Ericson's argument of the one lap shootout on cold tires was a bit of a stretch; don't they come out on cold tires into heavy traffic after every green flag stop? No one has ever said that was "unfair" or "too dangerous". Granted, he was a sitting duck but Newgarden would have been too had the tables been turned. Maybe he shouldn't have been in such a hurry to get the lead on the restart and held off until the backstretch, then he wouldn't have gotten into the lead and would have had the advantage after the reset. All in all, I have no argument with how the finish was handled; they did a true 500 miles and finished under green. Best of both worlds.
Originally Posted by jjones752:
Ericson's argument of the one lap shootout on cold tires was a bit of a stretch; don't they come out on cold tires into heavy traffic after every green flag stop? No one ha ever said that was "unfair" or "too dangerous". Granted, he was a sitting duck but Newgarden would have been too had the tables been turned. Maybe he shouldn't have been in such a hurry to get the lead on the restart and held off until the backstretch, then he wouldn't have gotten into the lead and would have had the advantage after the reset. All in all, I have no argument with how the finish was ahndled; they did a true 500 miles and finished nder green. Best of both worlds.
Originally Posted by Stevensville Mike:
A bit if a difference: This year, the cars came off pit road cold. Made one lap and had the one lap to race. Back in your reference at least the cars were still out on the track rolling around and got the "one to go" from the flag stand.
Shades of an Abu Dhabi F1 style restart in which the protocol/formation is brushed off. And the other elephant in the room is that the "house team" won - Penske.
But we all have our individual opinions and viewpoints.
& winner Arie said "what the F are they doing" on National TV...Goodyear was proly gun shy after he got busted for passing the pace car two years before...plus the yellow light was on at some spots. My main point was, it was a cluster. Life went on. The 500 is the greatest spectable in racing and things happen. Heck, many think Paul Tracy won in 2001...
Jason Dull
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I don’t know which way is proper, but as as entertainment value, they made the right decision in my book. I was actually surprised they didn’t throw the red a lap earlier. Thanks be to God no one got in the way of the tire!
Is it actually written in the rulebook that the race should go red near the end and not yellow? Hard to see justifying this if not. If that is the rule they want then put it in writing.
No matter how specific your rule book is there are still judgment calls to be made and they made on a wide range of dimensions from equity to entertainment value
Originally Posted by DJlives:
No matter how specific your rule book is there are still judgment calls to be made and they made on a wide range of dimensions from equity to entertainment value
Not really all that specific. Either you stop the race within 10 or not. Thats why you have rules because they are specific.
