We put that question to you after former Triple Eight Team Principal Roland Dane mused in his weekly Roland’s View column that reviving the bump-and-run as a permissible racing technique would foster the rivalries which Supercars needs in order to increase its popularity.
At time of writing, just under 35 percent of you disagreed entirely, voting ‘No, leave the rules as they are’.
Of course, that leaves just over 65 percent of you calling either for the bump-and-run (‘Yes, bring back the bump-and-run’), including almost 26 percent of total respondents who voted for the option of ‘Yes, NASCAR-style racing rules’.
Either way, the result is clear; by a majority of (almost) two to one, Speedcafe readers want Supercars drivers to be allowed to pass directly as a result of contact which they initiative with another car.
Reader ‘Aston’ wrote, “If you are allowed to block, then you should be allowed to bump.
“[T]here are limits of course, and policing would be tough, but a subtle bump to move someone off line is fine with me.
“Unless of course it happens to my favourite driver…”
Despite the poll results, there were plenty of comments voicing opposition to the bump-and-run.
‘Daryl Smith’, for example, wrote, “It’s one thing to move aside a driver who is blatantly blocking, but allowing drivers to just nudge their way through takes away the need for skill and race-craft.
“Just dumbs down the series more and doesn’t reward skillful driving.”
Then there was ‘William Wilkie’, who opined, “Bump and run? Why not just go to demolition derby rules?
“The fact that NASCAR allows such tactics is irrelevant as their entire rule book is based on a different culture.
“It also means the best driver on the day often loses to someone who deliberately interferes with another car.
“I stopped watching it years ago for that reason.”
‘kapam’, though, believes the bump-and-run is not necessarily demonstrative of a lack of skill, and ventured that well-executed bumps could actually reduce carnage in net terms.
“I favour the bump-&-run because there are too many corners where a driver can ‘block’ simply by holding the one suitable line,” they wrote.
“Not being able to pass is not usually due to a ‘lack of skill’, because the passing options are often impractical or downright risky.
“A kamikaze late braking lunge down the inside often ends up with one or both cars in the sand-trap/wall/run-off area.
“Outside passes are extremely rare, unless the contours of the corner are suitable and free of the ‘marbles’ usually present offline.
“What are the other options, except hoping the guy in front runs wide or spins?”
Voting is still open until Monday afternoon, when there will be a new Pirtek Poll for Speedcafe readers to have their say.
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