NASCAR clarifies Kansas finish
NASCAR officials have clarified why Greg Biffle was awarded victory in the LifeLock 400 at Kansas Speedway, following a controversial finish under caution in the third race of the Chase for the Nextel Cup
Biffle was leading the race when caution flags came out for debris on the track after Juan Pablo Montoya had a tyre blow out on his car.
On the last lap, Biffle ran out of fuel and struggled to maintain the speed of the pace car, moving to the apron as he rolled slowly to the chequered flag and then steering into the infield grass where he spun and came to a halt.
Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson overtook Biffle when they figured out that he was running run dry, crossing the start-finish line ahead of Biffle.
However, NASCAR has clarified that they should not have done so as Biffle rolled slowly but still at a reasonable speed behind the pace car to be declared the race winner.
"When the caution came out on lap 207 the field was frozen," said Ramsey Poston, NASCAR's Managing Director for Corporate Communications. "At the time of the caution, the 16 was in the lead and maintained a reasonable speed and was declared the race winner. There is no passing under caution."
"By rule, cars under caution need to maintain a reasonable speed, which the 16 did. If it hadn't maintained a reasonable speed or the car had come to a stop, then that car would not have won the race. In this instance the 16 maintained a reasonable speed, crossed the finish and won the race."
Bowyer and Johnson questioned Biffle's victory after the race was over but they will have to settle for second and third places, which give them first and third position in the Chase for the Nextel Cup respectively.
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