CONCORD, N.C. — Questions about gamesmanship and tire requirements dotted the drivers’ meeting before Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, prompting several “what-if” scenarios for the annual non-points event.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Managing Director Richard Buck spelled out the race’s unique procedures in a nearly six-minute instructional in the Charlotte Motor Speedway garage, but there was conjecture about some of the rules. Teams will compete in three segments (50 laps, 50 laps, 13 laps), with pit road closing on Lap 85 of the second segment. The top nine, 10 or 11 cars — the number is selected by random draw during the Lap 100 break before the 13-lap final shootout — will be required to pit for four tires.
The basis for the format is to spice up the running order, putting cars with fresher tires behind those in front with older rubber for the dash to the finish. Chad Knaus, crew chief for the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet driven by Jimmie Johnson, was the first to ask about the requirement in the question-and-answer session that followed.
“I got a little lost there through some of that,” Knaus said, before asking Buck if a caution flag during the final 13-lap segment would allow all teams to stop and change tires if they were damaged by an incident.
“There’s many scenarios there,” Buck said. “The premise is to have cars with 15-laps-old tires on them and cars behind them with new tires on them. We will not permit gaming of that. If we have an incident, for an example, we will have to go red and clean it up, we’ll take care of that situation, we’ll come back to it and then allow the teams to pit on or around (Lap) 85, wherever that may be, or any circumstance like that.”
Kyle Busch piped up: “That didn’t answer the question. Chad’s talking about in the last segment, in the last 13 laps if there’s a wreck, not after Lap 85 in the second segment, you follow? He’s asking about 100 and 113.”
Buck told the room that the field would not be allowed to take tires. Pressed by Busch about whether tires flat-spotted in a spin or damaged by running over debris would be fair game for a change, Buck replied: “That’s EIRI (except in rare instances). Like I said, we’ll manage that from the tower.”
Defending race winner Denny Hamlin, Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, was the next to raise his hand, asking whether the “100 percent rule” requiring competitors to race at their fullest ability was in effect. Buck replied in the affirmative.
The question was prompted by suggestions that drivers might hold back and aim for 12th place or further back before the final segment, allowing them to have the benefit of four fresh tires for the final shootout. The “100 percent rule” was added in September 2013 in the wake of the Richmond scandal, where the former Michael Waltrip Racing team was penalized for attempting to manipulate the race results.
Buck also said in his explanation of rules that NASCAR officials would make a mandatory lug-nut check during the two breaks between segments. Buck said the penalty for missing or loose lug nuts not fastened up against the wheel will require the offending team to remedy the issue, sending them to the tail of field.