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Under the guidelines, teams no longer will be allowed to replace damaged body parts that are the result of accidents or contact. Repairs, such as fixing damaged sheet metal, will be allowed; however, teams will be given five minutes to fix damage once they enter pit road. If the damage requires the car to go behind pit wall or to the garage for repairs, the car will not be allowed to return to the race. Also, if the repairs take longer than the five minutes allowed, the car will not be permitted to return to the race.
For the most part this is a good rule. Once a car's been crushed the integrity of the car is compromised, that car should not be allowed back onto the track. That's just common sense. We all know they can patch a lot of stuff up in a lap so the cars that can compete won't be effected by this rule, only the cars that are a danger to everyone will be. I can't see that as anything but a positive.
It does give an exception for mechanical failure. So, someone drops a transmission and they replace it.. They'll be allowed back out.. A battery fails and they have to go behind the wall to fix it. Rear end gear burns up.. They can come back out.
The thing is.. What if someone is bump drafting and busts their radiator? What does that fall under?
If it busts out the radiator, they likely have body damage too. If the body damage can't be repaired in 5 minutes, they're out.
Right.. But you can fix the body damage in under 5 minutes.. But you can't get back out on the track to see if you can maintain minimum speed without replacing the radiator.
Radiator isn't body damage.
That'll be the first big controversy about it, most likely.
What about a wheel hub breaks and the tire comes off and damages the body?
Take the fender off or tape it down.. That's repaired. But it's going to take more than 5 minutes to replace the components.
I'm fairly certain I saw a "NASCAR's discretion" in there somewhere.. Sure that's what these situations would fall under.
Geez, I'll have too much to keep up with this year. This should add a nice twist to the "boys have at it" rule. The logic behind the construction of the championship and points system was to prevent drivers from packing up and going home after an accident/ mechanical issues and try to get back on the track and collect points.
I'm fairly certain I saw a "NASCAR's discretion" in there somewhere.. Sure that's what these situations would fall under.
Oh, it'll get interesting, no doubt.
Maybe it will work out like, since the radiator damage is done because of the body damage, if the body damage is fixed under 5 minutes, then they are allowed to fix the mechanical issue.
Or it could turn out that since the wreckage of the radiator wouldn't have happened without the body damage, it's an automatic out, since there's no way all of that can be repaired in under 5 minutes.
Maybe it will work out like, since the radiator damage is done because of the body damage, if the body damage is fixed under 5 minutes, then they are allowed to fix the mechanical issue.
Or it could turn out that since the wreckage of the radiator wouldn't have happened without the body damage, it's an automatic out, since there's no way all of that can be repaired in under 5 minutes.
I'm sure it'll depend who it is as well as to which way they go with it. And how it would affect the points. If it'll dump someone down into a competition for the final 'playoff' spot by them finishing 40th.. Then it'll be a 5 minute clock.
You can't go back it is what it is.
If you don't agree with the rules and changes you can always stay home like many others have already done.
Forget the days of big muscled southern boys with bad teeth wrestling non power steering stock cars around your favorite Carolina tracks.
Forget that sweet smell of Cam-2 in the morning. (newbies, look it up)
This old fart is going to enjoy NASCAR the way it is because you can't go back.
Yes I enjoyed seeing Curtis Turner in a Ford Convertible with a single hoop roll bar drive sideways in the dirt the entire lap around Langhorn Speedway.
But that ain't happening anymore than an Earnhardt dominating the field.
You can't go back.
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