DAYTONA BEACH Bump drafting focus of monitor system
NASCAR plans to implement some policing in Thursday's 150-mile races.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Two days after Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart said the bumping and banging at Daytona International Speedway must stop before somebody gets hurt or killed, NASCAR decided to begin policing what drivers call "bump drafting."
The practice -- slamming into the rear of another car to maintain momentum -- is common at Daytona and Talladega, the only two NASCAR tracks that require carburetor restrictor-plates to choke horsepower and limit speeds.
Although this has been going on for years, Stewart thinks it's out of control. And NASCAR apparently agrees.
Will use spotters
Nextel Cup officials said Tuesday that spotters in "zones" in the turns on the 2.5-mile Daytona track will feed information to NASCAR, which will then determine whether to penalize cars in Sunday's season-opening race.
The decision came in the wake of Stewart's criticism of bump drafting in superspeedway racing following a particularly wild ride in Sunday's Budweiser Shootout exhibition.
Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition, and Nextel Cup director John Darby outlined a plan to begin policing the bump drafting in Thursday's two 150-mile qualifying races for Sunday's Daytona 500.
"As we go forward in attempting to control bump drafting in those areas, there's going to be some very subjective calls being made," Darby said.
The penalties
Pemberton said penalties for overzealous bumping could range from driving through the pit lane at the pit road speed limit to being parked for repeat offenses.
He said it will be up to the drivers to keep from getting into trouble on track.
Two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip, said the new policy could be a problem.
"That's going to be really arbitrary to police because even the most sublime bump drafts at a time when a guy's getting ready to make a move in another direction can result in sending a guy out of control," Waltrip said. "It seems to me it would have to result in a crash before [NASCAR] could react.
Darby said NASCAR is going to try to work with the competitors on the situation.
"Every bump draft will not create a penalty," Darby said. "Every time a car touches another car will not create a penalty. Unless it becomes very apparent to us that there is an unnecessary hit, specifically in one of the no zones, we will not issue a penalty."
Darby noted that bump drafting in and of itself is not an offense.
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