That Green-White-Checkered shootout finish: Drivers will now get three tries to finish without crashing....

  This last lap crash in the Bud Shootout triggered a NASCAR review of its Green-White-Checkered rule. So would Kevin Harvick still have won if his rivals had gotten two more shots at him? (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
  

  By Mike Mulhern
  mikemulhern.net

   DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
   Three.
   That's the magic number.
    NASCAR Thursday morning announced a major new rule for the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Truck tours – revising its green-white-checkered two-lap rule for caution periods in the final miles of a race.
   Since going to the GWC rule a few years ago, NASCAR has allowed one attempt to finish the race under green in that overtime procedure.
   Now, beginning with Thursday's Twin 150s, drivers will get three attempts to finish under green.
   Clearly the rule anticipated the possibility of more crashes at the end of a race.
   NASCAR says it is now "allowing a maximum of three restart attempts prior to the White Flag under NASCAR’s Green-White-Checkered flag finish.
    "If the leader has taken the White Flag and the caution flag is displayed, the field is frozen and the race will not be restarted.
    "Previously, there was only one restart attempt."
    NASCAR met drivers and teams before making the decision.
    "We want to do all we can to finish our races under green flag conditions – the fans want to see that and so do the competitors," Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition, said.
   "We felt that putting a cap at three attempts to finish the race under green is the way to go. It gives the fans what they want and it also gives the teams a better opportunity to prepare for their end of race strategy."
  

    

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