Instant Replay - Use By Officials - Motor Sports

Motor Sports

NASCAR utilizes instant replay to supplement their electronic scoring system. Video replays are used to review rules infractions and scoring disputes.

• Video replay is used to determine if a car has crossed the pit entrance before the pit was closed for a yellow flag.
• Video is used to supplement electronic scoring to determine the positions in which cars exit the pits (during cautions).
• Video is used to supplement electronic scoring to determine the final race positions (particularly the race winner) when a race ends with a caution flag on the final lap or under a green-white-checker finish.
• It also determines if drivers are following pit road speed limits.

IndyCar also utilizes instant replay for similar reasons. The most notable use of replay in recent years occurred during the 2008 Peak 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. On the final lap, Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves crossed the finish line side-by-side, with computer scoring showing Dixon the winner by a margin of 0.0010 seconds. However, video replay evidence clearly showed that the nose of Castroneves' car touched line first. Castroneves was declared the winner officially by 0.0033 seconds or 12⅛ inches, in the second closest finish in the twelve-year history of the series. It was later determined that the improper installation of Dixon's scoring transponder was the source of the scoring error.

Video replay was also used extensively in the aftermath of the controversial 2002 Indianapolis 500. However, fully conclusive evidence was lacking.

Broadcast stations utilize replays to show viewers a crash in greater detail.