It's Wednesday afternoon and the hot topic among NASCAR fans is the Carl Edwards and NASCAR restart controversial decision on lap 320 of last Saturday night's Richmond 400 at RIR, a race that was won by Kyle Busch over Dale Earnhardt Jr.
In watching the Richmond 400 live on FOX, I have to say that I agree with NASCAR in giving Carl Edwards the black flag for jumping the restart. That part is very clear to me as Edwards went well before the restart box and also beat the leader Tony Stewart to the line. Double trouble.
However its NASCAR's explanation after the fact and especially the course of events that went down just before the restart that actually still has me scratching my head. Let me explain.
You see the caution came out during a round of pit stops for Jeff Burton hitting the turn 4 outside wall. Only a few cars were left on the lead lap, but it's unclear besides Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards who was on the lead lap.
Carl Edwards pitted up that caution, but since Tony Stewart had already pitted, Stewart took the lead. Edwards would slot in behind him.
According to NASCAR, they have several audio comments between Edwards, the spotter and the crew chief of them being second behind Stewart in the running order. NASCAR even told the #99 they were second behind Stewart when they were coming to 1 to go. However when the one to go sign came up, Edwards beat Stewart to the line and that set the scoring pylon to incorrectly read #99 leader, #14 second place and so on and not Stewart as the leader.
According to Edwards' spotter as well as Stewart's spotter, a NASCAR official on top of the spotter stand was asked by either the #99 or #14 spotter who was leading. The NASCAR official said #99 leader. Edwards' spotter relays that message to Edwards and his crew. But Stewarts spotter while he relays that message, he also says Stewart is the leader, not Edwards.
Green flag comes out and Edwards jumps the restart and beats Stewart to the line. Black flag Carl Edwards for jumping the restart. To me, it doesn't matter if Edwards was the leader or Stewart was the leader, Edwards clearly jumped the restart.
So Carl Edwards deserved the black flag penalty hands down. However NASCAR is also at fault here too as a NASCAR official on top of the spotter stand did say according the the #14 and #99 spotter that the #99 was the leader. If that NASCAR official said #14 was the leader, then NASCAR would be in the right and it would simply be Carl Edwards gets black flag for jumping the restart. But now NASCAR is also in the wrong and needs to give a better explanation and fix the problem.
Oh yeah, NASCAR also needs to update the restart policy including restart box and stick to it in being consistent, otherwise it's going to suck for fans and drivers to understand.
In watching the Richmond 400 live on FOX, I have to say that I agree with NASCAR in giving Carl Edwards the black flag for jumping the restart. That part is very clear to me as Edwards went well before the restart box and also beat the leader Tony Stewart to the line. Double trouble.
However its NASCAR's explanation after the fact and especially the course of events that went down just before the restart that actually still has me scratching my head. Let me explain.
You see the caution came out during a round of pit stops for Jeff Burton hitting the turn 4 outside wall. Only a few cars were left on the lead lap, but it's unclear besides Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards who was on the lead lap.
Carl Edwards pitted up that caution, but since Tony Stewart had already pitted, Stewart took the lead. Edwards would slot in behind him.
According to NASCAR, they have several audio comments between Edwards, the spotter and the crew chief of them being second behind Stewart in the running order. NASCAR even told the #99 they were second behind Stewart when they were coming to 1 to go. However when the one to go sign came up, Edwards beat Stewart to the line and that set the scoring pylon to incorrectly read #99 leader, #14 second place and so on and not Stewart as the leader.
According to Edwards' spotter as well as Stewart's spotter, a NASCAR official on top of the spotter stand was asked by either the #99 or #14 spotter who was leading. The NASCAR official said #99 leader. Edwards' spotter relays that message to Edwards and his crew. But Stewarts spotter while he relays that message, he also says Stewart is the leader, not Edwards.
Green flag comes out and Edwards jumps the restart and beats Stewart to the line. Black flag Carl Edwards for jumping the restart. To me, it doesn't matter if Edwards was the leader or Stewart was the leader, Edwards clearly jumped the restart.
So Carl Edwards deserved the black flag penalty hands down. However NASCAR is also at fault here too as a NASCAR official on top of the spotter stand did say according the the #14 and #99 spotter that the #99 was the leader. If that NASCAR official said #14 was the leader, then NASCAR would be in the right and it would simply be Carl Edwards gets black flag for jumping the restart. But now NASCAR is also in the wrong and needs to give a better explanation and fix the problem.
Oh yeah, NASCAR also needs to update the restart policy including restart box and stick to it in being consistent, otherwise it's going to suck for fans and drivers to understand.
