One of the pitfalls of the stage racing format across all three NASCAR national touring divisions is what happens when there is a caution in the closing laps of a stage.
For example, there have been times in recent NASCAR history where there was a caution at the end of the stage, a one or two lap shootout, the stage break itself, and then a caution in the opening laps of a stage.
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Then, before you know it, NASCAR has run 35 of 40 minutes under caution, and fans have expressed just how much disdain they have for these scenarios. Something very similar happened during the Brickyard 400, where there was a late caution in Stage 1, a one lap shootout, then the stage break, which then left over 30 of 35 minutes under the caution.
It encouraged fans to stop watching or just complain of general boredom, and NASCAR responded on Thursday with new rules effective immediately starting this weekend at Iowa Speedway:
If a caution falls within 10 or fewer laps prior to the advertised end of Stage 1 or Stage 2, the stage will be deemed official at the time of caution. The leader will return to the start finish line to receive the green and checkered flag along with the yellow. The caution process that follows will serve as the stage break.
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In other words, points will be paid out immediately and pit road will be opened as soon as safely possible to resume racing action as soon as possible as well.
NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell credited fans for the change in a social media statement.
“What happened at Indy, where we have seen far too often, a caution comes out before the stage break and we run a number of caution laps and we try and get back green, and the stage break comes and we’re back to caution, long period of caution laps and not enough green flag racing,” O’Donnell said. “We heard you. We want to make a change.”
O’Donnell said ‘no more elongated cautions and more action’ and thanked the fans for telling NASCAR what they wanted.
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