ASL procedure changes designed to reduce caution flag periods

ODESSA, MO -- When many of the former ASA National Tour teams compete in the American StockCar League opener at the I-70 Speedway in Odessa, MO Saturday night at 7 p.m. they will find procedure changes designed to reduce caution flag laps.

"One of the biggest complaints I heard from race fans about the former series was that too much of the race was consumed by caution flag laps," said ASL president Gary Vercauteren. "We have found in our other Mid-American divisions that the best way to reduce this is to put drivers included in spins and crashes to the rear on restarts," he added. That rule will be one of the major changes from the past. A number of drivers from other Mid-American divisions are moving into the ASL and already understand how the rule works.n"Rough driving will have a consequence. Those involved with go to the rear of the lineup on restarts," Vercauteren said.

In addition, races will be shortened to 150 or 200 laps. Each ASL feature race will be stopped at the halfway mark for a ten-minute break. Teams may make adjustments at the break, but if they change tires they will be penalized to the rear of the field on the restart. Each team will be allowed four new Goodyear radial tires for the race along with two used marked tires in their pit area. Tire changes are allowed under green or yellow flag periods without penalties. A dice roll will determine the starting feature lineup. The invert will be six plus the dice roll number. Once the season gets underway, four drivers will be added to each feature based on their standings in the ASL points. Yellow flag laps will be counted except for the final 30 laps of each feature race. All restarts will be single file. Complete procedure packages will be distributed to competitors at driver's meetings prior to each event.