IndyCar Series Mulls Standing Starts and Restarts for all Races

Plagued by starts and restarts that have been described as "uglier than sin" or "just plain fugly," the IndyCar Series may go to the innovative strategy of standing starts for ovals and all race restarts.

"We gotta do something," said one race insider. "Because starts now are pretty hideous. Cars start to accelerate coming out of turn three, the leaders cross the start finish when the trail end is in turn two, it's crazy. I know of people who don't let their small children watch race starts because they're afraid they will have nightmares."

League officials are reportedly mulling an F1/Champ Car-ish standing start to ensure that qualifying actually means something.

"The way starts go now, it's a total circus music moment. So qualifying isn't that big of a deal, frankly since people are going nutty in the back of the pack. We figured we better sweeten the pot to make starting on the pole more valuable than it is now."

Ideas include adding such things as a festive canned ham, spa certificates for the entire team, a free tank of diesel for the team's hauler and $500 in Fandango online movie ticket credits.

The most controversial idea is to have standing restarts. That would mean after the pace car pulls off, the cars would stop single file at the start finish and await the green flag. Currently on restarts drivers can improve their positions any time after the green flag is displayed.

"You'd be amazed at how drivers in turn two claim they can see the green displayed and jump five positions," said one insider. "All I know is that IndyCar starts make dirt track starts seem the model of order and decorum, so we gotta do something."

Comments

[My Name Is IRL]

Standing starts on ovals. Ouch! I bet Tony Cotman just read this and is now walking into IHJ's office saying, "Excuse me Brian, but I have an idea..."

[pressdog]

Props to Jeffy from MyNameisIRL.com for the inspiration.

[Johnny]

Haha, the dirt track comment was gold. I do know that here if what happened on that waved off green at the start of the race went down on the dirt, there would have been some black flags and grid order changes.

[pressdog]

In my youth, at the quarter-mile dirt track Jackson VFW Speedway, Jackson, MN, you DID NOT want to piss off the flag guy. Because he'd climb down off his stand -- I saw it many times -- go out on the track and Point the Rolled Up Yellow Flag of Hate directly at the offending car, and make a violent motion toward the rear of the pack. We all know what that means. "Get your ass to the back." And if the offender didn't comply, I totally thought the guy had a sniper rifle stashed somewhere in the flag stand. Turn your hat backward and take care of business, Flag Guy.

[Johnny]

Haha, it's still like that here. In fact I won't name the flagman or the track, but one last year came off the stand and ended up in fisticuffs with a driver and team over just such a flag pointing incident. They're hot, dirty and underpaid...not the guys you want to play with.