The Strategic Role of Lane Selection
Evaluating a driver's relative race pace often requires looking beyond raw lap times to see how track position was won or lost before a green flag even drops. NASCAR introduced the choose rule to let every competitor select their preferred restart line at a designated commitment point, replacing older systems where trailing drivers manipulated their pit road pacing to manipulate lane assignments. The format debuted in the July 2020 All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway using an orange V marker before joining points-paying competition at Michigan International Speedway in August 2020 across all three national series, with explicit exceptions for road courses and superspeedways.
Restart Infractions and Running Order Distortions
When assessing sudden swings in head-to-head performance, understanding NASCAR choose cone penalties is essential because failing to pick a lane in time or changing lanes after the mark sends a competitor directly to the tail end of the longest line. This immediate lineup adjustment reorders the field without a timed stop, forcing a driver to fight through traffic regardless of car speed. Comparing two drivers purely on their running positions or finishing differentials after such an incident overlooks how procedural infractions, wave-arounds, and full-field line dynamics can alter the competitive baseline.
Official reference: NASCAR official news and results.
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