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During the "Buschy McBusch Race 400" at Kansas Raceway, one of Tyler Reddick's right side tires had left the pit box and rolled about 10 feet into the infield grass, so just off of pit road.
To pull the caution flag is and was the safe thing to do, but however, NASCAR should have pulled it out less than 5 laps after the incident happened. Not 15 laps after the fact.
Reddick served the mandatory penalty right away, but NASCAR still didn't send anyone to retrieve the uncontrolled tire. Let alone, wave the caution. 15 laps later, however, NASCAR finally pulled out the yellow flag, and sent a safety truck down pit lane, to go and get the runaway tire.
It might sound like I am trying to blame NASCAR for doing the wrong thing when they actually did do the right thing, but my point is that they did it to late. A few drivers, such as Chris Buescher, was waiting for the yellow to come out so that he didn't have to pit under green. Buescher had been the leader for multiple laps after Reddick's tire got away, and he knew that the caution would come out, but had to eventually pit, and fairly soon. NASCAR waited until the pit cycle was complete to throw the caution, just to retrieve the tire. Yes, there was the wave around for lapped cars, but it still screwed a few drivers, because now they would have to work their way back to the front.
Buescher finished the race in 8th, but maybe could have been better if that pit stop would have been under yellow.
Tell us what are your thoughts about NASCAR's choice to throw the caution 15 laps late in the comments below!
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