NASCAR's Statement

At Sunday's drivers' meeting, NASCAR reiterated the rule about
passing under the yellow line and provided the same information
to all drivers and crew chiefs in a hand out, as it has done in past
Daytona and Talladega races.


The verbatim language is ...

This is your warning: race above the yellow line. If, in NASCAR's
judgment, you go below the yellow line to improve your position,
you will be black-flagged. If in NASCAR's judgment you force someone
below the yellow line (in an effort to stop him from passing you),
you may be black-flagged.

"During the last lap of [Sunday's] race at Talladega Superspeedway
the driver of the No. 01 violated NASCAR policy by driving under
the yellow line to improve his position," NASCAR president Mike
Helton said. "In NASCAR's opinion he was not forced below the
yellow line. NASCAR correctly took immediate action to enforce the
policy by penalizing the No. 01 and scoring the No. 20 as the race
winner.

Helton concluded by saying ...

"Since the end of the race there has been some confusion as to what
is allowable during the last lap at Daytona and Talladega. To be
clear, as we go forward, there will be no passing under the yellow
line at any time during NASCAR races at Daytona or Talladega, period.
This includes any passing below the yellow line near the start/finish
line on the final lap."

In other news...

Denny Hamlin was released from a hospital today, a day after a tire
failure led to a hard crash.

Hamlin was kept overnight for observation at a Birmingham hospital after
his car slammed into a wall. He was alert and awake when he was transported
to the UAB Medical Center on Sunday, but was complaining of a headache and
possibly had a concussion. He was also favoring his right foot after a slow
exit from his crumpled car.

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