The restart zone has been a hot topic in NASCAR recently. While much of the discussion has centered around Denny Hamlin’s jump during an overtime restart at Richmond Raceway, other drivers have also weighed in on the matter. Especially the question is in everyone’s mouth after Denny Hamlin jumped in the lead at Richmond after the late restart to clinch a victory. So, What should NASCAR do to improve the restart zone? Well, Kyle Larson has a suggestion to offer.
Talked to several drivers about restarts yesterday. Kyle Larson had a lengthy answer — and wants a longer restart zone. pic.twitter.com/Ix7CofQmME
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 7, 2024
Larson himself has advocated for a larger restart zone. He believes that expanding the zone would give the leader more time to decide when to accelerate, making restarts less predictable. In other forms of motorsports like NTT IndyCar and Formula 1, the leader has more flexibility in choosing when to restart. Larson suggests that NASCAR should consider allowing the leader to go whenever they want, without being confined to a specific box or line on the track.
Kyle Larson used the example of last year when NASCAR increased the length of the restart zone and that helped drivers to make adjustments and implement better strategy in the zone. Kyle Larson winded up his conversation saying if NASCAR made a change in the track there would be less jumping in the starts.
Michael McDowell’s perspective on restarts
Michael McDowell’s perspective highlights an important aspect of the restart discussion. While much of the attention has been on Denny Hamlin’s actions during the overtime restart at Richmond Raceway, it’s essential to consider other drivers’ behavior as well.
Michael McDowell said, “What I can’t understand is why y’all aren’t talking about [Kyle] Larson and [Joey] Logano, They should have been penalized for laying back. Clear as day. They were both a car length back; both of them should have been penalized. There’s no question about that one.”
According to McDowell, both Kyle Larson and Joey Logano should have faced penalties for laying back during restarts. Their position, a car length behind, warranted enforcement. However, the spotlight has primarily been on Hamlin’s jump.
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