IndyCar Eliminates Double-File Restarts At 3 Ovals

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – IndyCar officials will eliminate double-file restarts this season at three ovals – Indianapolis, Texas and Fontana. Race director Beaux Barfield made the surprise announcement
Tuesday.

Barfield says he made the decision for two reasons: the location of the acceleration point on those tracks and drivers’ concerns. Double-file restarts will continue at IndyCar’s other 12 races.

The move comes 11 months after series CEO Randy Bernard said he would implement the double-file restarts used by NASCAR. Drivers also expressed concerns but were overruled. Bernard said then the
series had the most versatile drivers in the world and would find a way to make the double-file restarts work.