“Vehicles must run the full course at all times. You will be judged as missing or shortcutting when all four tires are on the non-track side of the red and white rumble strips that define the apex of the turns.” 

That was the clear directive NASCAR gave in the pre-race meeting. No room for interpretation. No exceptions. Nothing! Or at least, that’s what everyone thought. However, what followed at COTA left drivers, and especially fans, absolutely furious over the blatant inconsistencies in race officiating. Here’s what happened.

Kyle Busch and others are unhappy

Kyle Busch, who spent most of Stage 1 trailing behind leader Shane van Gisbergen, immediately spotted something off. Over his team radio, Busch pointed out multiple times that the Number 88 car was cutting the course at Turn 6. Oddly enough, no penalties were handed out. The reason? NASCAR had decided, without publicly clarifying, that track limits would only be enforced in Turns 3, 4, and 5, leaving Turn 6 completely open for drivers to take shortcuts.

“I’ve just been around a few guys that aren’t paying attention to the candy stripes in Turn 6. They’re just jumping to the red asphalt and staying inside of them,” Busch said over his radio. “Very unclear as to what we’re supposed to do,” he further added. To add to his frustration, Busch lost the lead to van Gisbergen precisely in those corners – Turn 6A and 6B. By Lap 35, van Gisbergen had methodically worked around him, exploiting Busch’s struggles in that section. The lack of penalties only added to the growing frustration, making NASCAR’s inconsistent officiating impossible to ignore.

However, Busch wasn’t the only driver caught in the chaos of inconsistent officiating. Kyle Larson found himself on the wrong end of a track limits penalty after cutting Turn 3. NASCAR had stated that track limits would be enforced in the esses, but Larson seemingly wasn’t aware. He misjudged his entry, going off in Turn 3, and was immediately penalized. Frustrated, he responded over the radio, “I didn’t know they were calling 3.” The penalty significantly hindered his race, adding to the growing confusion among drivers.

To make matters worse, NASCAR’s stance on Turn 6 had been murky all weekend. Moreover, conflicting messages from race officials before the Cup Series race only added to the uncertainty. While some Cup teams were told Turn 6 wouldn’t be enforced, spotters reportedly received conflicting information that it would be. The result? Mass confusion, driver frustration, and a fanbase that had seen enough of NASCAR’s ever-changing rulebook. ”

Social media exploded with furious reactions, with many calling NASCAR’s handling of the situation a complete joke. This comes right after NASCAR’s blunders regarding cautions at Atlanta. Different decisions regarding last-lap cautions during the Xfinity and the Cup Series races have already left fans frustrated. This latest blunder at COTA has only added fuel to the fire. At this point, many are asking, does NASCAR even care about consistency anymore? Or are we just supposed to accept these last-minute rule changes as part of the show?

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NASCAR fans are frustrated with inconsistencies… again!

NASCAR fans, known for their passion and loyalty, have once again been left fuming over inconsistent officiating. The frustration boiled over online, with fans not holding back, and rightly so. “Half-a– officiating. F— that race lol,” one fan vented, summing up the collective rage. Another was more direct: “What a pathetic display from Race Control. Protect the integrity of the sport. Make consistent calls for all drivers.”

The biggest gripe? NASCAR’s ever-changing enforcement. “Typical NASCAR, making up rules as they go,” another fan wrote, echoing what many were thinking. Others, however, weren’t surprised by the chaos. One fan shrugged off the entire situation, saying, “Track limits are [expletive] anyway.”

NASCAR even placed a 400lb barrier on the ‘s turns’ at COTA to ensure track limits are followed. While that is a logical decision, one would expect it to hold up for the rest of the grid. As it stands, SVG is gleefully cutting corners at Turn 6 while Kyle Busch remained dumbfounded at this bizarre showing from NASCAR officiating. Luckily, Kyle Busch managed to win the race ahead in 5th place of van Gisbergen, who finished 6th. Some consolation for Busch, we guess!

But, with back-to-back officiating debacles, fans are starting to wonder: Does NASCAR even care about maintaining the integrity of the sport, or are these inconsistencies just the new normal?