NASCAR Reaffirms Safety-First Policy on Final Lap Cautions
NASCAR has firmly committed to prioritizing safety by continuing to throw cautions during final-lap incidents, following recent events at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
NASCAR cars racing in tight pack
The policy came into focus after NASCAR's decision to hold the caution during Saturday's Xfinity Series race, which NASCAR senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer later admitted was "a little aggressive." The following day, during the Cup Series race, officials properly implemented the caution when a crash occurred on the backstretch, freezing the three-wide battle for the lead in Turns 3 and 4.
Sawyer explained on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that allowing drivers to race through crash scenes creates dangerous incentives. The sanctioning body will err on the side of caution, particularly in superspeedway races where cars run in tight packs.
The decision has received support from drivers, including Christopher Bell, who emphasized the importance of protecting competitors in the back of the field. Kyle Larson, who finished third, agreed with the call despite it preventing him from competing for the win against Bell and Hocevar.
Denny Hamlin strongly endorsed the decision, stating, "There's not a driver in the field that would want that race to stay green given the scenarios that were going on." He emphasized that safety should take precedence over entertainment, noting that allowing races to continue under such conditions could lead to injuries.
Hamlin also called for consistent application of this safety-first approach moving forward, suggesting this could mark the beginning of a new standard in NASCAR race management. While acknowledging that caution endings might disappoint fans seeking entertainment, he maintained that safety must remain the top priority.