| Our article's title is a question a lot of race fans | | | | Junior leaves pit road and catches the pack, right |
| ask. I have heard it asked and answered for the | | | | behind Busch. So now our running order is pace |
| betterment of thirty years. With the advent of | | | | car, Kyle Busch, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| new fans to NASCAR Sprint Cup racing on a | | | | Earnhardt is still our leader; Busch is the second |
| regular basis it is something that is brought up | | | | place car the length of the racetrack behind Junior |
| whenever one of the major series has a restart | | | | but not a complete lap down. This is how they |
| and the leader is mired several rows back. | | | | stay until the restart since neither can pass the |
| During the recent Memorial weekend Nationwide | | | | pace car. |
| Series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the pace | | | | With Busch not being a full lap down he does not |
| car pulled to pit road following a caution flag | | | | have to pull down to the inside lane. That would |
| period, Mike Bliss was the leader and was the | | | | be giving the lap up to Dale. And Earnhardt stays |
| twelfth car in the outside lane. Coupled with the | | | | behind Busch. If he were to pull alongside that |
| lapped cars on the inside row, Bliss was the | | | | would be taking a lap away from Kyle. When |
| twenty-fourth machine to cross the stripe under | | | | everyone stays right where they are, that is fair |
| the waving green flag. This was correct. | | | | to all parties. |
| But how does this happen? I will explain. With the | | | | Now with forty-three machines in an event the |
| disclaimer that visual aids and some model cars | | | | explanation of this appears to be more involved. |
| work better for the demonstration that I will use | | | | But basically it is the same thing just with more |
| words for. | | | | cars and more positioning to be completed. |
| Despite leading the race heading into a restart, | | | | The next question posed often by people wanting |
| Mike Bliss was the 12th car in the inside lane in the | | | | an explanation is "Why aren't the cars on the tail |
| Memorial Day weekend event at LMS. | | | | end of the lap then just waved around?" |
| First we will simplify our settings. We will use the | | | | Because they are given something. And racing |
| same Lowe's Motor Speedway location as the | | | | should be about earning what you get. Now |
| Bliss win, but let's pretend we have only two cars | | | | NASCAR has rules where cars and drivers are |
| in the race. I will use a pair of names race fans | | | | given things, a lap back, and starting positions |
| can remember. How does Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and | | | | among them. But also in the rulebook there are |
| Kyle Busch work? Most race fans should be | | | | ways to earn that lap back and starting positions |
| familiar with the two. | | | | as well. |
| Now for our scenario, remember Earnhardt and | | | | I believe in no gimmes. The leader is behind the |
| Busch are the only two cars in the event. | | | | pace car following a caution. All cars stay behind |
| Earnhardt is leading and Busch is on his bumper in | | | | the pace car. When the leader returns from the |
| second place. They both are getting close to | | | | pits, he can drive up behind those other cars but |
| needing fuel and tires. | | | | not pass them. When the race is restarted, this is |
| Busch slows in turn four and heads to pit road. | | | | where everyone should correctly be. |
| Kyle's crew changes all four tires, refuels the car | | | | I witnessed the waving of cars around and |
| and sends him on his way. During this time period, | | | | getting that length of a track deficit returned |
| Earnhardt has stayed at full speed. With his | | | | during the Indianapolis 500. The Indy Racing |
| deceleration time, pit stop service time, and | | | | League has a rule that adjusts the field so the |
| acceleration time Busch has now found himself | | | | leader is always behind the pace car on restarts. |
| one lap down to Dale Jr. | | | | When similar situations arise all cars in front of the |
| Suddenly a pesky rain cloud decides to drop a | | | | leader are allowed to pass the pace car and tag |
| brief shower on the speedway. This is enough to | | | | onto the rear of the pack. This gives those cars a |
| wet the asphalt slightly but can be dried quickly. | | | | gimme. |
| NASCAR waves the yellow flag to slow our two | | | | Indy winner Helio Castroneves' Penske Racing |
| competitors and the pace car picks up the leader. | | | | teammate Ryan Briscoe used that to his |
| The rain has now already stopped and we can be | | | | advantage. Using fuel strategy, Briscoe's team |
| back racing soon. | | | | found themselves on the tail end of the lead lap. |
| The pace car drives around with Junior right | | | | He, along with others, was granted a wave |
| behind who still needs pit service. Behind Earnhardt | | | | around and Briscoe drove up to second place late |
| is Busch in second place but one lap behind Dale. | | | | in the race before the fuel mileage strategy |
| As they come by the pit entrance Earnhardt pulls | | | | backfired, forcing a splash and go stop during the |
| off the track for his four tires and a full load of | | | | final caution period. |
| fuel. The pace car continues on. Busch does not | | | | Although it may seem confusing to some, I feel |
| need to come to pit road because he just did. His | | | | NASCAR's procedure is the correct one. Simply |
| service is already completed so he can pull up, but | | | | put, everyone has earned exactly whatever track |
| only to the pace car. | | | | position they have. |