Beginning at Iowa Speedway this weekend, NASCAR’s national series will have new procedures for its stage breaks, NASCAR announced Aug. 6.
The chief change is regarding cautions that occur toward the end of a stage. If a caution flag is flown within 10 laps of the end of stage one or two, that stage will be deemed official, with the finishing order frozen.
Once the leader returns to receive the caution flag, the stage-end flag will also be displayed, with the stage break beginning at that time via the usual caution process.
If a caution does not occur within the final 10 laps, the stage break will occur as usual.
According to NASCAR, the change was made after a review at Indianapolis Motor Speedway of the length of stage breaks and time spent under caution.
Kevin Rutherford is the executive editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2025 after being the managing editor since 2015, and serving on the editing staff since 2013.
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It’ll be interesting on how teams will manipulate this change. NASCAR might experience some unintended consequences as usual. Stay tuned.
I was going to say the same thing. It sounds like a good idea until the teams find a way to twist it to undermine its intended purpose.
I have a better idea, don’t threw the flag period, just score them at the end of the stage. DUH
Love the comments. but here’s some secret information, it’s called racing, people should try to win. But you guys are participation trophy loving heroes. Might best if you stick to the transgender special Olympics.
WTF does this have to do with racing? Stay in your own lane
So does the 10 laps rule the same on superspeedways? I’m assuming if its just a spin with no contact, you can get back to green within 10 laps at Daytona/Talladega. They may have to adjust this for those tracks.
Also curious how this will work in the truck series, since their stages are so short. Personally, I think the trucks only need 2 stages due to the lengths of those races.
Or probably the best solution, score them at the listed distance and don’t throw the yellow at the end of the stage unless its for cause.
They actually don’t need this rule. What they need to do is stop running 15 laps under caution at stage breaks.
The networks do! COMMERCIALS!!!!
Give it a try, reducing long time consuming laps especially on the bigger tracks sounds good to me. I’ve been a fan since the first televised race, so if this change doesn’t work, try something else