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By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive
April 30, 2004
7:15 PM EDT (2315 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- In the face of an unpopular finish in last week's Nextel Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR has revealed the precise method it uses to determine the running order at the moment of caution in its three top series.
Since the end of last season, the running order has been "frozen" when the caution lights illuminate around a speedway and the caution flag is displayed on the starter's stand.
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| Jeff Gordon won the Aaron's 499, which finished under caution. Credit: Autostock |
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TV viewers are shown video replays that are inconclusive, at best, at determining positioning. The confusion about how the field is set also ripples through the Nextel Cup garage.
"You've got to freeze the field (but) I think they've got to upgrade their scoring system -- they need more ways to score the cars," Jeff Gordon said last weekend. "When that caution comes out, they shouldn't have to go back and look at video footage in order to score us.
"They should have instant footage at that moment -- transponders or GPS or whatever it is. I don't even know if that technology exists."
According to NASCAR vice president for corporate communications Jim Hunter, it does, and it was used last Sunday.
Hunter said the primary method of determining running orders for restarts is the electronic "scoring loops" placed at eighth-mile intervals around big tracks such as Talladega and Daytona International Speedway and at quarter-mile intervals everywhere else.
The system is identical to the transponder scoring used at the start/finish line, whereby each car signals a "loop" inserted in the racetrack.
"When the race director hits the switch for the caution lights, it automatically gives us (a record from) the last scoring loop that the cars crossed," Hunter said. "Even if the cars are strung out all the way around the track, the lead group has just crossed one scoring loop while the ones further back have just crossed another.
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"So it places everybody in order -- gives a picture, if you will, of the running order.
"In the case Sunday, we did that, and also verified it using some video footage. Eventually, we hope to get to where the video is not even necessary, but at this point it's still useful as a back-up."
Hunter said the data from the loop system is irrefutable in settling disputes, such as the one that arose at Talladega.
"We got a printout from the system from the instant the switch was flicked," Hunter said. "That recorded the exact order that everyone crossed the loops and that eliminates anyone saying 'he passed me before the light came on,' or after the light came on or whatever."
Hunter said the only gray area to the system would be an argument that a pass was in progress when the light came on and cars passed over the loop. But he admitted that would still show the cars' order, and that any further argument was moot.
He said he hoped everyone involved would come to accept the current system, which he related to what everyone had been used to throughout the sport's history.
"When we used to race back to the line under caution, we had a photo-finish camera there and visually, people could see what happened at that line in terms of the finishing order," Hunter said. "If you can imagine moving that start/finish line to different points around the racetrack, with the computerized system, that's what we now have today."
Heading for the top 10
As most insiders expected, the "Chase for the Nextel Cup Championship," is looking to be the planned-for 10-man race.
After last Sunday's Aaron's 499, with 25 percent of the 36-race season complete and a little more than one-third of the way to determining who will be in the Chase, just 18 drivers are within 400 points of current point leader Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Drivers that are in the top-10 after 26 races and anyone else that is within 400 points of the leader after the Sept will contest the 10-race Chase. 11 race at Richmond International Raceway.
Pressley absent at California
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| Robert Pressley |
Tony Raines stepped into ST Motorsports' No. 47 Clorox/Wisk Ford on Friday at California Speedway when regular driver Bob Pressley was absent to attend funeral services Friday for his father, weekly short track racing legend Bob Pressley.
The elder Pressley, who in recent years had battled cancer before slipping into a coma last week, died Tuesday. Robert Pressley planned to fly to California Friday evening and to start the Stater Bros. 300 from the 27th position earned by Raines.
Pressley planned to drop to the rear of the field on the pace laps.
Buzz is on at Gateway
NASCAR Busch Series fans preparing for the May 8 Charter 250 at Gateway International Raceway can warm up next Friday night with "Fan Fest 2004" at NASCAR Speed Park near the St. Louis Mills Mall.
Drivers Rusty Wallace, Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon and Billy Parker are expected to attend and sign autographs. One of the features of the event is a promotion with Kasey Kahne's sponsor Great Clips whereby fans that buzz-cut their hair receive two free tickets to the Charter 250.
The autograph schedule (Central time) has Wallace and Parker from 6-7 p.m., Biffle from 7-8 p.m. and Gordon from 8-9 p.m.
Wimmer goes Navy
Scott Wimmer, driver of Bill Davis Racing's No. 22 Caterpillar Dodge, will meet fans and sign autographs on Thursday, May 13 in Norfolk, Va., at the Norfolk Navy Exchange, a dealer for CAT Footwear, one of Wimmer's sponsors.
Wimmer, currently 21st in Nextel Cup points, will be at the Exchange from 5-6:30 p.m. ET. His Caterpillar show car will be at the site both Wednesday and Thursday.
Navy Exchanges provide active duty personnel, family members, retirees, National
Guard and reservists goods and services at a savings while supporting quality of life programs.
Hendrick Festival 'on' in May
As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, Hendrick Motorsports will host a fan festival at its Harrisburg, N.C., headquarters May 26-28 prior to the May 30 Coca-Cola 600 at nearby Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Free and open to the public, the festival was designed as a way to thank fans for their support of the team since its 1984 inception.
"When we started discussing our plans for the year, everyone felt a strong desire to focus on the race fans," team owner Rick Hendrick said. "If it weren't for them, we wouldn't have much to celebrate, so this event is truly in their honor."
Scheduled to run from 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET each day, the event will include interactive games; show cars, sponsor displays, product sampling and autograph sessions from past and present Hendrick Motorsports drivers.
Lowe's Motor Speedway will provide free festival parking, which can be accessed at "Lot Z" off Speedway Boulevard in Concord. Trams will be available to transport fans from the parking area to the festival grounds.
Stewart happy in Busch
NASCAR's 2002 Cup champion Tony Stewart made his latest splash in the Busch Series Friday at California Speedway when he qualified sixth for Saturday's Stater Bros. 300 in Richard Childress Racing's No. 29 Employer Support of Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Chevrolet.
Stewart, a 17-time race winner in Cup competition, will make his California Busch debut, lining up behind Bud Pole winner Jason Leffler.
"It's an honor to drive the ESGR car for Richard Childress Racing in the Busch race," Stewart said. "With all that's going on in the world today, from homeland security to the war in Iraq, our National Guardsmen and Reservists are playing an important role in defending our country.
"And thanks to their employers and the support of the ESGR, they're able to serve their country while knowing that their families are being cared for and that job is secure. I'm very proud to be associated with the ESGR."
Earnhardt Jr. 1st Quarter driver
Daytona 500 winner and Nextel Cup point leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. blew away the competition in voting for the first quarter Speed Channel presents Driver of the Year 2004.
"Cool -- I appreciate the honor," Earnhardt said when informed of the vote totals. "It's always nice to get recognized like this. It's like hearing those cheers when you're introduced before the race.
"It feels good, but it makes me want to win that much more."
Earnhardt, in voting by an expert panel of journalists and fans, scored 11 out of 19 first place votes and a vote on every ballot no lower than fourth. He amassed a total of 135 points.
Sprint Car standout Steve Kinser, a perennial candidate in the voting, took second place in the balloting with four first place votes and 97 total points. Drag racer Tony Schumacher finished third with one first-place vote and 51 points.
A total of 15 drivers tallied points in the voting. Other NASCAR drivers recognized included 2003 Cup champion Matt Kenseth and 2004 Nextel Cup Raybestos Rookie of the Year leader Kasey Kahne, who tallied one first place vote.
Hmiel gets best start
Former Busch Series front-runner Shane Hmiel immediately elevated GIC-Mixon Motorsports' effort Friday when he qualified 32nd -- the team's best effort of the season in nine attempts -- for Saturday's Stater Bros. 300.
Hmiel, who has been a regular this season with owner Billy Ballew in the Craftsman Truck Series, replaced Mike Harmon for this week's race at California Speedway in the No. 24 Quality Plus Services Chevrolet.
"We decided to make this change for Fontana," team owner James Whitener said. "Mike has been a great asset in the past, and he'll continue to be a great asset in the future.
"We're working to develop a successful multi-car program, which involves improving the equipment and developing additional drivers."
Lights on
California Speedway, which will stage its first Labor Day weekend Nextel Cup Series race later this season under the lights, planned a ceremonial first lighting Friday night.
Approximately 130 light poles, including 29 grandstand, 24 skybox and 74 free standing, will light the racing surface from the oval's exterior. An additional 390 "Mir Tran" lighting structures are located throughout the infield inside the retaining wall.
Track officials said 1,500 lighting fixtures (bulbs), 250 tons of concrete and 200 miles of wire were used to make the system, which when lit will utilize 2.5 million watts of power.
Earnhardt Jr. 'Beautiful'
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is featured on newsstands this week as one of PEOPLE Magazine's "Most Beautiful People." Earnhardt is pictured leaning against his No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet racecar, and is among the elite "most beautiful" list that includes Jennifer Aniston, Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees and Andre 3000 of the hip-hop group OutKast.
Earnhardt Jr. has appeared multiple times in People, making the "Sexiest Men" list (2001), "Most Intriguing People" (2001) "Most Eligible Bachelor" list (2002). He was most recently profiled after his Daytona victory.
Caldwell steps in for FitzBradshaw
Veteran mechanic Kevin Caldwell stepped into the crew chief's role for driver Tim Fedewa on FitzBradshaw Racing's No. 12 Supercuts Chevrolet this week after Gary Cogswell abruptly left the team to go to work at Richard Childress Racing.
Caldwell got up to speed quickly, as Fedewa qualified 12th for Saturday's Stater Bros. 300 at California Speedway. Cogswell's charge, Tony Stewart, was six spots better, in sixth.
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