Nationwide race to feature double file restarts

NASCAR announced Friday it will begin using double-file restarts with lead-lap cars for the Nationwide Series beginning with next Friday’s race at Daytona International Speedway.

NASCAR instituted the system for the Sprint Cup Series earlier this month at Pocono Raceway and it has been considered successful in increasing competition. In the past, lead-lap cars started beside lap-down cars but now all the lead-lap cars start double-file in front of the lap-down cars.

NASCAR said its officials chose to gauge the format on various configurations before instituting double-file restarts in the Nationwide Series.

"This is going to be extremely exciting for the NASCAR Nationwide Series," Nationwide Series Director Joe Balash said in a news release. "As they have done in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, double-file restarts – shootout style will add to even more close competition in our series and offer more excitement for our fans. The format will also help give us more standard restarts every time."