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©1998 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc. 1998 rule changes will be implemented starting at the Miami Grand Prix.
A new rule taking effect during qualifying for all FedEx Championship Series events stipulates that all drivers must attain a qualifying time within 110 per cent of the average of the times established by the front-row qualifiers. Entries not meeting this standard will be allowed a maximum of two provisional starts per season, and any driver failing to meet the standard three times in a season will be suspended. Subsequently, that driver will only be reinstated once he has exhibited the ability to be competitive. "Each year, the level and depth of competitiveness in our series increases," said J. Kirk Russell, CART's VP of Competition, "It's important that the performance of our athletes is also maintained, and the 110 per cent rule ensures that the drivers with the sharpest skills will be a constant presence in our series."
In order to create continued drama at oval-track events, the qualifying system instituted late last season, in which drivers qualify in descending order based on practice times rather than by blind draw, will be continued in 1998. "Since this is a competition, it doesn't seem appropriate to assign the qualifying order according to a draw," said Russell, "The performance of our drivers is laid out in practice times for the event, so it made no sense to use practice times as the mechanism to determine qualifying order. From a fan standpoint, there's a natural buildup. You know that the driver who's going out next went faster in practice than the driver that just qualified."
Except in cases where the manufacturer withdraws a tire due to safety considerations, the optional tire has been eliminated. A tire may not be withdrawn without approval of the technical director and chief steward. Tires withdrawn by the manufacturer may not be used by any entrant for the remainder of the event. All qualifying times previously credited to an entrant using the withdrawn tire will be forfeited. If the primary tire is withdrawn by the manufacturer after qualifying, any entrant using the option tire will be placed on the grid behind all other entries. "Elimination of the option tire will help simplify th process of choosing a race tire." said Russell, "We hope this will encourage the manufacturers to produce a harder tire which will result in fewer marbles and cleaner racetracks."
All restarts following full-course caution flags during the 1998 season will be single file. The only realignment in the field will be the placement of the race leader behind the pace car.
CART has adopted a time-certain schedule. All track-related activities will start and end as listed on the event schedule published by CART prior to the event. Source: CART News Service | ||
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