NASCAR VP defends controversial Brickyard 400 race control call

NASCAR's senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer has defended the series' race director after a controversial call at the conclusion of the Brickyard 400.

The race was won by Kyle Larson under caution after Ryan Preece hit the wall after contact with Chase Elliott.

READ MORE: NASCAR Brickyard 400 results: Larson takes CONTROVERSIAL overtime win

It was apparent immediately that action may need to be taken by the race director, but the caution was not thrown until Larson had taken the white flag.

This meant Larson was guaranteed the win, as a caution on the final lap marks the end of the race.

Sawyer defends late caution decision

Many fans and drivers were not impressed with the call, and criticised NASCAR for perceived inconsistencies in decision-making.

Denny Hamlin claimed that the incident was 'instantly a caution' on his Actions Detrimental podcast.

“NASCAR, this is your inconsistencies that people gripe about," the Joe Gibbs Racing driver continued. "They have a right to gripe because it is just so inconsistent. You can’t decide whether you want the caution or don’t want the caution. That’s the agitating part.”

Sawyer does not share that view, claiming that the series was aiming to let the race finish naturally.

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Ryan Preece spun with two laps remaining in the #Brickyard400.

The caution flew after Kyle Larson took the white. pic.twitter.com/AxGKMa6h4G

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 21, 2024

He told NBC Sports: “For our fans, our goal at every event is to finish under green. There’s circumstances that happen on the last lap … where we’re trying to give that car every opportunity to get re-started and rolling and let the race finish naturally.

“As we came off Turn 4 and came to the start-finish line for the white [flag], it’s still a two and a half mile race track so there’s a lot of racing that can happen.

“You give drivers every chance they can to get going, but also for the guys who are leading, you can’t let them race through a situation where a car is stopped on the race track.

"So that was our decision-making process and we had to digest that very quick.”

Having had a couple of days to review the decisions, Sawyer added that he believes the race director did ‘a really good job’ in the circumstances, an opinion contrary to much of the reaction to the race and call.

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