That rule has been there for as long as I've been watching NASCAR races> live.>

Green flag conditions:>

If you speed *on* to pit road, then penalty is a pass-through penalty.> If you speed *off* pit road, penalty is pass-through.> If you speed both on and off pit road, then you come in for a stop & go.>

Speed on a pass-through penalty: You're back in for a stop & go.>

Yellow flag conditions:>

Go to the end of the longest line.>

I had to look up when the rules changed, as from my view as a newer fan> it's always been that way:>

The rule changed as a result of an incident at the Las Vegas race in> 2002. Mark Martin spun in turn 4 and was caught speeding as he headed> into his pit stall. NASCAR called for the car to be held for 15 seconds> in the pit stall (the old penalty for speeding into the pits) but for> some reason the official working Mark Martin's stall didn't hear the> call and after service was complete, off Mark went.>

So why didn't NASCAR bring Mark back in to serve the penalty? It was> decided there and then that to bring him back in would be too severe a> penalty, so they left it. Internal discussion followed the incident, and> the question was asked, why was the penalty out of pit lane more severe> than the penalty in to pit lane? That was considered kind of unfair, so> the new penalty for a speeding driver who got busted either going on or> going off pit lane would be the same; pass through the pits without> stopping.>

Helton announced the new rule to the drivers at the spring race at> Atlanta 2002, and there was a nice quote to explain the reasons why - I> for once thing that it's a good reason:>

"When a car comes on pit road, it's the tower's job to let the official> on pit road know there has been an infraction," Helton said. "In the> confusion and the noise in all the quickness of the pit stop, that> message never got delivered for some reason. That's too a short of a> window, so we're taking that out.">

According to the same article, the yellow flag penalty was at that time:> Go to the end of the longest line, and AFAIK that rule still stands now.> Certainly on NR2003 I've been busted for speeding more times than I can> remember and those are the penalties I've always been given ­>

Cheers,> -- > Alex Holden> I don't speak for anybody but myself.>