New rule could alter Sonoma race

This weekend’s race at Infineon Raceway could provide the most excitement with NASCAR’s new double-file restart rule.

 

            Since being implemented at Pocono, the action has been more intense but relatively trouble-free on such wide tracks as Pocono and Michigan. That likely won’t happen this weekend at Sonoma where the track is narrow and there’s typically only one line into the first few corners after the starting line.

 

            It’s common to see drivers get off track at the start of the race at some point in the first few corners and now fans could see more of this throughout the race.

 

            Mark Martin admits he’s concerned.

 

            If the fans like spins and unexpected twists and turns in these things, I think they’re in for it,’’ Martin told reporters in a conference call this week. “From a competitor’s standpoint I don’t think it’s going to work that well. 

 

“We only do that once a race and that’s the start of the race when the intensity level is much lower, and it’s still a challenge to get up the hill side-by-side, so trying to do it with increased intensity as the race wears on is going to make for increased difficulty for all of us to get through there cleanly. I think there will be some winners in that, but I think there will be some big losers in that, that’s my expectation.’’

 

Another key is going to be fuel-mileage. It’s a two-stop race. The key is when to make the last pit stop. Let’s say you can 37 laps (with the help of some caution laps) on a full tank, well, you likely won’t pit 37 laps from the end. You might pit 41 laps from the end and count on a few caution laps to bridge the difference. Of course, crew chiefs will have to guess if these double-file restarts will lead to more cautions and how many more caution laps. Of course,  remember, that on a road course you can have a local yellow where there’s only a yellow in that particular turn or section of the course and its green the rest of the way around the track.

 

Often, the fastest car doesn’t always win at Sonoma. It’s the one with the best pit strategy. So, keep that in mind when you watch Sunday’s race and note when the leaders make their last stop.

 

Also, unlike ovals _ where you want to be pitting during the caution _ teams want to pit during green flag laps (because it takes so long to complete a lap you can get in and out and stay on the lead lap and then are ahead of those who stop under caution).

 

 

 

 

STATS

 

Juan Pablo Montoya … 3.5 avg. finish … 1 win, 1 top-five, 2 top-10s in 2 starts

 

Clint Bowyer … 8.0 avg. finish …. 0 wins, 2 top-5s, 2 top-10s in 3 starts

 

Jeff Gordon …... 9.3 avg. finish ….5 wins, 10 top-5s, 12 top-10s in 16 starts

 

Ryan Newman ... 9.4 avg. finish … 0 wins, 2 top-5s. 5 top-10s in 7 starts

 

Mark Martin …. 10.0 avg. finish … 1 win, 7 top-5s, 13 top-10s in 17 starts

 

Tony Stewart … 10.0 avg. finish … 2 wins, 3 top-5s, 6 top-10s in 10 starts

 

Greg Biffle …… 14.0 avg. finish …0 wins, 2 top-5s, 2 top-10s in 6 starts

 

Kyle Busch …… 15.0 avg. finish …1 win, 1 top-5, 2 top-10s in 4 starts

 

Elliott Sadler …. 15.8 avg. finish … 0 wins, 0 top-5s, 4 top-10s in 10 starts

 

Denny Hamlin … 16.3 avg. finish … 0 wins, 0 top-5s, 1 top-10 in 3 starts

 

Kevin Harvick … 17.0 avg. finish … 0 wins, 2 top-5s, 2 top-10s in 8 starts

 

Casey Mears ….. 17.5 avg. finish … 0 wins, 1 top-5, 2 top-10s in 6 starts

 

Carl Edwards … 17.7 avg. finish … 0 wins, 0 top-5s, 2 top-10s in 4 starts

 

John Andretti … 17.7 avg. finish … 0 wins, 2 top-5s, 3 top-10s in 9 starts

 

Jamie McMurray ..18.0 avg. finish … 0 wins, 1 top-5, 1 top-10 in 6 starts

 

 

 

NOTES

 

 

# Hendrick Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing each released statements saying that they’ll have to make some changes with Chevrolet not providing as much support. Stewart said in his statement that the team would have to review its budget. Chevy officials met with their Cup teams this week to detail what kind of support Chevy will provide and what it won't provide.

 

# Car owner Rick Hendrick says the team has “a lot of things’’ in the works in regards to sponsorship for Mark Martin for next season. When the team announced that Martin would drive fulltime again next year, no sponsors were announced. Hendrick says the team is in “good shape’’ and said that Martin likely will have multiple fulltime sponsors splitting time on the car. Hendrick says they’re talking to a lot of sponsors already aligned with the organization.

 

# Juan Pablo Montoya is using the same chassis he drove to a fourth-place finish with last year at Watkins Glen.

 

# Clint Bowyer is using a car that has not raced yet this weekend.

 

# Jeff Gordon is NASCAR’s all-time winningest driver on road courses with nine victories.

 

# Jimmie Johnson will have a new chassis for this weekend.

 

# Kasey Kahne has a pole at Infineon, but he’s never finished better than 23^rd on the road course.

 

# Kyle Busch led 130 of the 202 laps run at the two road course races last year, winning both. He’ll drive a new chassis this weekend.

 

Remember, you can follow me on twitter. Just search for dustinlong

 

OK, off to catch my plane to California.

 

 

 

 

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