Daniel Suárez and Kyle Larson have backed NASCAR’s new stage caution rule before Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway. NASCAR introduced the change for the rest of the 2026 season across its national series to reduce long caution periods and keep races moving. Under the new system, if a natural caution happens with 10 or fewer laps left in Stage 1 or Stage 2, the stage ends immediately.
The caution then becomes the stage break, removing the need for another restart and caution sequence. NASCAR made the change after concerns about long yellow-flag periods late in stages. Both drivers believe the update will improve the flow of races and create a more natural racing experience for competitors and fans.
NASCAR Rule Change Aims to Reduce Long Caution Periods
The NASCAR rule change will apply whenever a natural caution comes out with 10 or fewer laps remaining in the first or second stage. Instead of restarting the race for a short run to the stage finish, NASCAR will declare the stage official when the caution begins.
The race leader will receive the green-and-white checkered flag under caution when reaching the start-finish line. That same caution period will also serve as the stage break before racing resumes.
Kyle Larson, who drives the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, believes the NASCAR rule change will save time and improve the race experience.
“I think it’s good because it sucks for all of us when you’re out there and you get a caution with five to go to the end of the stage, and they’re going to try to do a one-lap shootout,” Larson said.
He also criticized the long delays that often followed.
“So you’ve got all that time under caution and then do your one-lap shootout. And then it takes 15 minutes for them to do their stupid stage stuff.”
Larson added that the NASCAR rule change should help races finish sooner without reducing race distance.
“So yeah, it’s just like, roll on with it. So this is a step in that direction, hopefully to get the races that be shorter. Not shorter distance, but shorter length. And yeah, just give the fans better excitement.”
Daniel Suárez Believes NASCAR Rule Change Creates More Natural Racing
Daniel Suárez also welcomed the NASCAR rule change, saying it should allow races to develop more naturally instead of being shaped by late-stage caution timing.
The Spire Motorsports driver pointed to Indianapolis as an example of how strategy could become unnatural under the previous system.
“I think it’s good. I think that definitely what happened in Indianapolis was a good example of just strategies playing out in a not-organic way,” Suárez said.
He added that the timing of stage cautions sometimes gave certain teams an advantage based on race strategy rather than on-track performance.
“So I feel like it’s good that NASCAR did this. Hopefully it can make races play a little more organically.”
NASCAR confirmed that stage points will still be awarded using scoring data and video review from the moment the caution flag appears.
Daniel Suárez also Welcomes Iowa Speedway Repave
Besides discussing the NASCAR rule change, Suárez also supported the planned repave of Iowa Speedway after this weekend’s race.
He said the current racing surface has become too worn, with many patches creating an inconsistent track.
“We like racetracks with character, but I feel like this racetrack right now is just a little bit too much,” Suárez said. “A lot of patches, very bumpy. I feel like it has crossed a line of, from fun to just inconsistent.”
Suárez believes a fresh surface will improve racing over time by giving drivers more room to race.
“Right now, it’s a two-and-a-half, maybe three-lane racetrack with patches inconsistencies. So I think it’s going to be better in the long run. I think this racetrack needs that.”
The NASCAR rule change and Iowa Speedway’s upcoming repave will both be key storylines as teams prepare for Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350.
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