TERRY84 - 05 October 2008 11:45 PM

i wish they would just do away with the yellow line rule

who doesnt, at this point? if there was no rule, Regan Smith would be one happy guy, NASCAR could promote yet another exciting finish, and no one would be bashing them right now.

rockstar4199 - 05 October 2008 11:49 PM

TERRY84 - 05 October 2008 11:45 PM

i wish they would just do away with the yellow line rule

who doesnt, at this point? if there was no rule, Regan Smith would be one happy guy, NASCAR could promote yet another exciting finish, and no one would be bashing them right now.

Except the Tony fans for NASCAR NOT upholding something they have in all the other instances.

NASCAR gave the win to the driver with the more fans simple as that.

They did it because they thought if they gave the win to the 01 they would get a fall out from Tony and all of his Fans, whats funny is I bet there didn't think so many fans would stick up for the Smith.

IA-aTrueBudFan - 06 October 2008 12:13 AM

NASCAR gave the win to the driver with the more fans simple as that.

They did it because they thought if they gave the win to the 01 they would get a fall out from Tony and all of his Fans, whats funny is I bet there didn't think so many fans would stick up for the Smith.

You are right, Nascrap may have picked the wrong side in this issue. Nascrap is going to learn a hard lesson on this one when the media & the fans get thru. Everyone has their favorites but most true race fans want it done on the up & up and deep down root for the underdog. But they don't want to see the underdog kicked if he does good. That's why you see so many fans of alot of differant drivers and it appears some driver's themselfs expressing their dis-satisfaction with this.

I don't think that Nascar intended for drivers to knowingly go below the yellow line to make a pass on the last lap...

“I knew I was only going to get one shot at him,” Smith said. “I knew where I was going to make my move. I don’t know. I was always told that the rule is if you get forced down there, then you are the winner of the race and on the last lap, anything goes. That’s what I was going with."

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20081005/ARTICLES/810050269/1005/sports?Title=Stewart_holds_off_Smith_to_get_first_Talladega_win

Congratulations to Tony Stewart and the whole #20 Home Depot Team for winning the AMP ENERGY 500.

J. - 05 October 2008 06:20 PM

This is truly one of the worst calls they've made in a long time, and there is undoubtedly tons of supporting evidence for the legitimacy of Regan Smith's win. If NASCAR had any integrity they'd acknowledge that they messed up big time, and award the win to Smith. This isn't going to go away.

Got to agree with J.

Tony's job was to block him. This is the last lap of the race. What did you expect Smoke to do? Move over and give Regan the right of way?? Get serious!

After watching Wind Tunnel last evening, where Jeff Gordon failed to mention that it was stated in the driver's meeting that during the last lap passing below the yellow line is acceptable, I return to my original position that the 20 won the race fair and square.

I am not sure how off-the-cuff comments made at a truck race would prompt any driver at a cup race to believe that a pass under the yellow line was permissible. These guys were again told on Sunday morning that they would be penalized for a pass under the yellow line.

As stated in Jerry Bonkowski's article this morning (YAHOO sports) Every other driver and crew chief in Sunday's pre-race drivers' meeting heard Hoots once again remind them about the rule against passing below the yellow line. The only one who seemed not to hear it was Smith.

If you have any information J., that shows that Jimmie was told something different, I would like to see it. I know that Jeff is "political" in his responses (often a good thing), but I believe that had the drivers been told something different at the meeting, he would have at least mentioned it last night.

(BTW, though I am a Smoke fan, Regan Smith was a fantasy pick for me this week and as such, I would have loved to see him do well. But the rules are the rules.)

J. - 05 October 2008 06:20 PM

This is truly one of the worst calls they've made in a long time, and there is undoubtedly tons of supporting evidence for the legitimacy of Regan Smith's win. If NASCAR had any integrity they'd acknowledge that they messed up big time, and award the win to Smith. This isn't going to go away.

I wish I could agree with that. NASCAR seems to have a history of totally ignoring the fans when they make a serious blunder, and rarely acknowledge fault. They will try to rationalize, diffuse the issue or sweep it under the rug. Something else will happen in the coming weeks to take the focus off of the issue and they know it.
I don't think the powers that be in NASCAR care one bit about fan opinions as long as they are getting your cash.

Nonetheless, congrats to Smith!

According to TMD, Jenna Fryer found Robin Pemberton to try and get clarification of the rule since one official was being quoted as having said one thing (after the deal last year at Daytona) and Hunter was saying something totally opposite. According to David Poole, Pemberton tried to straddle the two positions by saying that you could pass below the yellow line if you could see the flag stand, but Smith could not see the flag stand and that's why they made the decision they made. Poole said that was a bald faced lie, because Smith passed right in front of them and he could absolutely see the flag stand.

As for Jimmie, I've no doubt that he wants no part of this. What he said on the radio following the race was clear: If the checkers are in view, you can pass below the yellow line. Again, this is/was consistent with previous rulings. It is not hard to see why Tony would defend NASCAR's ruling, but there is no doubt that they have made a judgement call and decided that they'd rather have Tony as their winner than Regan.

I have little doubt that Jimmie was right. If that had been him, and not Regan Smith, he would undoubtedly have been celebrating in VL. If it had been Dale Jr, or Jeff Gordon, or Carl Edwards, or even Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, or Greg Biffle, that move would have stood. It was Regan Smith in an unsponsored car. In NASCAR's mind this decision wasn't hard.