Why didnt Dale Jr stay behind the pace car?

Question

I thought it was a NASCAR rule that you have to stay behond the pace car. But because Jr wa slow on fuel, he was allowed to pass the pass car while coasting his engine. He continued to do this even after NASCAR warned him.

Answer 1

am fairly certain that 2-3 years ago Robby Gordon was sent to the tail end of the longest line for passing the pace car under caution.

Just found a link where Kenseth was penalized a lap for passing the pacecar.

Junior should have been penalized the same. NASCAR should stop playing favorites.

I guess it helps to have a last name of Earnhardt

Answer 2

Here....this question has been asked repeatedly in one form or another. It IS Friday after all, five days AFTER the race. Most of us have already answered it over, and over. These are just a few of the questions that I took the time to look up for you since you couldn't do it yourself.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

huck4.....passing the pace car to get to the pits is a little more serious than coasting in front of it and falling back behind it again. Your comparison is laughable at best. If Jr. would have passed the pace car to get to his pit stall for a splash of fuel, I am sure NASCAR would have penalized him!

Answer 3

As much as I hate Junior!! It is over and there is nothing that can be or will be done about it. He can also pass below the yellow line at daytona. The same place that Sterling Marlin And Greg Biffle were penalized for it. So the Junior fans got what they wanted a cheap win for Junior. (UNEARNEDHARDT)

Answer 4

He did pass the pace car, but he did not continue to do so after NASCAR warned him.  "NASCAR official Jim Hunter said that Earnhardt did not violate a rule, saying that he needed only to maintain "a reasonable speed or a reasonable pace" behind the pace car and that once Earnhardt was warned not to surge ahead of it, Earnhardt complied." that came directly from NASCAR.com In my opinion he did what he needed to do to win the race, its not like no one else has ever done that before

Answer 5

Dale Jr. has a much larger ego than many of his fans think (much bigger than Kyle Busch, Dale Jr. just "acts" humble), and he had no problem pushing his boundaries Sunday and NASCAR, probably for fear of a riot, felt it wrong to penalize them.

So, ask youself this, "If NASCAR had penalized Dale Jr., what would have happened after the race?"

Some of the many bad apples that call themselves fans of his would have basically looted the track and killed poor Kasey Kahne (since he inherited the lead). Like it or not, Jr. Nation has a large amount of control in NASCAR, all for being rabid and ridiculous.

Answer 6

he won the race firstly...secondly when warned he stopped...thirdly you have to do EVERYTHING you can too win these days and that means pushing everything to lthe limits..he did good he pushed as hard as he could and it paid off with a win....

Answer 7

Things happen, Greg Biffle won at Kansas last year after crossing the line third so it's not a Dale Jr. conspiracy, it's Nascar wanting to keep their impact on the race minimal.

Answer 8

After they warned him I think he stopped and went down low in the flat surface

Answer 9

because he had his engine shut off inorder to save fuel. he wasnt actually accelerating. after nascar warned him he stopped and returned back behind the pace car.

Answer 10

He did not continue to do this after Nascar warned him. As soon as he got the warning , he stopped doing it.

Answer 11

What an original question..

Answer 12

He knew he could get away with it.  Imagine if a driver like Robby Gordon had done it.  He would have been black flagged and suspended for a race for putting the pace car in danger.  And oh yeah the rule broken was Actions detrimental to stock car racing.  Isn't that the rule the Officials break out when they have no specific rule?

Answer 13

Not to offend any Dale Jr. fans, but he thinks he is so good that he can do whatever. The only reason he has as many fans as he does is because of who his daddy was. I'm pretty sure that is a rule also.

Answer 14

Well cuz he was Coasting.If he was accelerating then he would have been penalized.

Why r people still blabbing 'bout this c**p anyway?

No offense guys but seriously??!!

Answer 15

Why don't you try typing in "Dale Jr and Pace Car" in the search box up there. You will find about 9 billion questions like this and about a trillion different answers to them.

Answer 16

He had too much power under the hood and that car wanted to go. Kind of like some horses don't like to follow other horses, they like to lead.