NASCAR issued a new rule early Friday that bans its drivers from exiting a racecar during a race unless “extenuating emergency conditions exist with the racecar (i.e. fire, smoke in cockpit, etc.). The new rule comes less than a week after an on-track incident and a non-NASCAR sanctioned event at Canandiagua Motorsports Park in upstate New York. The incident involved three time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and resulted in the death of 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr.. The incident involved three time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and resulted in the death of 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr.. Ward exited his racecar after contact with Stewart the previous lap. Stewart’s car struck and killed Ward.
Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition and racing development, said Friday the rule is “part of the evolution of NASCAR’s rules and regulations.”
“Throughout the history of our sport, NASCAR has reviewed and analyzed situations and occurrences that take place not just in NASCAR racing but also throughout all motorsports and other sports,” said Pemberton. “When we believe we can do something to make our sport safer and better for the competitors and others involved in the competition environment, we react quickly. Safety always has been priority number one at NASCAR.” MORE>>>
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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