NASCAR scraps yellow flag rule

The change in the rule comes on the heels of Dale Jarrett's crash at the New Hampshire International Speedway last Sunday. The leaders and those who wanted their lap back did not slow as they came upon the damaged, burning Ford Taurus.

The New Hampshire incident convinced NASCAR to abandon its longstanding rule that left decisions on how hard to race back to the yellow to a "gentlemen's agreement" among the drivers.

"We have monitored and discussed the situation regarding racing back to the yellow throughout the season," said NASCAR President Mike Helton, "and have reached the conclusion that it is time to take this step.We will eliminate the practice completely and no longer depend on the gentlemen's agreement by the drivers in an effort to further ensure the safety of the competitors."

"I think it is a good move by NASCAR and probably a few years overdue," said driver Johnny Benson. "If a guy is sitting there wrecked on the track, we need to get ambulances and safety workers moving to see if he is OK. We don't need to delay them so we can see if a lapped car or two can get a lap back. What happened with Dale Jarett at New Hampshire was scary and I think it was the final straw with NASCAR.