This Dale Earnhardt guy is pretty good....

...But Dale Jarrett had what it took on the day. Thanks to all those kind people who posted messages and emails in reply to my post of about a week ago. You helped a Nascar newbie enjoy what was already a great race even more. Are these races always so close ? One quick question - after some of the accidents which brought out caution flags, the lead drivers were shown in their cars waving their arms to let racers behind know that there was trouble ahead. The drivers behind didn't try to pass, which is in marked contrast to the game where all the cars race to the line when a caution flag comes out. In real life, are drivers actually allowed to pass before they cross the line for the first time after a yellow - or is this something peculiar to the game ? Thanks in advance

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>...But Dale Jarrett had what it took on the day. >Thanks to all those kind people who posted messages and emails in >reply to my post of about a week ago. You helped a Nascar newbie enjoy >what was already a great race even more. Are these races always so >close ? >One quick question - after some of the accidents which brought out >caution flags, the lead drivers were shown in their cars waving their >arms to let racers behind know that there was trouble ahead. The >drivers behind didn't try to pass, which is in marked contrast to the >game where all the cars race to the line when a caution flag comes >out. In real life, are drivers actually allowed to pass before they >cross the line for the first time after a yellow - or is this >something peculiar to the game ? >Thanks in advance

yes, they are allowed to. It's usually not a good idea, though, because you may become part of the wreck. Randy

says... In terms of the proximity between first and second, it's not too uncommon. In terms of the proximity of the top 10-15 overall, no, unless it's on a restrictor plate superspeedway. Drivers haven't generally done so for the past several years, although the rule book still allows for it. In the most obvious example, racing to the line once the yellow is thrown is blamed for ending Bobby Allison's career. Earl

> ...But Dale Jarrett had what it took on the day. > Thanks to all those kind people who posted messages and emails in > reply to my post of about a week ago. You helped a Nascar newbie enjoy > what was already a great race even more. Are these races always so > close ? They are closest at Daytona because of the restrictor plates. You see them become somewhat more spread out at the other tracks. In Winston Cup competition they are allowed to race back to the yellow flag, but they usually play it safe and do not. They refer to it as a "gentlemen's agreement." If it was close to the end of the race you can bet they would drive their hardest. Later, Matt

Randall L) writes: >>...But Dale Jarrett had what it took on the day. >>Thanks to all those kind people who posted messages and emails in >>reply to my post of about a week ago. You helped a Nascar newbie enjoy

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>>what was already a great race even more. Are these races always so >>close ? >>One quick question - after some of the accidents which brought out >>caution flags, the lead drivers were shown in their cars waving their >>arms to let racers behind know that there was trouble ahead. The >>drivers behind didn't try to pass, which is in marked contrast to the >>game where all the cars race to the line when a caution flag comes >>out. In real life, are drivers actually allowed to pass before they >>cross the line for the first time after a yellow - or is this >>something peculiar to the game ? >>Thanks in advance >yes, they are allowed to. It's usually not a good idea, though,

because >you may become part of the wreck. >Randy Also, once the yellow come out, there is a "gentleman's" agreement that the posistion you are in when the yellow comes out, that's where you'll stay to take the yellow. Unless it the last 30 laps or so. Mike