Yellow-line rule about safety, Newman says, should stay

CONCORD, N.C. – Ryan Newman is very supportive of several proposed rule changes NASCAR has been discussing, but makes no qualms that he believes one idea being floated – eliminating the yellow line rule at Daytona and Talladega – shouldn't fly.

“Without the yellow line, we’ll eventually run in the grass halfway down the race track on the back straightaway and you’ll have guys cutting through the grass here and there,” he said.

“It won’t be good. It won’t be safe. The yellow line was put in because of safety and I think it should remain because of safety.”

Since 2001, NASCAR has said it would black flag any competitor driving below the yellow line to gain a position on those tracks. A driver who forces another below the line can also be black-flagged.

On the other hand, Newman said he would like to see NASCAR refrain from becoming overly entangled in how competitors perform on the track.

“I think it’s important for the drivers to be able to control the race cars,” Newman said about an idea for NASCAR to police less of the “bump-drafting” on the superspeedways.

“We go as fast or faster at 2-mile race tracks and we can bump draft just as much as we want to at those tracks.”