Only drivers can prevent insanity in G-W-C finishes

Traditionally, the three words a race car driver never wanted to hear from his spotter: "Are you ok?"

They have been replaced now with these three words: "Green, white, checkered."

Those two phrases are starting to form a relationship.

Perhaps the two most exciting things to happen to NASCAR in a decade are the double file restarts and the green-white-checkered finishes. Together, they have made fans stand in their living rooms and cheer our sport again because the intensity needle is pegged.

But in what language is green-white-checkered translated into disrespect, disregard and lunacy ... or its slang derivative "free-for-all?"

A late-race caution has bunched the field and sparked a G-W-C scenario in a large percentage of this year's Sprint Cup races. It seems to matter little what has happened in the previous 499 miles because when it's NASCAR OT, the outcome of these fracases is determined largely by which crew chief has the guts to get tires and which driver has the reckless abandon attitude on restarts.

Last weekend's G-W-C melee at Pocono was the latest poster child for disrespect. I can't blame A.J. Allmendinger for protecting his position, nor can I fault Kasey Kahne for trying to wrestle it away. It is just becoming obvious that the intelligence and professional courtesy drivers show each other over the course of a 500-mile race seems to be absent during the G-W-C.

NASCAR's decision to have three attempts at a G-W-C was not done for the competitors as much as it was done for the fans who deserve to see a four hour race end under racing conditions.

And NASCAR's decision to put the racing firmly back into the blistered palms of the driver's hands has been another welcomed decision.

So, drivers, you have the power. Only you can stop the "amateur night at the fairgrounds" G-W-C wreck-fests. Consider the safety of your fellow competitors and the financial impact of these already strained car owners when professional courtesy is abandoned.

NASCAR has a duty to provide entertaining racing, which most importantly must be safe. Keep it safe or the reins will slip through your gloves and end up in hands which are clenched in an iron fist.

Ty Norris is vice president and general manager of Michael Waltrip Racing. He has worked within the NASCAR industry with MWR, Speedway Motorsports Inc., Dale Earnhardt Inc. and RJ Reynolds since 1990. The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.