Pemberton tells Chase drivers to race clean; drivers reminded of track repair
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DOVER, Del. — NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton offered a pointed reminder in the Sprint Cup Series drivers’ meeting Sunday morning at Dover International Speedway, telling the 43 drivers in the field to keep the competition “fair and square.”
Pemberton’s remarks came before Sunday’s AAA 400 (2 p.m. ET, ESPN), the final race of the Challenger Round where the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup postseason field will be trimmed from 16 drivers to 12.
“I know I don’t have to remind you any of this, but I’m going to anyways,” Pemberton said. “Everybody out there today, you’re going to be racing for your best finish, your first win, a chance to move to the Contender Round and go on and make your season better than it’s been so far. I just ask you, let it play out fair and square on the track. You’re professionals, you’re the best in the world and give our fans the best racing that they deserve. Good luck to each and every one of you.”
Race director David Hoots also made the drivers aware of a small repair that track officials made to the Monster Mile’s concrete surface in Turn 4, about 100 feet before the restart lane. He also reminded driver to exercise caution on the track’s tight entry to pit lane.
Jeff Gordon and Brian Vickers both had questions about the yellow-flag procedure for the race.
Gordon raised concern that given Dover’s pit road configuration that NASCAR officials try to avoid “quickie yellows” — short caution periods — and Hoots agreed. Vickers asked if the pit road would be open the first time or second time by the entrance under caution; Hoots said that it would be open the first time by if the field had fully caught up behind the pace car.
The meeting also included Pemberton making note of Kurt Busch‘s milestone 500th start in NASCAR’s premier series. Track president Dennis McGlynn singled out Marcos Ambrose and wished him well as the Richard Petty Motorsports driver concludes his full-time tenure in NASCAR competition.
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