Sunday’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was easily one of the best first race in the Chase in years, maybe ever.
Mark Martin won his fifth race of the season while being dogged by a strong running Juan Pablo Montoya. Meanwhile Denny Hamlin was fighting with Montoya for second.
It was three lap shootout and even though Martin was pulling away, it was still very much anyone’s race.
Then just after Martin crossed the line and took the white flag AJ Allmendinger spun on the front stretch. Most people watching felt the caution would come out any second, but it didn’t. In fact the lack of a caution created some confusion among the racers.
NASCAR however waited until the leaders were between turn 3 and 4 before throwing the caution and ending the race early.
The theory was that NASCAR officials wanted the race to end without a caution and since Allmendinger hadn’t hit anything race officials waited to see if he could get himself turned around and going again. When they saw that he wouldn’t be able to, they threw the caution.
“We don’t like the race to end under caution,” NASCAR Vice-President of Competition Robin Pemberton told Bob Pockrass of the NASCAR Scene. “We felt like we gave enough time for safety’s sake, and it is what it is. I believe we wait as long as we can. There are times during the middle of the race when a car will turn around and we bide some time to see if it gets going. It happens quite a bit. It just gets more noticed when it’s the last lap of the race.”
It may happen quite a bit, but it must not happen often enough to avoid confusion among the drivers.
“I did slow down, and I don’t know who [they were] but two cars come flying up through there. … Somebody came up there and ran into the back of me,” race winner Martin said. “Of course, I went back to accelerating. I knew the race was supposed to be over, but I’ve done lots of stupid stuff and I didn’t want to lose this race.”
Jeff Gordon, Martin’s teammate was also a bit confused.
“All I know is my spotter was saying there was a car down low on the front straightaway stopped, and I never heard them say, ‘Caution,’” Gordon said. “So everybody was still going, and I saw the caution out of the corner of my eye. I said, ‘I never heard the caution’ and [my spotter] said, ‘That’s because it didn’t come out until just now’ and I was surprised by that.”
While no one should fault NASCAR for their actions and their desire to end a race under a green flag condition, we want to know: did NASCAR do the right thing Sunday? And should NASCAR look at a set policy for a last lap caution situation in the future?
Leave you thoughts in the 'Add a comment' area below
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Comments
I am not sure. NASCAR would have been criticized either way, I think. It was frightening when the faster cars came up on the slow car at the finish line and I am sure it caused confusion for the cars still running. All-in-all, I believe "that's just racing". Good end to a very good race overall.
It was a stupid move by NASCAR. All you have to do is watch the moves some drivers made even after they finally threw the caution. They preach safety, but, in the end it's the show first.
The caution should have been thrown immediately and a green, white, checker finish should have ended the race. David Stremme spun earlier in the race in the back of the field with nobody around and they threw the caution immediately. So Allmendinger spins right in the middle of the track and they wait? Very inconsistent and very dangerous. It became even more dangerous when AJ got his car going again but very slow, just about the time the leaders where coming to the checker. Not very safe and a bad call by Nascar.
Like most other Nascar fans, I'm sick and tired of the late race caution.. It seems before the "three lap", one try rule (whatever it's called) there were fewer late race cautions.. But, but, this time they threw it to late, I'm sorry.. When the camera went to the front stretch it reminded me of the time Dale Jarret had, for some reason, stopped on the front stretch and nearly go slammed by the pack on the final lap.. I was reminded of it Sunday at New Hampshire.. Maybe if Nascar threw less fake cautions for commercial time, I'd accept the late race cautions a little better.
Caution Should have been thrown, no doubt!!! They throw a fake debris caution every time you turn around, but not for a wrecked car, Come ON NASCAR!!!!!!
NASCAR's desire to not have a race end under caution centers on money. Will the 11:00 o'clock news pay more attention to a big wreck or a close finish vs cars running under caution to the checkered flag. The only time during a race that NASCAR does not immediately throw the caution is during truck races. That is done to speed up the process so the thing can get over quickly and the two dozen fans can go home. Ask yourself this question: On Sunday, if Junior was leading and Kyle Bush was second on the final lap, would the caution have come out immediately, thus ending the race?
Also, for Steve: If the caution comes out on the white flag lap, the field is frozen and the race is over. There would have been no green-white-checker finish.
Brian France would be fired by any other corporation in the US. Unfortunalty, for the fans, his name is on the building. Ratings are down on TV so you can't say the fans that aren't in the seats are staying home watching. The fans are getting fed up with bad racing. The COT is safer, but it sure doesn't provide very exciting racing. TV start times are all over the place. The 4 team limit back fired. They will have short fields soon and look at all the start and park teams. Please Brian, resign and take Helton with you. Get someone at the top that understands and cares what the fans want.
Either way,the whiners would have something to gripe about this week. People complain because NASCAR has made so many rules that it's taken the excitement out of racing. You can't foresee EVERY situation that's going to come up in a race. The drivers handled it. Get over it. If you want to watch something that has NO element of danger then go watch RC cars race. I swear that man are turning into such wimps! Lets put the drivers in the stands with remotes and then we'll all be safe. Bored to death, but safe.
Angel you are right men are becoming wimps and I think Na$car made the right call. I think they only one who has not whined about this is A.J Allmendinger.
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