On lap 45, Ryan Newman went spinning out of line on the backstretch. Caution lights lit and flags flew before his car had completed two revolutions. Newman was able to get back to pit road, change tires, and go on to have a night he'd just as soon forget.   

On the final restart of the race (the aforementioned green—white-checkered) Jeff Gordon, running second at the time, attempted to block Carl Edwards' advance, and spun off into the infield going toward turn one.   

So why didn't NASCAR throw a caution for Gordon's spin, but did so quickly for Newman?   

Conspiracy?    

I think not... This is part of NASCAR's "Grey Rule" on caution flags.   

1. NASCAR reserves the right to put a race under caution at times of their choosing. This may be when a safety issue or hazard to the drivers is present, when the race gets boring and the field needs to be bunched up in an attempt to make it more interesting, or when they want to try to allow a race to finish under green-even if an incident occurs that resulted in a caution earlier in the race.  

2. As this is NASCAR's rulebook, and this is the "Grey Rule", consistency is not required. If any question about the "Grey Rule" arises, refer to number 1.   

What it comes down to is that there should NOT have been a caution for the Newman spin, or the Gordon spin. There was no debris or fluid on the track, the car spun out of danger, and was able to continue under its own power.   

Gordon admitted to making mistakes in first giving up the bottom line to Busch, allowing the 18 car to pass him. He also waited too long to block Edwards on the restart, effectively spinning himself out.   

Being a Jeff Gordon fan... I don't like it... But it is what it is. And when it comes to rules in NASCAR, they reserve the right to make and break them at their pleasure.    

Consistency?   

I think not... 

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14 comments Last one added 11 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. L.J. Burgess 12 months ago

    Well said AA. Well said.

    5 starz.

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  2. Jeremy Turner 12 months ago

    I agree. I think not throwing a caution for Jeff but throwing one for Ryan was a bit inconsistent...but that is NASCAR

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  3. sylvia richardson 12 months ago

    Just look how they took the race in the 500 away from Mark. and Mark really won that race by the old poops rules

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  4. Kody Lancaster 12 months ago

    It maybe inconsistant but i can see not throwing it for the 24 during the green-white-checkered. If they were to throw it then Kyle Busch wins anyway...but that wreck was just after the field took the green and I like they NASCAR was trying to give us a green flag finish!

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  5. Dennis Michelsen 12 months ago

    Oh please NASCAR is damned if they do and damned if they don't every time they throw a caution flag or decide not to throw a caution flag. NASCAR should not have thrown the caution when Jeff Gordon spun because he didn't hit anything and the race should have every opportunity to finish under the green flag!

    Dennis Michelsen
    www.racetalkradio.com

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  6. Thomas Hines 12 months ago

    is that the nascar rule book or the paid off version of the nascar rule book. seams like there is a lot of "gray areas" in that book. i did notice that jeff gordon did sit there for a while before starting to move again and nascar just sat there waitng to see what might happen. if jeff wasnt an up standing driver he could have just stayed there a drew the yellow to restart all over again but thats not jeffs style. i know not everybody will agree with me. buy you do have to agree he coud have sat there and pulled the yellow as many other drivers might have just done.
    just my thoughts

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    • Adam Amick 12 months ago

      Well, I think he thought the caution would have been thrown, just like it was for Newman earlier in the race. But he was doomed to a bad finish either way, unless that "big one" had left a bunch of mangled cars on the track unable to continue. He could have passed them going back to the finish line and made up a few spots.

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  7. Ben Weixlmann 12 months ago

    AA, nice explanation!

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  8. robert oehmigen 12 months ago

    come on now they should have kept the race going for a couple of more wrecks so kurt could have won two in a row ha ha

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  9. robert oehmigen 12 months ago

    I feel they have the winner before the race starts

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  10. Nikki Hecht 11 months ago

    I like that they have a "Grey Rule" in their rule book when it comes to caution flags but if a crew chief finds a "Grey Area" they are cheaters and doing something horrible and they have to go on vacation.

    I missed the Daytona Race cause the boyfriend doesn't really like racing and we were having 'date night' (he really needs to check the race schedule before planning 'date night'.. it was a nice date night we had dinner and saw a very good movie and it was really sweet because we've both been busy with work but still he totally could have checked the race schedule. He knows Daytona is practically a holiday) So I didn't get to see the wrecks as they happened but I did see highlights.

    I don't think they have a winner before the race starts. If that were the case I think Dale Jr would have more wins, not saying that just because I'm a fan of his, I'm saying that because he is one of the sports most popular drivers if not the most popular driver out there so if the races were fixed I'd think he'd have more than one win this season.

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    • Adam Amick 11 months ago

      Nicely put... Nikki has the line of the week...

      "I like that they have a "Grey Rule" in their rule book when it comes to caution flags but if a crew chief finds a "Grey Area" they are cheaters and doing something horrible and they have to go on vacation."

      I'm going to have to remember that when I do The Rubbin's Racing Show today...

      Your BF is a lucky guy, even if he's not exactly the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree.

      So, we're all in suspense, what movie did you see?

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  11. Nikki Hecht 11 months ago

    We saw Wanted the new Angelina Jolie movie. It was very good! I highly recommend it. :)

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