Which is worse, allowing mayhem to break out or ending the performance before it reaches its peak? Following Atlanta, when a late-race collision and a brief warning signal had spectators and industry insiders doubting the sport’s judgment, NASCAR was once again at the center of that controversy. The inconsistency wasn’t just frustrating—it was exactly what Kevin Harvick had warned about weeks ago. Kevin Harvick saw it coming. The former Cup Series champion stormed out of the FOX Sports box a few weeks ago after the Daytona 500, angry not only about the outcome of the race but also about NASCAR’s unpredictable refereeing and the dangerous conditions it was placing drivers in. His warning was a dreadful prophecy, not merely a matter of irritation. “I was furious when I left.” Initially, it was so inconsistent. And second of all, it was so unsafe. Somebody is gonna get hurt,” he said.
From hesitancy to overcorrection: The ongoing controversy around NASCAR’s caution
Harvick was talking about the late-race collisions at Daytona, where NASCAR postponed issuing a caution, allowing the chaos to develop. His concern? Drivers were needlessly put in danger by NASCAR’s hesitation. Atlanta followed, which featured another race that ended in an accident, a race that resembled a superspeedway, and yet another controversial NASCAR decision. Frustration was only increased by the inconsistency, which sparked an intense debate on The Teardown podcast in which Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi detailed the specifics of what went wrong. Harvick had foreseen the horrific scenario.
A wreck that could have gone awry under slightly worse conditions. Suárez won the race after NASCAR quickly threw the caution, freezing the field. However, rather than an exciting race, the focus was immediately on NASCAR’s handling of the finish. “NASCAR frequently discusses safety improvements and their efforts to improve safety; they had to throw it, and they ought to have thrown it. If Berry’s crash in Atlanta served as a warning, why wasn’t the wreck at Daytona? Why even have rules if NASCAR will simply make it up as they go along? “Jeff Gluck said.” It looked like one of the season’s greatest finishes as the Atlanta race approached its final laps. Daniel Suárez, Ryan Blaney, and Kyle Busch were three inches apart in their fight for victory. Behind them, Carson Hocevar was acting wildly, throwing vicious blocks, and not slowing down.
Josh Berry whirled on the backstretch when Bubba Wallace touched him. He slammed hard against the outer wall. Before he could recover, he was hit by Austin Hill and Brad Keselowski, which led to a multi-vehicle crash. Rather, the moment was stolen from the struggle by NASCAR’s action. The argument grew more heated at this time since more individuals were reacting to Atlanta than just Atlanta. They were thinking of Daytona. After Daytona, Harvick was enraged by the same thing. In addition to creating chaos on the track, NASCAR’s inconsistency harms the sport’s standing among drivers and spectators. Because of what transpired before the race, the controversy became even more complicated.
The race in Atlanta showed how inconsistently NASCAR makes decisions in these situations. Why didn’t NASCAR prioritize safety at Daytona as much as it did in Atlanta? Should the frequency of cautions from officials become the new standard? The argument is maintained by this disparity. Allen Sawyer of NASCAR publicly acknowledged during the drivers’ meeting just hours prior that they had handled the finish poorly. “Last night was on us,” Sawyer told the drivers. “We should have called that caution sooner. We should not have let that race play out the way it did. That was on us, and if a similar situation occurs, you can expect the caution to come out.”
The race in Atlanta demonstrated how inconsistently NASCAR makes decisions in these circumstances. Why didn’t NASCAR prioritize safety at Daytona as much as it did in Atlanta? Should the frequency of cautions from officials become the new standard? The argument is maintained by this disparity. What would have happened if NASCAR had been cautious at Daytona and maintained the same speed? If NASCAR let Atlanta go green to the line, how clean would the finish have been? Safety or Spectacle?
NASCAR’s Caution Call Questioned After Berry’s Wreck
Josh Berry departed Atlanta Motor Speedway feeling both irritated and thoughtful. His great run ended in a last-lap collision after he won Stage 1 and led 56 laps, the second-most of the race. His unfortunate DNF resulted from the incident, which robbed him of a chance at a better finish.
“We had a really fast car,” he said, reflecting on the race’s conclusion. Yesterday, we observed that every one of our vehicles was swift. We managed to maintain our aggressiveness, offensiveness, and upfrontness. I believe that I am now in a position where I can be successful. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to secure the finish we were due. Josh Berry acknowledged the aggressive style of the last circuits as he thought back on the turmoil of the race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. He called it both “crazy” and “a lot of fun,” emphasizing the fierce fights that took place, especially between Carson Hocevar and Ross Chastain. Berry observed that Hocevar bravely pushed Chastain out of line, leading to a three-wide situation where space simply ran out. “It was just crazy. Honestly, it was a lot of fun, but it was just crazy. A lot of aggressive moves racing there at the end,” he added.
Following a race full of promise, Josh Berry left Atlanta Motor Speedway feeling nothing but frustration. Berry questioned if aggressive racing was worth a mid-pack result after crashing out with a DNF. Instead of celebrating a well-earned finish, he was forced to walk away empty-handed, wondering what more he could have done. It is simply disheartening. He said, “I have to go back and see if there is something I could have done better.”
