NASCAR Faces Scrutiny Over Caution Call

Officials delay yellow flag at Chicago, sparking fan outrage.

A delayed caution call during the final moments of the NASCAR race in Chicago has ignited a firestorm of criticism. Fans are questioning the consistency and fairness of NASCAR’s decisions under pressure.

Controversial Call at Chicago

On the last lap, Cody Ware‘s Ford crashed into the Turn 6 tire barrier, leading many to expect an immediate caution. A similar incident earlier in the race, caused by Carson Hocevar, resulted in a multi-car pileup.

This time, officials hesitated, and the yellow flag didn’t appear until 45 seconds later, after race leader Shane van Gisbergen, known as SVG, had already crossed the finish line. The win was sealed under caution.

The delay triggered immediate backlash. Frustrated fans flooded social media, accusing NASCAR of favoritism and inconsistent application of rules.

One fan exclaimed, “A car that crashes hard and can’t drive away should be an immediate caution. Can’t have these inconsistent calls where the officials either wait to call it or immediately throw it, just begins to look like they don’t even care.”

Another directly addressed NASCAR, stating, “@NASCAR, what the hell man, HOLY S—T – this is just negligent and dangerous @mforde.” A third fan claimed, “They wanted to pick their winner.”

Another fan demanded accountability, posting, “Everyone needs to repost this. Make @NASCAR have to explain themselves. Maybe the accountability will create some changes.”

NASCAR’s Explanation

According to Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass, NASCAR officials said they were initially unaware of the severity of Ware’s crash and were waiting to see if he could drive away. They also confirmed that weather conditions did not influence their decision.

NASCAR says they didn't initially know how hard Ware hit and were waiting to see if he could drive away. Said potential rain/lightning didn't factor in decision.

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 7, 2024

Even SVG seemed surprised. The Supercars champion admitted he was concerned a late caution might force an overtime restart following Ware’s wreck. However, NASCAR issued the yellow flag after SVG had crossed the line to begin the final lap, ending the race under caution and fueling further fan criticism. According to Statista, NASCAR’s television ratings have been steadily declining, dropping from an average of 8.14 million viewers in 2006 to 2.85 million in 2023, indicating a need to address fan concerns Statista 2023.