(By Greg Engle)
Posted: Friday,October 30th, 2009
(By Sarah Farlee, CupScene.com Senior Staff Writer)
TALLADEGA, AL - Michael Waltrip got the sternest warning from NASCAR during the final practice for Sunday’s AMP Energy 500 at the Talladega Superspeedway.
Waltrip was given a ‘timeout’ by NASCAR after they deemed his bump drafting was to aggressive for practice. He was given multiple warnings before he was blackflagged and temporarily parked. Waltrip did return to the track to complete happy hour. 
Practices for Sunday’s race were a bit dicey and NASCAR issued a warning regarding the aggressive driving prior to the final practice. They told the field to allow a ‘little bit of daylight’ between bumpers.
The warning from NASCAR comes off the heels of race number nine earlier in the year at the Alabama track. Carl Edwards crossed the finish line on foot after his car was destroyed on a last lap melee that sent his car tumbling into the catchfence and injuring seven fans. One step in making the race safer was the implementation of smaller restrictor plates. The aluminum plates are mounted on the carburetor to decrease airflow and slow down the cars. The four holes in the plate were reduced 1/64th of an inch. That small change results in a 12 to 15 horsepower reduction.
“I do agree with the unfortunate fact that we have to slow the cars down because that’s the only way we keep them down on the race track and out of the grandstands,” said Mark Martin, who was taken out of contention in the April race by a lap seven crash.
The competition change accompanies changes the speedway has also made.
“I commend the track on their additions from the fence standpoint and from a cabling standpoint,” said Ryan Newman, who was involved in the last lap crash in April. “They’re doing their part.”
“It’s important that we always try to make improvements instead of saying what we should have done in respect to that accident,” added Newman.
Part of improving safety on the track is policing drivers, especially bump drafting in the corners. David Reuitmann was warned, but backed off as asked. Waltrip said he was only trying to get a feel for what his car would do in race conditions and understood why NASCAR parked him. Waltrip was second on the leaderboard after final practice.
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