A rules clarification for a race stemming from a NASCAR news release is creating controversy because the clarification would seem to assist drive Danica Patrick.
NASCAR officials on Wednesday rectified eligibility requirements for drivers to win the Sprint All-Star Race fan vote. This year's race takes place Saturday night in Charlottesville, N.C.
USA Today reported that a new release earlier this year indicated drivers could win the fan vote - which goes to the most popular racer who isn't already qualified for the All-Star Race - provided that they finish on the lead lap in the preliminary race, the Sprint Showdown, and had a car in "raceable condition."
On Wednesday, NASCAR denied that the fan vote winner must finish on the lead lap to qualify for the All-Star Race. The announcement was curious, USA Today said, because Patrick is thought to be the fan vote winner, and she has not qualified for the race.
USA Today obtained an entry blank, which it said are not available to the public, which did not contain the condition of the fan vote having to finish on the lead lap.
The 2012 entry blank, however, included that requirement. Entry blanks for the five years prior to 2012 did not.
"But curiously, the press releases for the All-Star fan vote have had that 'lead-lap finish' language every year since it was started in 2004," USA Today reported. "Even in the years when the entry blank had no such requirement, media and fans were still told it was."
That's what made Wednesday's clarification look favorable to Patrick.
The odd part about the incident is that the preliminary race, the Showdown, is a 40-lap race broken down into two equal segments, making the possibility of any driver getting lapped a minute one, unless that driver crashed.
Under such circumstances, the car would not be in a condition to race.
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