From an operational standpoint, NASCAR has transitionedseamlessly to double-file restarts.
From a competition standpoint, the new format is the best thingthat has happened to Sprint Cup racing since the introduction of theChase for the Cup in 2004.
NASCAR likes to call the new restart system "shootout style," amanufactured term that differentiates double-file restarts amonglead-lap cars from the traditional double-file restarts with leadersin the outside lane and lapped cars on the inside.
Based on what happened in Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 atNew Hampshire Motor Speedway, however, there may be more truth thanhype to the shootout nomenclature. The intensity of consecutiverestarts beside Kurt Busch was enough to rile even the usuallyunflappable Jeff Gordon.
From an analytical standpoint, restarting beside a competitor whois driving a relatively equal car is a much tougher assignment thansimply clearing a lapped car on a restart. Gordon and Buschrestarted side-by-side seven times during the race, and each time,fans got their money's worth.
Gordon typically chose the outside lane, and Busch battledfiercely for the lead on the inside. After Busch forced Gordon wideinto the first corner on a restart on Lap 159, Gordon asked hisspotter to convey a message to Busch's team-to the effect that, ifit happened again, Busch wasn't going to get through the turn.
"My car - I felt like I was on ice out there," said Gordon, whofinished second when rain made a winner of rookie Joey Logano.
"I took the outside lane. I could get a good start, but it'sfunny that Kurt was saying he wasn't very good on the restarts,because I felt like he's a lot better than I was.
"I couldn't even run in the bottom lane and he could get downthere but he couldn't quite clear me. And the one time I don't knowif he just slipped or what, but he pushed me pretty wide, and italmost got a little ugly."
Busch, who finished third, admitted he pushed too hard, but withrain on the way, the stakes went up dramatically.
"It's a tough balance, and this track really challenged thedouble-file restarts," Busch said.
"And it was after (Lap) 150 (the halfway point), the race wouldhave been complete, I actually had raindrops on my windshield, andso I pushed the 'go' button, overstepped the line, rubbed Jeff alittle bit and knew the boundary line that I crossed."
The value of the new restart format isn't confined to side-by-side racing. It also forces drivers and crew chiefs to makestrategic choices. With track position of paramount importance,teams must account for restarts when setting up their cars.
"The track at Loudon has always been slick on restarts," Buschsaid. "And with double-file restarts, you have to keep in the backof your mind-even in Saturday's practice-you have to have a car goodon a long run, but now you're going to have all these restarts, youmight want to focus a little bit on short runs, as well," Buschsaid.
Drivers also are weighing the value of starting on the inside oroutside, which varies from track to track. Consecutive restarts onthe inside lane cost Dale Earnhardt Jr. dearly at Loudon.
"I like the double-file restarts, but, man, if you are on theinside, you are going to lose a couple of spots every time," saidEarnhardt, who finished 13th after running consistently in the top10 for most of the race.
"We were on the inside the last three, and we lost theopportunity to run in the top five, got shuffled back to just insidethe top 10."
The pressure to protect track position multiplies exponentiallyunder the new system, sometimes with disastrous results.
On a restart on Lap 175, Earnhardt restarted third, spun histires and lost momentum. Martin Truex Jr. checked up behind him.Kyle Busch, behind Truex, did not, and contact between the cars ofBusch and Truex ignited a massive wreck in Turn 1.
Jeff Burton was an innocent victim of the melee, finishing 31stand dropping to 16th in the Cup standings. Nevertheless, from aspectator's standpoint, Burton acknowledges the value of the newformat.
"I don't think the fans want to see wrecks, but they want to seemore aggressive racing, so that is the product of that," Burtonsaid. "You can't change something without there being some kind ofnegative consequences, and this (the wreck) is an example.
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