On lap 51 of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, the first caution flew. Was it for an incident on the race track, or a blown engine, or a large piece of debris? No, it was thrown for a tire that got loose on pit road.
Many fans on social media felt that was worth a caution, and it did change the complexion of the race given that it was during a pit cycle. Should NASCAR have thrown the caution flag? Here, we look at both sides of the argument?
A tire sitting in the middle of pit road is definitely a dangerous thing. If hit by an oncoming car, it could damage the car that hits it, and it could fly in whatever direction. Whether it ends up on the race track or, worse, headed towards a bit box, that tire could seriously injure someone.
NASCAR undoubtedly had to do something. Doing nothing and just letting the tire sit on pit road is not an option, and, in the middle of green flag pit stops especially, a decision needs to be made quick. Sending a guy out there under a green flag condition to retrieve a tire is not a good idea, and cautions have been thrown for this before.
NASCAR cannot close pit road under a green flag. What if a driver runs out of gas, flattens a tire, or has a mechanical failure forcing them to pit. If that were to happen, NASCAR’s options are to either throw a caution for a tire or throw a caution for a limping race car on the track.
The safest scenario for that tire to be retrieved was under a caution flag situation where NASCAR could close the pit road and safely let a crew member go out and retrieve a tire. The tire was safely retrieved, and the race continued on after a brief caution period.
Yes, NASCAR throwing a caution was the safest solution to get that tire retrieved. However, did they really need to throw that caution flag? The tire was not even on the race track, it was on pit road, where cars are going slowly.
Pit road was not exceptionally busy during this time, and just sending a crew member or an official out there for maybe 10-15 seconds to retrieve a tire could be done safely given a clear pit road. NASCAR could even make the decision to throw a “Local yellow” around that part of the race track to make sure cars going down the frontstretch would go slowly and not risk a bad accident. Even if someone was on pit road, it’s not that hard to simply avoid the tire given that Sonoma is a relatively wide pit road.
Sonoma already has a pit wall, and its pit entrance is all the way back around turn eleven. Because of this, the risk of a car sliding out of control into the pit lane is almost nothing. If this was at a track with no pit wall, then this caution would have been more warranted.
The tire needed to be dealt with, but why did it warrant the entire race being slowed to retrieve it? If NASCAR would have just grabbed the tire under green when no-one was on pit road, then the race could have gone on with no problem. No one would have batted an eye if that tire was retrieved on a clear pit road.
Honestly, this is an argument that I could see both sides of. The bottom line is that NASCAR had to do something, and fast. This was right on the cusp of green flag pit stops, and pit road was about to be a very busy place.
If it were up to me, I would have to get a full-look at pit road at that time to see if NASCAR should have or should not have thrown a caution. If there were cars anywhere on pit road, then a caution definitely should be thrown. If pit road was completely clear, then I could potentially see that race staying green.
Joe Gibbs Racing alleged that former competition director Chris Gabehart took a wide range of confidential team information regarding competitive performance data, engineering processes, financial records, and internal personnel details. But what exactly do the documents say was taken?
JGR states it is entitled to damages believed to exceed $8 million, potentially subject to enhancement, along with attorneys’ fees. The organization is also seeking multiple forms of relief, expected to exceed that amount, as well as a cease-and-desist order to prevent any use or disclosure of what it describes as trade secrets.
You can learn more about the lawsuit itself, the circumstances surrounding Gabehart’s departure, and the broader allegations in the article linked below
NASCAR isn’t nerdy enough. Not in a cringe way, not in a gimmicky way, but in a way that could quietly and organically grow the sport. After a Daytona weekend filled with spectacle and nostalgia, DJ Yee believes there’s a bigger opportunity sitting right in front of NASCAR, one that doesn’t change the racing at all but could completely change how fans engage with it.
Other leagues have turned analytics into conversation fuel. In baseball, stars like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani aren’t loud personalities, but advanced metrics tell their story anyway. NASCAR, meanwhile, has mountains of telemetry data but shares very little of it in a meaningful way. Throttle traces, brake usage, steering inputs, tire wear models, fuel efficiency ratings, clean air percentages, and even a “positions above replacement” type metric, the possibilities are endless. None of it would intrude on the racing. Casual fans could ignore it. But hardcore fans, creators, and analysts would suddenly have tools to build deeper narratives around drivers and performance.
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For the first time in a while, it feels like NASCAR fans see a bigger light at the end of the tunnel. The start of 2026 has brought real optimism, from improved racing to sharper marketing, and even an 11 percent bump for the Daytona 500 to 7.5 million viewers. After a rough couple of seasons, that kind of stability matters. The question now is simple, is this momentum real or just a honeymoon phase?
There’s been a noticeable shift. The marketing feels more modern without feeling fake. Broadcasts are embracing energy and meme culture without losing authenticity. Social media efforts are spotlighting drivers and personalities in ways that echo how legends like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, and Tony Stewart once drew fans in. NASCAR’s identity has always been edge, personality, and grassroots simplicity, and recent changes feel closer to that core. But none of it matters without patience. Jaret believes the foundation may be stronger right now, but consistency will decide whether this is a spark or a true turning point.
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