Denny Hamlin takes issue with NASCAR's explanation of controversial last-lap caution flag

The Brickyard 400 had a controversial ending that sent us into the Olympic break with something to talk about, including Denny Hamlin. NASCAR fans, and some drivers, were confused and not too happy with how things ended at Indianapolis.

Two overtimes were needed to settle everything last Sunday. There was controversy during both. First on the initial overtime restart, people believed that Kyle Larson jumped early. Then, as Larson came across the line to get the white flag, the caution came out.

Ryan Preece wrecked on the backstretch and hit the inside wall with 1.5 laps to go. Despite that, and running out of fuel, NASCAR held the caution flag. That was until after Larson had taken the white instead of sending the race into a third overtime.

Denny Hamlin takes issue with how things were handled.

“I was watching in the bus, trust me I was there, and I was like, ‘There’s going to be a caution, there’s a caution.’ Because he stopped, one thing I just don’t understand now, is that I’m watching on TV, I do not have the technology that NASCAR has at their fingertips,” Hamlin said on his Actions Detrimental podcast. “When Elton Sawyer says ‘Well, by the time that we saw that, the 41 [Ryan Preece] was not able to move we had already crossed the start-finish line.’ [Buzzer noise] Wrong! That’s not true, he was not moving when they were coming off Turn 4. He had resigned to sitting there. You watched him in the middle of [Turns] 3 and 4 he was spinning his wheels, not going anywhere.

“Then, [as leaders go] through Turn 4, he stops. He says ‘Alright, I’m not going to go anywhere.’ So they had roughly, eight seconds, to make a call there, and they didn’t. So, it’s just, I mean Austin Cindric spun through the infield of Nashville, gathered it up, kept going, and that was instantly a caution. This is what we’re talking about NASCAR, this is the inconsistencies that people gripe about and they have a right to grip because it is so inconsistent. You can’t decide if you want the caution or you don’t want the caution, so that’s the agitating part.”

Ultimately, Denny Hamlin makes a good point. We have seen cars barely make contact with a wall, still going straight, and a caution comes out before their tires can squeal. Then there are instances like Sunday.

Preece was out on the track, stuck, with three tires and not enough fuel to fire his car back up. NASCAR has data to show them everything they need to know about a driver’s car.

With how Nashville played out, NASCAR likely didn’t want a repeat. Then again, races in the past should not influence races in the present. Each situation is unique, however, NASCAR has to do better to be as consistent as possible.

I have no problem with NASCAR waiting to see if Preece could get going again. As soon as Preece quit moving, the flag goes out. That is how it should have happened. Instead, Larson races to the white flag and wins under caution.