Stewart slams NASCAR for debris yellows to artificially make finishes closer (Update)
| Does NASCAR think we are all stupid? Everyone has known for years that they always throw a debris caution if the race finish appears to be heading toward a runaway. It's called 'managed' racing. |
UPDATE After criticism from the sport's most popular driver and a former champion, NASCAR defended its calls on debris cautions Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice president of competition, explained on "The Morning Drive" how the sanctioning body decides to call a debris caution.
"We use all the resources that we have to try to identity what it is that is out there – that being camera, turn spotters and the communication that we've got around the race track to different people who may be able to see it,'' Miller said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
"If we are actually able to identify what it is and feel like it's something that is OK to leave out there, then we'll do so. But if we can't identify what it is exactly and it could pose something dangerous, then we'll usually, or almost always, error on the side of caution and safety and put the caution out in those circumstances. Sometimes it's untimely and a little bit unfortunate, but we do have to do our job and make sure that everybody is safe.''
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| Sometimes NASCAR races are so boring officials throw their fake debris cautions to bunch the field back up. It's called 'managed' racing. |
06/19/17 After keeping a mostly low profile during his first season as a retired Cup driver, Tony Stewart took a shot at NASCAR officiating Sunday.
The three-time series champion was unhappy with a debris yellow on Lap 181 of 200 that changed the complexion of the 400-mile race at Michigan International Speedway. The race’s second debris caution helped spawn two more yellow flags that involved three Stewart-Haas Racing drivers in crashes shortly after restarts.
Clint Bowyer, who took over the No. 14 Ford from Stewart this season, slapped the wall on a Lap 187 restart, setting up a Lap 191 restart. Ryan Blaney made contact with SHR’s Kevin Harvick on the backstretch when the race went green, triggering a multi-car pileup that sent Danica Patrick’s No. 10 Ford hard into the inside wall.
Stewart, who was watching the race atop Bowyer’s pit box, expressed his displeasure with a tweet about an hour after the checkered flag.
Debris cautions have been on the decline this season with the advent of stage racing.
Sunday’s final debris yellow at Michigan also was curious because it mysteriously took so long to remove the debris — the five-lap caution was longer than the four laps needed to clear the track during the final yellow for the five-car crash.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. also was displeased by the debris yellow.
"I just wish, with the stages, I don’t know why they’ve got to throw so many damn debris yellows," Earnhardt said on his postrace Periscope session. "The purpose of having stages was really because the networks want more cautions, more restarts because people tune in when we have a caution. They tune in a for a restart. That’s the whole reason why we have the stages to try to create a little more drama, so I don’t know why we keep throwing the damn debris yellows and stuff.’’ NBC Sports