Full Throttle

NASCAR officials are looking at whether the double-wide restarts used in the All-Star race with all the leaders up front should be used for regular Sprint Cup races.

“We’ve been talking about it for a year,” series director John Darby said on Thursday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “Every time we have an All-Star race the frequency of those talks gets much louder. It’s obviously something the fans like a lot. Their interest is our interest. We’re looking at it.”

“We use it in modified and Camping World East/West events,” he said. “The only thing it hasn’t applied to is the national series. What we have to look at is the downside. We try to apply every scenario that could create more problems. That’s what we’re working through.”

Well Mr. Darby, you may have been looking at this for the “national series,” and it’s true it’s in use in the lower-level Camping World East/West events just how long is this planned look going to take?

It’s only a couple months short of FOUR YEARS since instituted in what is now the Camping World East/West Series’.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 27, 2005) - “I believe it gives more drivers a chance to be on the lead lap, it gets the lapped cars away from the leaders and allows both groups a race within a race,” said Don Hawk, NASCAR Director of Regional Racing Development. “The rule is known as the ‘beneficiary’ rule but it’s the fans who should be the real benefactors as more cars should stay in contention, on the lead lap or at least have a chance. On some race tracks, going down a lap has basically ruined someone’s night under the old procedures.

Can you spell S.N.A.I.L.S. - P.A.C.E?

There is no downside. Well, no downside if you don’t count having a top 10-12 car a lap down and he, and his sponsor, isn’t on camera on restarts. Oops, I wasn’t supposed to mention that was I?

THE HO-HUM FILE - Both sides in the Le Affair Mayfield met in Charlotte Thursday. The only thing, apparently, that came of the confab was “you did this, we did that and oh yeah we might sue the bajesus out of NASCAR.”

The only thing I found of interest is another example of Mayfield preening for the media.

Mayfield’s wife dropped him off at the meetings location, later returning to pick him up a cameraman leaped from the vehicle to film Mayfield leaving the building.

So, what’s in the works, a documentary? Mini-series? Reality show complete with text voting by fans?

Give it a rest, get on with whatever business you feel necessary, and quit preening in front of cameras and media members.

In related news, NASCAR has called a mandatory meeting Cup for drivers Tuesday. Subject matter wasn’t announced but scuttlebutt is it’s related to Le Affair Mayfield. (Maybe Jeremy, and his accompanying photog want to take a group photo. - ed)

Martin Truex Jr., if you believe the rumor-mongers, will make a decision “in the next few weeks” whether to stay at EGR or go. Umm, he’s gone. You heard it here first.

Carl Long is back on the job as a crew member for the #34 Chevrolet after he appealed his suspension. The hearing will be June 2nd, I have a hunch, based on absolutely nothing, it will be reduced but not dropped entirely.

Finally, and most idiotic, the NAACP may boycott/protest during the season ending event at Homestead.

Their panties, once again, are in a bunch over the Confederate Flag. The Miami-Dade chapter of the NAACP is “to have the Confederate flag banned from all of the city’s events, including NASCAR.”

According to the article NASCAR has banned the display of the confederate Flag at “at other events and want more diversity in their audience.”

Help me out here, I don’t remember NASCAR ever banning the flag. I do remember it being an issue several times but only recall NASCAR disassociating themselves from those fans that attend and display the flag, saying they fully support the Diversity Program and a whole lotta PC Speak on the issue.

They did cut loose race bating supremo Jessie Jackson but my archives and a Google search turned up zero on banning the flag. Google shows a lot of “they should ban the flag” entries some as late as June 2008 but nothing about officially banning it.

Anyone have something official by NASCAR?