Crashes or Caution-Free Racing: Which Would NASCAR Fans Rather See?

NASCAR racing has evolved to the current highly competitive level with the safest cars ever built in the sport, but that combined with the close points, racing presents a conundrum for fans who find caution-free racing boring.

The two NASCAR Sprint Cup races at intermediate tracks, prior to Richmond, produced only five cautions in total—four of which were for debris. 

Fans, for the most part, found the long green-flag runs less than exciting.

The drivers who wheeled racecars at speeds in excess of 160 mph, might take issue with the level of excitement, as they slid their cars for position.

From the stands or a comfy seat in your home, the drivers look comfortable behind the wheel of the 3400 lb. cars with power steering, as they log laps.

The fact is, the intensity level is even higher with races that only get the mandatory pit stops. The lack of caution laps doesn't give the driver a chance to relax for a moment and refocus for the restart.

NASCAR is constantly trying to make improvements to every facet of racing. All of the improvements have possibly made the racing too good, which seems to be redundant.

Goodyear has produced an outstanding tire compound that is harder than previous versions. The tire strategy is not the big deal it once was and the reliability factor is very good.

Caution-free races are a disadvantage to teams that need to adjust the car. The driver often gets mired in mid-pack or worse, and can't do much to gain advantage without a yellow flag waving.

Parts are more reliable and they don't break or fall off the cars bringing out cautions like days of old. Certainly, cars still have engine and parts failures, but often the caution flag never waves when it happens.

Fans want competitive racing that includes the bumping and banging they grew up watching. The new aero-packages on these cars often make it difficult for the cars to touch one another.

All the aerodynamic additions to the COT that control downforce and sideforce have taken some of the control of the car out of the driver's hands.

Perhaps allowing the drivers to control the car more would result in racing that would involve closer competition and the resulting trading of paint and some inevitable accidents.

Crashes have always been a part of NASCAR racing and some have been pretty spectacular, others tragic and everything in between has been viewed.

It is not that fans want to see car wrecks. There have been races that bored fans because there were too many wrecks.

It is a fine line that NASCAR attempts to walk with the entertainment factor produced during races. There really is no way to control the long green-flag runs other than competition cautions.

The sport is called racing for a reason, and to throw the yellow flag, after say 80 laps under green, just to get the cars regrouped for a hectic restart seems counterproductive to racing.

Racing has changed, and the fact that the one point per position carries so much importance has caused drivers to drive smarter. They put more thought into making daring moves.

Equipment is so high dollar now, that tearing it up just to get back at another driver is not the instant response it once was.

The drama of a race now plays out with race strategy, clean, quick pit stops and the restarts that can have game-changing results.

Fans don't want to see caution-free racing. It really is not good for the sport. They do want to see close, competitive racing with exciting moves on the track.

Those who travel to a NASCAR race or watch from their homes want to see drivers able to come through the field, make daring moves and not have the leaders able to run away from the pack.

The combination of the COT, the reconfigured tracks and repaves may not be conducive to the style of racing fans want, especially on the intermediate tracks.

So back to the topic, fans don't watch the races to see wrecks. They also don't want the caution-free long green-flag runs.

Just as drivers need to exercise patience sometimes, so do fans. Racing has changed and it will never be like it was back in the day.

NASCAR racing is still a dangerous sport with some of the best drivers in the world.

Racing is a contact sport, and though we may have spells of caution-free racing, there will always be the chance of some dramatic turn of events at any given second, and that includes wrecks.