[flagboy55]

Reading Charles comment on the Twin City thread inspired me to ask what you folks think about double file restarts? I personally hate them. I think it’s a gimmick to add excitement, which may be needed for other types of racing but not for sprint cars. It’s one of the things I don’t like about the Outlaws. To me a caution alone changes the race and bunches up the field enough. Someone’s misfortune shouldn’t allow the guy who was running behind you to restart along side of you. That’s my take, what do you think?

[erich45]

Agree 100%. I hate them!

[Charles Nungester]

While I feel the system. (Running odd or even) can be played when a track is better on top or bottom. That wasn't my big gripe with it.

Its the bunching of the field and the subsequent lap or two after the restart where 15 cars are bunched up in 100ft vs 150ft. I wouldn't say Westerfelds wreck was caused by this, It almost looked like his throttle stuck and he ran over the back of Gaines or Oneil, can't remember which. But the rest were due to contact caused by being bunched up and trying to sort out.

This is my view, I just think it causes a lot more cautions and more damage. I could be totally wrong, I'll leave that to the racers to decide.

As far as the system, Id rather watch the pass made on open track mono-e-mono than coming out ahead after the restart because their lane was better.

[Wayne Davis]

I have been doing this with the midgets for 2 years and really have not had an Issue...we do the Dixie Double File where the leader is by himself and 2nd gets to chose top or bottom. I also do it with the sprint and have only had issues at last years MDC race in Screven and that I believe was totally a track issue with all the moisture coming back to the top, 33* and 1AM feature time start.

Now as far as the concept, we do it because of the people that pay the purse wants it. You know, those folks in the stands. Every week that we race I personally go into the stands and ask different people what can we do to make the show better as a fan. This was in the top 3...of course putting the fast guys to the back was #1. I do see both sides but as a promoter we have got to put on a show and that's what we do.

[bigvee]

I like double file restarts and sending lapped cars to the rear of the field. I'll use last Sat. night at the MSCS race at Haubstadt. The caution came out with just a few laps to go with Kyle Cummins in the lead, CJ Leary and KTJ in second and third. They line up for the restart and put 4 lappers between 1st and 2nd place, Kyle won by a half lap, in my opinion what turned out to be an average finish would have been an unbelievable finish.

[TQ97]

As an owner who experienced my first Delaware, Dixie, or whatever you call it restart last night at Vernon, I’m not a fan. It helped us one restart and hurt us on another but it just increases the damage potential quite a bit in my opinion.

Lapped cars should never be moved to the tail. The leader has to work to get around those guys, so should everyone else.

[BrentTFunk]

I don't like them at all. More hillbillification of the sport. If the leader laps cars and puts wear on his tire doing it, why should the leader lose the advantage just because a caution came out? Its WWE stuff. Fabricating the results.

[brsteg]

If you guys dont like double file restarts but love inverts then you are a hypocrite IMO. Both are gimmicks.

Single file restarts are fine, but they do need to put lap cars to the tail. Some claim the leader earned those lap cars; but under green they were still in traffic. Now you are giving them clean air/track and cars as a buffer. That's too much of an advantage.

Double file helps create passing by the obvious bunching everyone up. But I'm fine with either if lappers go to the tail. But wing cars single file restarts turns the front 5 or more spots into a parade until they find traffic.. usually.

[Charles Nungester]

Originally Posted by brsteg If you guys dont like double file restarts but love inverts then you are a hypocrite IMO. Both are gimmicks. Single file restarts are fine, but they do need to put lap cars to the tail. Some claim the leader earned those lap cars; but under green they were still in traffic. Now you are giving them clean air/track and cars as a buffer. That's too much of an advantage. Double file helps create passing by the obvious bunching everyone up. But I'm fine with either if lappers go to the tail. But wing cars single file restarts turns the front 5 or more spots into a parade until they find traffic.. usually.

I don't see what the double file restarts and the invert has anything to do with each other. Ever seen USAC heats, the fast guy starts sixth. Sometimes they don't transfer. Sometimes they win. The latter is fun to watch and they pick em off one or two at a time.

You can like what you like and I can what I do. No need for name calling.

I agree on the wing situation as it takes long green flag racing for everyone to get equal air and passing to start happening on most tracks. I don't really like lappers mixed with the leaders and I think some do not put em back if a yellow falls in the final five laps.

However last years Sprint Week at Haubstadt proved that to be hard to judge as a lapper got back on the lead lap by passing the leader by running above the cushion. Darland was running third for fourth and seen that move. tried it and WON.

[brsteg]

Why is the gimmick of putting fast cars to the back good and the gimmick of putting the cars closer and side by side cheap?

Both are designed to create passing and excitement. If you like one but not the other I think you need to think on why.

I dont think either are gimmicks. Gimmicks is all the stuff NASCAR does.