The Brickyard 400 delivered a dramatic finish, but one aspect of Sunday’s race left plenty of fans frustrated.
Now, NASCAR says it’s already looking for ways to fix it.
During the latest episode of the “Hauler Talk” podcast, NASCAR Vice President of Racing Communications Mike Forde revealed that officials began discussing possible changes immediately after the Brickyard 400 aimed at shortening caution periods, particularly those that occur near the end of stages.
The race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway featured five cautions that consumed 27 of the event’s 160 laps, including yellow flags near the conclusion of the first two stages that sparked criticism from fans eager to see more green-flag racing.
NASCAR Acknowledges Fan Frustration
Forde said NASCAR understands why fans have grown frustrated with lengthy caution periods and emphasized that the sanctioning body shares those concerns.
“If NASCAR fans are angry at the length of caution periods, I can promise you that NASCAR matches that displeasure,” Forde said. “We want green-flag racing, and we want to get it as fast as possible.”
According to Forde, cautions at a 2.5-mile track like Indianapolis generally consume at least four laps because of the time required to open pit road and complete the Choose procedure before the restart.
One idea being discussed is moving the location of the Choose marker, which could eliminate one lap under caution in certain situations.
“Maybe there’s something there that we can look at where we can choose and then go immediately back to green, but it won’t work at every single track,” Forde said. “So there are several things in the hopper. It’s something that’s on our radar. It’s important to us to get back green. We keep stats religiously on the blocks of time between red-, yellow- and green-flag racing. We’re always working to get that green number higher and higher and higher.”
Stage Breaks Remain Part of the Conversation
While no immediate rule change has been announced, Forde made it clear that NASCAR continues evaluating every part of its race procedures in an effort to maximize green-flag action.
He also acknowledged that stage breaks remain a frequent topic of discussion inside the sanctioning body.
“Stage breaks are a big topic of conversation,” Forde said. “We hear it, and we see it.”
Any potential adjustment would likely be aimed at improving the race-day experience without compromising safety or the fairness of NASCAR’s officiating procedures. While officials have not outlined a timeline for possible changes, the comments suggest the lengthy caution periods seen at Indianapolis have already sparked conversations about what could look different in future Cup Series races.
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