STP 400 Race Will See Changes for Drivers, Spectators

With eight races run in the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule, two recent events will have their impact at how such public spectacles will be handled in the future. It’s not just the spectators who will be subjected to different procedures: at least two drivers must also make adjustments or face falling further behind in the standings.

Jeff Gordon (pictured) is not exactly unknown. The native of Vallejo, California and driver of the No. 24 car for Hendrick Motorsports has a list of achievements longer than his arm: four-time Winston Cup champ, three-time Daytona 500 winner, 87 checkered flags, 417 top-10 finishes, 72 pole positions over the past 20 years… there isn’t much he hasn’t done.

Yet he wound up in 10th overall last year and finds himself in 15th in 2013. Despite a top-5 and a top-10 so far, Gordon was also well back in the pack at Bristol (34th) and ended up in 38th in Texas at the ill-fated NRA 500, so he has some major catching-up to do. Perhaps his road to redemption will start at Kansas City in the STP 400, where he has two previous wins (2001, 2002) and has been in the top 5 eight times in 14 career appearances there.

Tony Stewart is another driver who must find ways to draft into the top 12 to be selected for the Chase For the Cup series later in the season. Stewart currently stands in 22nd spot and has a top-10, but in his past five races has has averaged 21st place, where he finished in Texas last weekend.

Security changes were already being planned after a man shot himself in the head in the infield at Texas Motor Speedway during the race last Saturday — the coroner has ruled the incident a suicide. Then the explosions at the Boston Marathon on Monday which killed at least three people are having a profound impact on all public gatherings across the continent.

Kansas City Speedway president Pat Warren would not go into details, but insisted there is an emergency action plan. “We’re pretty buttoned up when it comes to security,” Warren told the Kansas City Star. “We feel good about what we have in place. There will be things we do that we’re not going to talk about and people won’t see, but we feel we have in the past and will continue to operate a very safe environment for our fans.”

While attendees will still be allowed to bring backpacks and coolers, more stringent checks are expected which will lead to longer lineups into the speedway grounds. Here’s hoping the new restrictions will prevent repeats of those terrible tragedies.