Elton Sawyer set the file straight on the confusion with the warning and crimson flag after the massive wreck at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday. Whereas talking to reporters after the race, the NASCAR vp of competitors defined why the warning automobile didn’t transfer when the crimson flag was lifted and resumed underneath yellow.
“We had all intentions to roll the warning car as quickly as we pulled the crimson and displayed the yellow,” Sawyer mentioned, per Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports activities. “The race director observed some issues that had been nonetheless occurring down in Flip 3 the place he couldn’t try this restart. Vehicles had been nonetheless transferring, we nonetheless had security gear that was nonetheless transferring round there. So only for the protection of all, held the warning car for a bit longer.
“Completely perceive the rivals. That they had some automobiles on pit street that obtained the chance to perform a little bit extra work earlier than these different automobiles might get there. Completely perceive that, however that’s the rationale we made that call that we did. Each circumstance is totally different and we’re gonna do our very best to make the most effective calls with the most effective data we have now in entrance of us.”
Elton Sawyer talks extra in regards to the wreck at Talladega
Sawyer was then requested why NASCAR didn’t re-throw the crimson flag to keep away from much less confusion. “I believe that after you began in that cadence then when you’ve pulled the crimson and displayed the yellow, you need the sequence to sort of begin to unfold. We weren’t anticipating that to take very lengthy. …We’re nonetheless a pair hours after the race and dissecting all that stuff. Our crew will have a look at it this week as we do each week and digest what we did nicely, what we didn’t so nicely, what we’re going to do to get higher.”
Over 20 automobiles had been concerned within the wreck that occurred in the course of the remaining laps of the race. Eight of the 12 playoff drivers had been concerned within the accident that began when Brad Keselowski bumped Austin Cindric. When the race was all mentioned and achieved, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. gained the YellaWood 500, and it was his first victory because the 2023 Daytona 500.
