NASCAR to use pit road video recording system to monitor violations

The system, which derives data from 45 cameras, will be deployed for all Sprint Cup events and support races.

Laser scans and dimensions of all pit roads have been uploaded into a database, which will allow NASCAR officials to receive automated alerts of potential violations.

Camera feeds will be monitored by eight officials, each of whom will watch randomly-chosen pitstops to look for equipment and personnel violations, such as too many crew members going over the wall.

The computer will use a colour-coding system to differentiate between near-certain violations - such as a car stopping outside its pit stall - and potential violations.

In the event that more than eight pitstops are occurring at the same time, the extra stops will be reviewed on replay, with stops that have been flagged for potential violations to be viewed first.

Additional officials will stand on the opposite the cameras to monitor potential breaches that occur in camera blind spots, and to act as a communications conduit between race control and teams.

With much of the officiating now being done from the TV compound rather than from pit road itself, the overhaul means that teams will no longer be alerted to breaches until after their stop.

As an additional change, officials will no longer be responsible for monitoring whether wheels have been correctly fastened, although teams will continue to face still penalties if a wheel comes loose.

The system will not initially determine whether a car enters the pits when the pitlane is closed, or detect commitment line violations.

There will also be no change to the tracking of pitlane speed, which will continue to be measured electronically via transponders on both the car and the track.