Welcome to part four of my series on how to make NASCAR more exciting to the fans. Read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 first.
Yellow Line Rule
I understand why the yellow line rule was created, which states that you cannot go below the yellow line at Talladega and Daytona to make a pass. If you do, you must give the spot back or be penalized, and if you are forced down there by another driver, he will get penalized. It is a safety rule because drivers were ducking down there to make unsafe passes and causing wrecks. However, I think the rule is not a fair one. It has cost one driver a win in one situation which led to a dangerous wreck in another. The only thing they have accomplished here is make themselves look stupid when they go against their own precedents, since Johnny Benson was allowed to keep his position after he went under the line to finish 2nd in a truck race on the final lap the previous year.
My take is that the rule is going to continue to cause wrecks that it was designed to stop, just as we saw from Keselowski/Edwards earlier this year. If they want this rule, that’s fine. Keep it in there, but change it so that anything goes on the final lap so we can get an exciting safe finish instead of a horrifying one.