Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I’m a little disgruntled with the way the caution in Heat Two was handled in Charlotte on Friday night. Cory Eliason spun out and hit a tire, causing the caution to come out and collected the 1a and then the 83 took off and kept his spot. I was always under the general idea that whoever causes the caution to come out is automatically put to the rear but he was given his spot back and transferred. Totally blown call on WRGs part in my opinion.

ONLY the cars that stop are deemed "involved" in the accident and sent to the tail.  That's been the rule for at least the 24 years I've worked for WoO.  Call tonight was completely correcet according to rules that have been in place for over 20 years.  This rule is designed to eliminate judgement calls as to who "caused" a caution. Also, the caution should never be thrown unless a spinning car actually stops.  If the caution DOES wave under those circumstances, the driver spinning does NOT go to the tail, but rather "blends in" to the restart order in the position he would have been running (according to WoO officials) had the caution not been called.

Johnny---Thanks for the clarification-------------again!

Seems like this needs to be cleared up multiple times throughout each season!

It’s a silly rule that penalizes the guy in the back who has no place to go while the party that caused the reaction gets to keep the spot.

If I heard correctly the late model series has an even dumber rule. If 2 cars get together on a start and stop on the track, as long as they don’t go to the pits they get to keep their spots on a restart.

The sprint car rule takes the judgements calls out of it. Most of the time it works well, and stock car fans hate it. lol. 

The late model rule, if you spin and cause a caution before a lap is recorded, it is a complete restart, even with the cars causing the caution/ spinning getting their spot back. There definition of complete restart, is everyone gets their original starting spot back. That rule drives sprint car fans like myself absolutely nuts, lol. Even when I was wrenching on late models. My driver was known for taking extra risk on the high side on the first lap. He did not care, he knew if he went over the banking, he just would stop, and get his starting spot back. I hated it....

I won't comment on whether or not I think this rule or that rule is dumb.  I just know that if there is a yellow, when I run down to get a beer and come back up, the officials will have the cars lined back up for me and I don't have to worry about it.  Makes it less stressful for me.

I pretty much agree...

Personally I love this rule.  What I absolutely hate is when people are just certain that someone's out to get them or whatever it is they like.  I love this rule because it's fair and there is no argument as to what gets you sent to the back, you need a push you go to the back.  Over the coarse of a long season, it's going to help and hurt every team at some point during the season.

I agree.  You're growing on me hardon..........................no pun intended

I would have to agree. 

A

First of all, thank you Johnny for the clarification.

Secondly, I still don’t think it’s a very good rule, but I don’t make the rules or see 70+ WoO races up and down the road every year so my opinion has zero value. I’ll use this instance for example. The 83 spun out, hit a tractor tire, the caution flag waved after 2-3 cars got past him and then the 1a spun as the 83 came back up and was given his spot back. It just seemed like a crap deal for everyone not in a transfer spot except for the driver that the caution was thrown for.

I understand your frunstration, but the fact is the caution was thrown FOR the 1A, not the spinning 83.  Again, we don't (or shouldn't) call a caution for a spinning car UNTIL that car actually stops.  The 83 never stopped.

I am not trying to start anything.   I am just playing devil's advocate and asking an honest question. 

As we all know that safety in sprint car racing is the number one topic of discussion.   With that being said would it not be the best thing to do in the interest of safety to throw the caution the instant a car spins.   Wouldn't it be better to err on the side of caution;  pun intended,   and slow the cars down before the spinning car gets hit.

But then that leads to a restart .  Not only a restart but a double file restart which is the most dangerous part of sprint car racing.

It was either in an article or on a pod cast that Lance Dewease said he is no fan of double file restarts. I agree with him.  Since WoO is pushing for safer racing how about we get rid of the double file restarts.

Instead why not put the cone coming out of turn 4 and the cars have the front stretch to race and pass.

Yes! Single file restarts and cone in turn 4!

I’ll still be purchasing my WoO World Finals regardless of my current disagreement. Haha. Thank you for being the greatest voice in all of motor racing!