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NASCAR Makes Changes To Inspection And Rules Enforcement, Expands Concussion Protocol
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The start of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season begins this weekend, and the sanctioning body is making sweeping changes to its inspection and deterrence model for rules enforcement in the Cup garage.
NASCAR announced a series of rules changes with regards to at-track inspections.
The bottom line is that starting immediately, NASCAR is going to attempt to handle penalties at the track when offenses occur, rather than waiting until the middle of the following week to deal with them.
“Where possible, infractions which occur during a race weekend will be contained to that race weekend,” NASCAR wrote in a memo. “Significant infractions will still be subject to post-event penalties.”
Race weekend penalties could include such items as “Radiator, exhaust headers, sway bars, shock absorbers, truck arms, hubs, pinion angle shims, fail inspection two or more times, bump stops,” said NASCAR’s memo.
“Severity, timing and reoccurrence of the infraction will determine the penalty,” which could include “Loss of hard card(s), loss of practice time, loss of pit selection, tail of field penalty, green flag pass through, green flag stop and go, lap(s) penalty.”
Safety penalties, such as loss of ballast or missing lug nuts will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
In addition, the old P1-P6 penalty system is gone.
Now there are just two penalty tiers. A Level 1 infraction—for things like having 17 or fewer lug nuts or failing to meet minimum weight—will carry a 10- to 40-point penalty, a one-to-three week suspension and a fine of $25,000 to $75,000.
A Level 2 penalty for things like traction control or illegal fuel additives or testing would up the ante to 75 points, a six-week suspension and fines of $100,000 to $200,000.
The at-track inspection procedure is changing, too.
From now on, there will be three inspections: A weekend-opening inspection that covers only fuel systems, engines and safety equipment, followed by pre-qualifying and pre-race inspections.
Per NASCAR, “Pre-qualifying and pre-race will consist of a full inspection – fuel systems, engines, safety components, chassis, templates, and weights and measurements.” And if a car flunks any of the inspection stations, it has to go back to the garage and repeat every single part of the inspection.
It should make for an interesting start to Daytona Speedweeks, which begin Friday with two practices for the Advance Auto Parts Clash, the first from 5-5:55 p.m. ET, with Happy Hour from 6:30-7:25 p.m. Both practices will be televised live on FS1.
In related news, NASCAR announced updates to its concussion protocol for competitors, adding a consistent screening tool for all venues and increasing available neurological support for race event weekends through its new partnership with American Medical Response.
“NASCAR has worked very closely with the industry to ensure our concussion protocol reflects emerging best practices in this rapidly developing area of sports medicine,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “We will continue to utilize relationships we’ve had for years with leaders in the neurological research field who helped to shape these updates.”
NASCAR’s protocol now includes:
· As part of the new rule regarding damaged vehicles, a driver whose car sustains damage from an accident or contact of any kind and goes behind the pit wall or to the garage is required to visit the Infield Care Center to be evaluated.
· The medical portion of NASCAR’s Event Standards now require that Infield Care Center physicians incorporate the SCAT-3 diagnostic tool in screening for head injuries.
· AMR will provide on-site neurological consultative support at select NASCAR events during the 2017 season and will work directly with NASCAR in the continued development of concussion protocol.
The new protocol goes into effect immediately for all NASCAR national series.
NASCAR announced a series of rules changes with regards to at-track inspections.
The bottom line is that starting immediately, NASCAR is going to attempt to handle penalties at the track when offenses occur, rather than waiting until the middle of the following week to deal with them.
“Where possible, infractions which occur during a race weekend will be contained to that race weekend,” NASCAR wrote in a memo. “Significant infractions will still be subject to post-event penalties.”
Race weekend penalties could include such items as “Radiator, exhaust headers, sway bars, shock absorbers, truck arms, hubs, pinion angle shims, fail inspection two or more times, bump stops,” said NASCAR’s memo.
“Severity, timing and reoccurrence of the infraction will determine the penalty,” which could include “Loss of hard card(s), loss of practice time, loss of pit selection, tail of field penalty, green flag pass through, green flag stop and go, lap(s) penalty.”
Safety penalties, such as loss of ballast or missing lug nuts will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
In addition, the old P1-P6 penalty system is gone.
Now there are just two penalty tiers. A Level 1 infraction—for things like having 17 or fewer lug nuts or failing to meet minimum weight—will carry a 10- to 40-point penalty, a one-to-three week suspension and a fine of $25,000 to $75,000.
A Level 2 penalty for things like traction control or illegal fuel additives or testing would up the ante to 75 points, a six-week suspension and fines of $100,000 to $200,000.
The at-track inspection procedure is changing, too.
From now on, there will be three inspections: A weekend-opening inspection that covers only fuel systems, engines and safety equipment, followed by pre-qualifying and pre-race inspections.
Per NASCAR, “Pre-qualifying and pre-race will consist of a full inspection – fuel systems, engines, safety components, chassis, templates, and weights and measurements.” And if a car flunks any of the inspection stations, it has to go back to the garage and repeat every single part of the inspection.
It should make for an interesting start to Daytona Speedweeks, which begin Friday with two practices for the Advance Auto Parts Clash, the first from 5-5:55 p.m. ET, with Happy Hour from 6:30-7:25 p.m. Both practices will be televised live on FS1.
In related news, NASCAR announced updates to its concussion protocol for competitors, adding a consistent screening tool for all venues and increasing available neurological support for race event weekends through its new partnership with American Medical Response.
“NASCAR has worked very closely with the industry to ensure our concussion protocol reflects emerging best practices in this rapidly developing area of sports medicine,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “We will continue to utilize relationships we’ve had for years with leaders in the neurological research field who helped to shape these updates.”
NASCAR’s protocol now includes:
· As part of the new rule regarding damaged vehicles, a driver whose car sustains damage from an accident or contact of any kind and goes behind the pit wall or to the garage is required to visit the Infield Care Center to be evaluated.
· The medical portion of NASCAR’s Event Standards now require that Infield Care Center physicians incorporate the SCAT-3 diagnostic tool in screening for head injuries.
· AMR will provide on-site neurological consultative support at select NASCAR events during the 2017 season and will work directly with NASCAR in the continued development of concussion protocol.
The new protocol goes into effect immediately for all NASCAR national series.
