NASCAR Changes Rules About Drivers Staying in Cars
The death of NASCAR driver Kevin Ward, Jr., caused waves in the driving community — and now drivers will feel the accident’s ripple effects on the track. NASCAR’s vice president of competition, Rick Pemberton, announced on Friday, August 15, that drivers would now have to follow a new code of conduct when driving during a caution period. Driving teams received the new regulations prior to the Sprint Cup, which took place at Michigan International Speedway.
The new rule affects drivers who have been in accidents on the track and can no longer move their cars. Rather than exiting the car and stepping onto the track — which might put them in the path of cars still in the heat of the race — a driver in a wrecked vehicle must now remain in his or her seat with all safety equipment in place. Of course, this new sit-and-stay rule does not apply to drivers whose cars erupt in smoke or in flames.
More specifically, there are three steps that drivers in this position must take, according to NASCAR’s new rules. First, he or she must turn the car off. If injured, the driver should also remove the safety net from the window, which signals to officials that the driver needs medical attention. Next, the driver will have to sit and wait patiently for instructions from track officials, who will figure out the safest and quickest way to remove the driver from the track. Finally, the driver can only exit his or her car when an ambulance or another transport vehicle has arrived to take him or her from the track. Even when making this quick exit, drivers must be cautious and avoid walking onto the racetrack or towards another vehicle that’s still partaking in the race.
The accident that took the life of Kevin Ward, Jr. took place after he exited his car under a caution flag. NASCAR officials have always taken time pre-race to remind drivers not to exit their cars under this type of circumstance, but the new rule makes the requirement more salient. Pemberton noted that the accident did shed light on the fact that drivers and officials alike needed to be reminded of the danger of this sort of situation and how to avoid it in the future.
Despite the forthcoming crackdown on this sort of behavior, NASCAR has yet to designate a punishment for those who exit their cars without permission. At the time of the announcement, Pemberton said that the organization planned to give punishments on a case-by-case basis, as some exits would be more egregiously against the rules than others. So far these new rules have only been applied to NASCAR. One would assume other events such as drag racing or racing Mustangs would eventually follow with their own changes.
Since the announcement, drivers have come out in support of the changes. No. 34 Ford driver, David Ragan, for one, released a statement that acknowledged the danger that comes with the territory of driving racecars. He said that he appreciated the organization’s efforts to make everyone safer and predicted that other driving organizations would make the same changes sooner rather than later.
Scott Huntington is a racing fan and freelance writer. Follow him on Twitter @SMHuntington or check out his blog, offthethrottle.com
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