Let's put this Dixon pit box penalty to rest once and for all.

"Just wear your damn mask..." (jimal)
08/27/2013 at 15:02 • Filed to: Indycar

Upon further review, the call was correct and the penalty was per the IndyCar rulebook. Several people have drawn these lines, but I think mine is the most accurate. The top red line is from the base of the wall where the Target and Verizon banners meet - which is the agreed to boundary of the pit box - and parallel to the other markings on the ground. The other line is outside boundary of the pit box. Dixon is clearly in Power's pit box. This happens almost all the time, and 99 times out of 100 nothing is hit so there is no foul. This was that one time out 100 where something/someone got hit and the rules are clear on the penalty.

DISCUSSION (13)

Z_Stig > Just wear your damn mask...
08/27/2013 at 15:05

I agree, per the rules the penalty is correct. But I'm pretty sure there was some gamesmanship on the part of the Penske crew member.

ddavidn > Just wear your damn mask...
08/27/2013 at 15:08

I guess this makes sense to me. The whole thing confused me because I don't watch Indy, thought the white line was the boundary. Still seems like the crew member was most at fault, even if the penalty is correct.

ttyymmnn > Just wear your damn mask...
08/27/2013 at 15:10

I think this is a pretty clear cut case of the pit worker crowding the plate and Dixon throwing a brush back that was just a bit too far inside. The rules favor the pit worker. Batter, take your base.

ncasolowork2 > Z_Stig
08/27/2013 at 15:12

Seriously? Would you step in front of an 800hp car under full acceleration willingly to win a single race when your championship hopes are already long gone? no you wouldn't and neither would anyone on a hot pit lane because anyone given a job on a hot pit lane isn't that stupid.

The crewman was clearly careless, but he wasn't "gaming" the situation.

Z_Stig > ddavidn
08/27/2013 at 15:12

I'm kind of surprised there's not two sets of lines, or why they don't use the NASCAR boxes.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Just wear your damn mask...
08/27/2013 at 15:14

I concur, but it seems like they are asking for trouble by not having their own actual pit lines.

Why would they have arbitrary pit boxes?

Z_Stig > ncasolowork2
08/27/2013 at 15:20

I'm not suggesting he willingly stepped in front of Dixon, but he seems to really take a wide line behind Power's car. And he may have calculated if Dixon hits this tire I'm carrying, I might get knocked over, but he'll get a penalty. Stepping out in front would have been too obvious.

ncasolowork2 > Z_Stig
08/27/2013 at 15:23

Indy car's aren't nimble enough to navigate in and out of the NASCAR boxes and there aren't enough boxes to go every other.

ncasolowork2 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/27/2013 at 15:25

Most Indy Car race weekends come with support races that don't necessarily adopt the same pit lines as Indy Car would. Ultimately pit signage is the rule of thumb on these weekends.

Just wear your damn mask... > Z_Stig
08/27/2013 at 15:27

The right rear tire changer doesn't appear to be doing anything different than he was doing earlier in the race.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > ncasolowork2
08/27/2013 at 15:29

I can understand why, it just seems like arbitrary lines lead to drama.

And an easy way to avoid drama would be to paint lines in yellow and tell the other races to ignore them.

Just wear your damn mask... > ncasolowork2
08/27/2013 at 15:30

I think what it is is that the IndyCar pit boxes are actually longer than the NASCAR boxes. I'd have to look into that though.

Chteelers > Just wear your damn mask...
08/27/2013 at 15:58

Agree with ncasolowork2, I've been behind the wall with Nascar teams, and there's no way you'd ever consider getting in the way of a racecar for any reason. We want to win, but you can die doing that.