Earnhardt Stretches Fuel and Rules
How do you feel about Earnhardts decision to test the NASCAR Officials Patience ??
Several drivers were upset that #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. was allowed to speed up and pass the pace car during a caution so he could save gas to make it to the finish line. The running start gave Earnhardt enough momentum to allow him to turn his engine off and coast halfway around Michigan International Speedway. “I just didn’t know you could pass the pace car,” third-place finisher #17-Matt Kenseth said. NASCAR rules prohibit anyone from passing the pace car during a caution, but Earnhardt was allowed to pull in front of the pace car at least twice to save fuel. The sanctioning body eventually warned him not to do it, but by then he had saved enough to win the LifeLock 400 on fumes. Earnhardt admitted he stretched the rules — and NASCAR’s patience — but not enough to give the victory back. “I got a little greedy,” he said. “I can understand how it looked, especially if you’re not a Dale Jr. fan. But I got the trophy; I got the points.
The Garage Area: I’m a huge fan of the underdog, I don’t support the big name drivers. What gets my blood racing is when a first timer is running for the checkers. I make a point to support any sponsor that sponsors a no name, a new driver or winless driver. For me the worst time in NASCAR is when you’ve got to watch Jimmy Johnson win week after week thats just boring. Now with that said I would have rather seen David Regan or Brian Vickers win the race but I will say I was kind of happy for Earnhardt because he’d come so close on so many Sundays. I would have rather seen him win it racing it would have made it legit. Especially now after we’re hearing what transpired during those final laps. Earnhardt won we can’t change that but I do think NASCAR needs to get specific on what a driver can and can’t do in the closing laps to save fuel.
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