Sunday’s Cup Series race at the 1.33-mile Nashville Superspeedway was originally scheduled for 300 laps. But it ended up being run for 331 laps with five overtime restarts to be able to churn out a winner. Never in the history of NASCAR has there been such a lengthy climax to a Cup Series race. But what was the reason behind such an occurrence? Racing icon Kyle Petty breaks it down.
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Speaking with NASCAR, he detailed how the race was largely without notable incidents in its initial stages. However, when the race neared its end, the leaders got into blocking each other incessantly. This is what led to the multiple cautions that translated into overtime restarts and Petty believes that such excessive blocking is not worthy of drivers who are the world’s best.
“These guys have to do a better job in those overtimes. We can’t have these wrecks and all these wrecks are starting in the first three or four rows. Circle back to blocking. These guys are trying to get everything they can on the restart. I completely understand that. But taking each other out. Knocking each other out. These are the greatest drivers in the world and they can’t run three laps.” – Kyle Petty.
Though such added length reflects poor racing and respect between the drivers, the race was anything but that. The restarts were the result of strategic decisions and shortcomings from teams and made for a great viewing experience. It wasn’t like the drivers were out for each other and made deliberate moves to induce caution. Even so, Petty makes a valid point about curbing down blocking.
Kyle Petty wants NASCAR to restrict blocking similar to how other series do
Expressing his frustration, Petty provided a direction for the promotion to move on. He said, “When is racing going to come back into the sport and blocking, be a penalty in the sport? It has to be at some point in time. It has to be a penalty to take a guy’s line away and to intentionally block. Do like Formula 1, do like other sports. You get one or two [blocks] during the race, that’s all you get.”
“Once you use that juice up, you’re out. So when it comes to the end of the race and everybody’s through blocking, we’re gonna have some great green-white checkers.” His opinion could have several takers, particularly in the list of those who faced their doom during the overtime restarts on Sunday.
