NASCAR issuing more penalties on blend line violations

NASCAR continued its crack-down on drivers violating the blend line, issuing penalties during Friday's Sprint Cup and Nationwide practices at Watkins Glen International. The issue is when drivers leave pit road and enter the track. They are required to have all four tires below the solid yellow line. They cannot blend on to the racing groove until the line becomes dotted. If they do before that, it is a penalty. Richard Buck, Cup series director said that NASCAR had warned drivers about the issue but it continued to happen. NASCAR began penalizing drivers last weekend at Pocono Raceway by forcing them to pass through pit road before resuming practice.

NASCAR penalized Greg Biffle in practice at Pocono and Jimmie Johnson in the first round of qualifying last weekend. Friday, Clint Bowyer, Austin Dillon, Aric Almirola and Michael Annett had pass-through penalties for violating the blend-line rule in the first Cup practice session. Ryan Newman was penalized in the final Cup practice session. Among those penalized in the Nationwide Series for the same violation were Trevor Bayne and Ryan Reed. Motor Racing Network