Some of that mayhem can be attributed to those that are making their way through the pack don't do it as "gracefully" as others.
Yes, the combination of fast aggressive drivers starting behind slower less precise drivers usually turns into people getting run over on road tracks.
Typical starting grid:
Positions 1-2: Fast drivers in fast cars
Positions 3-6: Fast drivers in mediocre cars, good drivers in fast cars
Positions 7-10: Fast drivers in slow cars, slow drivers in a variety of cars
Positions 11-16: Who knows
The problem occurs with the clash between the 2nd two types. Some people end up far back on the grid with a car that should be on the front row...but their driving skill leaves a lot to be desired and they ping-pong through the pack thinking they have the right to push slower cars off the track.
Add to the mix cold tires and who knows what will happen. That's why I have been running longer races, to hopefully get drivers to start cool.
2 laps at Nurburgring in the Muscle cars is a good example. AOK comes flying up in the grass to overtake 2 cars before the first turn. I have no idea why he thought that was going to work. We were already running 2-wide...and he's got 16 minutes to make it to the front. Instead he pulls a chump move on the first turn, he ducks inside me a few turns later (granted I left the inside open as I was following another car), then passes the rest of the pack through the grass on the first straight.
5 laps at Monza had a bad start as well that same night. I went outside of the pole sitter on the first turn. Zero-speed went inside. We got to the first turn and 3-wide went to 4-wide and I ended up getting pushed off the track. It's hard to say who was at fault, but it is clear nobody knows how to lift off the throttle when in a draft or bump draft the car in front of them. Once you are 2-wide, pick a lane. I watched the Monza race from various driver's points of view. It was a dirty race start to finish and I could tell by the end tempers were high between drivers who had been draft passing one another over and over again. I saw divebombs into the chicanes, bypassing parts of the chicanes, and excessive bumping just before brake zones.
I'd suggest putting damage on full...but I know that would only lead to the wrong drivers getting penalized.
It's not like I am picking 465 for that reason if that is what you are implying. 
