NASCAR executive Steve O’Donnell told “The Morning Drive” on Monday that series officials are “leaning” toward limiting the number of attempts at a green-white-checkered finish this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, but no decision has been made.
O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that “we’re in the final discussions with some folks in the industry, but I think that is where we’re leaning. Expect to hear something probably by Wednesday of this week of where we go with it.’'
NASCAR permits three attempts at finishing a race under green-flag conditions. Series officials are looking at changing how Sunday’s restrictor-plate race could finish after Austin Dillon’s car flew into the catch fence at the end of the first green-white-checkered in July at Daytona International Speedway. Five fans were injured.
That incident marked the third time since Feb. 2012 that vehicles have climbed into the fence and injured fans at Daytona. All three events came during or just after the first attempt of a green-white-checkered finish.
Another topic NASCAR has discussed is if to make the restart during a green-white-checkered at Talladega single-file instead of double-file.
Denny Hamlin has been vocal about this, saying that it would make it more difficult for the leader to block because cars could try to pass on both sides. Hamlin notes that in a double-file restart, the leader can block their lane or the next lane and bottle the field, limiting the type of runs that can create a lead change.