Rules and Regulations of NASCAR

For a sport that merely involves cars going around in circles, NASCAR has certain rules and regulations designed to not only make the sport fair, but also to protect both the drivers and the fans from any incident that may occur during a race. Below I've listed the basic rules and regulations that apply during qualifying runs for a race, basic rules during a race, the different flag colors and what each represents, and how the points and Chase systems work in regards to determining a championship.

Practice

Before and after qualifying, drivers and their crews use two designated practice times to get a feel for the track and adjusting accordingly. This gives an excellent opportunity for not only drivers to become comfortrable with the track and to find a groove that works, but also for race crews to make minor tweaks and adjustments. Certain adjustments are not allowed, however, due to specifications the cars must meet in accordance with NASCAR regulations during technical inspections that happen before Race Weekend.

Qualifying

In terms of qualifying, typically the top 35 cars in the points will automatically be awarded a spot for a race, no matter where they end up qualifying. But since there's only 43 spots per race to fill, drivers below that line have to fight it out to get a spot. As for the actual qualifying procedure, drivers one at a time are allowed onto the track from the pits and get up to race speed, where they run for two laps before coming back into the pits. Officials use the best time of the two qualifying laps to determine where a driver will start for the actual race. This order is also used to determine pit stalls in a race, with the pole sitter, or the driver with the fastest time, recieving the first pick. If a team makes changes to a car or replaces it with a backup during the time between qualifying and the race, that team is usually automatically sent to the back of the race pack at the start of the race.

Typical Functions on Race Day

During a race, drivers communicate with their crew chief and spotters via radio frequency using a headset. A driver's crew chief sits in the pits on top of a pit box and watches the action from the ground, giving the driver crucial data such as lap times of both the driver and competitors, average speed, distance between the driver and the leader, how many laps are left, the status of the race such as when there's a caution, and other pieces of important data. In turn, the driver tells his crew chief how the car is handling, what the temperature in the car is, what adjustments to make in the next pit stop, and some other things related to the car.

A spotter is a person who stands with other spotters above the racetrack, usually at the top of the stands and spots for the driver, telling him where other cars are behind him, when other cars are attempting to pass, and also guiding the driver through wrecks and other hazards that happen on the track. There aren't any side mirrors allowed in NASCAR, so having a reliable spotter is absolutely crucial. Sometimes, such as during a road course race, multiple spotters are used.

Safety Precautions

Besides the trademark helmet, which houses a radio, an air conditioning unit, and even sometimes a hose for liquids, drivers all wear fire-resistant suits to protect them in case of a fire in the cockpit, and a device known as a HANS (Head and Neck Support) device to protect a driver's neck from snapping during a crash. These devices became mandatory after Dale Earnhardt Sr. lost his life during the 2001 Daytona 500 in a horrific crash, and have saved many lives since. Seat belts are obviously worn as well, but are built to be of higher calibur and strenght than a regular average seat belt found in normal vehicles.

As for the cars themselves, the cars are built from the frame up around a steel roll cage designed to protect the driver from being crushed by the car in the event of a wreck. Roof flaps have also been developed on the top of a car to deploy during crashes, so as to prevent the car from going airborne. Recent new soft, safer barriers and catch fencing along the walls of the track also protect the driver from the impact of crashes, as well as the fans from out of control cars and debris.

When racing at Daytona or Talladega, restrictor plates are placed over the motor to prevent the cars from driving at speeds over 180 mph. Because of this, drivers usually have to draft with each other at these tracks in long lines to gain position.

Pit stops during races also involve some safety. During a green flag run, drivers are required to slow to a certain speed limit before entering the pits (usually around 25-28 mph) or risk incuring a penalty. Crew members must all wear fire-resistant suits like the drivers as well as helmets, with the visor being optional. The gas man must wear a fire-resistant apron when refuelling, and tire changers are encouraged to wear safety goggles or glasses so as to prevent eye injuries resulting from lug nuts or fuel spills. Outside tires can also no longer be free rolled as they once were due to safety concerns, and must be hand-guided back over the wall.

Flags During a Race

During a race, specific flag colors are flown to indicate certain things to the drivers and their crews, depending on the situation. Below is a list of all the different flags used in a typical race and what each means:

Green Flag

Signifies the start or restart of the race.

Yellow Flag

Also known as the caution flag, this flag indicates a hazard on the track, usually from either a wreck, spill, or debris. It used to be that whenever a caution flag was flown, drivers would race back to the line and let cars that were a few laps down go by and gain a lap back. Due to safety concerns however, a new rule called the Lucky Dog was developed. The rule freezes the positions of the field at the moment when a caution is called, and the car that that is the least amount of laps down from the rest of the field (the Lucky Dog) is allowed to gain a lap back. Cars gather behind the pace car during caution flags until the green flag is waved once again.

Red Flag

Indicates that the race has been halted, usually due to either inclement weather conditions, track clean up from a serious wreck with lots of debris, or when a part of the track needs to be repaired. Drivers or their teams cannot make changes or repairs to the car during this time.

Red Flag With Cross (not pictured)

Indicates that pit road is closed. Unlike other flags, this one is shown at the entrance to pit road when a caution is called. This flag is withdrawn and pit road opened when all the cars in the field fall back behind the pace car.

White Flag

Indicates that the leaders are on the final lap before the finish.

Checkered Flag

The most famous flag of all, the checkered flag indicates that a race is over and a winner has crossed the finish line.

Black Flag

Flown when a driver is penalized. Usually the flag is brought out due to a violation of the rules by either the driver or the pit crew, or if a car is so badly damaged that it poses a threat to other drivers.

Black Flag With Cross

Indicates that a driver is no longer being scored. A rare flag, it is only brought out if a driver fails to respond to a black flag after three laps.

Blue Flag With Yellow Stripe

Flown to warn drivers with slower cars that faster cars are approaching. Drivers are usually not punished for failing to heed this flag, but if a delibrate move is made by a slower driver to block a lead lap car to help out a teammate on the lead lap, for example, NASCAR will fly this flag and issue warnings.

Blue Flag (not pictured)

Only used for road courses, this flag indicates a local caution on the track. Not often seen on oval tracks since a yellow flag is more efficient.

Yellow and Red Flag (not pictured)

Only used for road courses, this flag indicates that there is debris on the track.

Points System and the Chase

No matter where a driver finishes, they are awarded points based on their finish that goes toward their standings in regards to being in contention for the Chase near the end of the season. A victory earns a driver 185 points, second place gets 170, and third earns 165. There are different five, four, and three-point scales according to where a driver finishes, but all positions award a certain number of points, with the lowest postion of 43rd awarding 34 points. Drivers can earn additional points by leading a lap, and can earn five extra points if they lead the most laps during a race. There are also points awarded to car owners depending on where their cars finish.

Over recent years the points system has gone through some revisions, but now it seems as if it has become slighly more stable over the years since the concept of the Chase for the Sprint Cup was implemented. The Chase functions similar to the playoffs of a normal sporting event. At the last race before the ten final races of the season, the top twelve drivers in the points are locked in for championship contention. Whoever wins the most races and gets the most points at the end of these ten races is declaired the series champion.