Why doesn’t NASCAR allow drivers to race back to the checkered when a caution flies on the last lap?

July 8, 2008   •   NASCAR Information

During this year's Coke Zero 400, a crash happened into Turn 1 on the final lap… the caution flag came out and the field was frozen before hitting the backstretch… Because of the location of the wreck their would have been plenty of time for the cars to slowdown after finishing the race, so why not let them actually finish the race fairly?

The question was answered by :
#18s #1 Fan (Rowdy's World) :
for safety reasons obviously.

1) the crash started not far past the start finish line on the final lap (the white flag had flown). had the leaders raced back to the finish line, there's no way you were going to stop them from a hard-charging 185+ mph to a stop before they got to the crash site, not to mention all the other drivers behind them… did you see how far some of those cars that did wreck earlier in the race slid - some sideways, some backwards - with their brakes slammed on?

2) the crash didn't happen at the back of the pack; thus, there were drivers behind those who ended up sprawled across the track. any drivers behind the crash site who were too busy "racing through the wreck" instead of slowing down could have done even more damage than they already did - to themselves and to those stuck on the track.

3) did you hear them discuss how the race might have been over if jeff gordon didn't get his car moving after he spun down in the grass right after the restart? the reason is again, safety. even off the track where he was, if another accident were to have happened as the drivers came back around for the final lap, more cars could have been sent careening down towards him. more importantly, if he didn't get moving again, the number one concern should be whether or not he was stuck because he was too injured to restart it. in that case, you want to put the field under yellow and get emergency crews to him as fast as possible after slowing the field.

4) imagine you were in one of those cars that crashed and imagine you were injured - nascar doesn't know until the window nets are dropped, and sometimes not even then. would you want to wait for help while all the other cars weaved and bobbed around you and then raced all the way around a 2 1/2 mile track, then slowed down to a safe speed so the safety workers could get on the track? i don't think so.

5) if the wreck had happened coming out of turn four like the 2007 daytona 500, then it might have been a different story. as long as nascar can determine that no further damage is likely to occur if they stay under green and safety workers are able to begin moving toward the wreck, then the leaders could race to the finish and have plenty of time to slow down in the two miles or so it would take them to get back around the track to where the crash had happened.

i could go on if you like, but i think the point is made…