IndyCar eliminates double-file restarts at 3 ovals

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- IndyCar officials will eliminate double-file restarts this season at three ovals -- Indianapolis, Texas and Fontana.

Race director Beaux Barfield made the surprise announcement Tuesday.

Barfield says he made the decision for two reasons: the location of the acceleration point on those tracks and drivers' concerns.

Double-file restarts will continue at IndyCar's other 12 races.

The move comes 11 months after series CEO Randy Bernard said he would implement the double-file restarts used by NASCAR. Drivers also expressed concerns but were overruled. Bernard said then the series had the most versatile drivers in the world and would find a way to make the double-file restarts work.