NASCAR draws the line on Bump Drafting

[Dreamspawn]

Courtsey of JAYSKI.Com

UPDATE NASCAR draws line on bump-drafting: NASCAR will post additional officials in the turns at Daytona International Speedway to monitor the act of bump-drafting between cars on the track, according to Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition for the sanctioning body. And left up to make the call, he said Tuesday, officials could penalize drivers for such contact. Pemberton said the officials would begin monitoring the situation beginning with Thursday's Gatorade Duals, twin 150-mile qualifying races that will set the remainder of the field for the Feb. 19 Daytona 500. "I think what we are going to do over the week as the races unfold," Pemberton said, "we may have some zones that we post added officials in where me might be forced to make a call of a bump draft that is unnecessary. The straightaways, obviously, don't appear to be a problem. But we're working on it. We've talked to the competitors about the problem and we may be put in the position that we have to make some calls that we really don't want to make."
The act of bump-drafting occurs when a driver makes contact with his and another vehicle in front of him on the race track with the front bumper of his car. The "hit" is normally used to push the car in front past a car beside it. The practice has become fairly common at Daytona and Talladega, however, following Sunday's Budweiser Shootout, defending series champion Tony Stewart said the act of bump drafting could lead to another death at the 2.5-mile track. As far as penalties are concerned, Pemberton said it could be "a pass through as far as coming down pit road. It could be anything. ... This is a serious matter. "Everybody has to remember, we don't drive these things. The drivers are in control, they have the pedals they can push and the steering wheel they can turn. To leave it in our hands when we're not out there ... they may get a call that they didn't bargain for."(NASCAR Scene)(2-14-2006)

[BullShifter]

I hate the current restrictor plate racing, it's BORING & just stupid. Bump drafting has gotten out of hand, they should make them remove all bracing from the front end so it can't withstand such an impact. Like Smoke said, somebody is getting killed.

[TheStang00]

earnhart jr was right though, its a necessary evil with restrictor plates.

they could call this rule the jimmy johnson rule... that idiot bump drafts in corners all the time

[Dreamspawn]

YUP sombody else noticed this and it seems like kyle busch isn't much better also WHAT THE F*Ck was with Carl Edwards CALL that was MAJOR BS i'm not a edwards fan comeon he was definlty forced down and i don't blam for saying i'm not coming.

[TheStang00]

Originally Posted by Dreamspawn

YUP sombody else noticed this and it seems like kyle busch isn't much better also WHAT THE F*Ck was with Carl Edwards CALL that was MAJOR BS i'm not a edwards fan comeon he was definlty forced down and i don't blam for saying i'm not coming.

i couldnt agree with both points more...

[SuperHighOutput]

There's good and bad with this decision. The good is that it should help keep the racers a little safer, the bad is that some people aren't going to be happy with the calls since they can only be subjective calls. Personally I think they should go back to the aero package they had in 2000.

[Dreamspawn]

^^^^ those were good crazy races. Wasnt also the year tony went sky high though???
BTW ontop of the jimmie bashing watching practice mike wallace blows up infront of him they ask him bout it. He was like "idk i didn't see anything i guess i was looking somwhere or doing somthing" OK the guy BLOWS up RIGHT INFRONT OF you in the DRAFT and you didn't notice DIDN"T NOTICE.