Veteran Insider Passes 5 Worded Verdict on Problematic ‘Pot of Hot Reeking Mess’ in NASCAR

The 2025 NASCAR season is off to a chaotic start, but not because of dramatic finishes or surprise winners. Instead, a growing controversy surrounding NASCAR’s inconsistent use of the caution flag has taken center stage. Fans, drivers, and insiders have all voiced concerns about how the sanctioning body is handling late-race incidents. The problem has become impossible to ignore.

In the Daytona 500, NASCAR allowed the race to finish under green despite a wreck on the final lap. In contrast, just days earlier during the Duel 2 at Daytona, they threw the yellow flag in a similar situation, cutting the race short. Then, in the Xfinity Series race at Atlanta, NASCAR let drivers race to the line through a crash but made the opposite decision in the Cup Series race the next day. The constant flip-flopping has left drivers and fans frustrated. Now, NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck expressed his frustration over contradictory decisions.

Why does NASCAR struggle to deliver consistent verdicts?

Veteran NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck weighed in on the growing frustration. On The Teardown podcast, he defended NASCAR’s decision to throw the caution flag in Atlanta’s overtime finish. According to Gluck, the wreck involving Josh Berry, Justin Haley, and Ryan Preece left NASCAR with no choice. With Berry’s car sliding back onto the track, the situation was too dangerous to let the race continue under the green. However, Gluck also pointed out NASCAR’s wildly inconsistent decisions in recent races.

“Right now, there’s just so much back and forth. NASCAR has put themselves in a very difficult position where there’s really no right call because the call is changing all the time. I don’t know how you fix this. I honestly do not know what to do about this. It would be great to say, “All right, let the leaders finish, and everybody else, if you’re behind the leaders, we’re gonna freeze you.” But where’s that line drawn?” Jeff Gluck said on The Teardown Podcast.

Notably, these inconsistencies have been very common in NASCAR and it has frustrated fans. Drivers have also started voicing their frustration. Carson Hocevar, who finished second in Atlanta, didn’t hold back. He sarcastically compared the race’s ending to a Michael Bay movie, blasting NASCAR for an abrupt finish. “Hi Jeff, I enjoyed all 399.5 miles! Although I am not sure if the race was produced by Michael Bay or not, I would prefer to not have the finish cut off so abruptly next time. Hopefully, the criticism is met with some adjustment in the future,” Hocevar wrote on X.

Notably, Atlanta was all set to witness another three-wide photo finish when Christopher Bell, Hocevar, and Kyle Larson started the overtime lap. But, things turned to an abrupt end when a crash happened on the final lap. And the caution flag crowned Bell the winner, he won the race while Hocevar in his No.77 Spire Motorsports finished behind him. This was a setback for Hocevar who made some crazy moves to finish in the top 3 after starting from 26th position.

While fans and drivers continue to question NASCAR, it should be understood that caution flag decisions are not just about racing. They also have major financial implications. With millions of dollars invested by sponsors, teams, and television networks, NASCAR faces enormous pressure to deliver thrilling finishes. The sport wants to avoid ending races under caution, but it also has a responsibility to ensure driver safety. However, the sanctioning body needs to make some serious standardizations to avoid confusion and frustration.

NASCAR has acknowledged the issue and is working toward a solution. Senior Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer admitted before the Atlanta race that a caution flag should have been thrown earlier in the Xfinity event. He also said that the sport wants to finish races under green whenever possible but won’t risk driver safety. The inconsistency must be addressed. If a wreck occurs in the racing line, NASCAR should immediately throw the caution. If it happens behind the pack and does not pose a danger, they should let the race play out. While this remains the major discussion point NASCAR veteran Dale Earnhardt Jr praised the racing at Atlanta.

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Dale Jr praises the Atlanta race!

While many in the NASCAR world criticized the way the Ambetter 400 ended, Dale Earnhardt Jr. saw things differently. The two-time Daytona 500 winner took to social media to praise the drivers and the track itself. “Man, this racetrack has something special. I’m tensed up! What these drivers are doing is so mentally tough. Feels like everything is on edge,” Dale Jr. wrote on X. His words echoed the excitement many fans felt throughout the race.

Notably, Atlanta Motor Speedway has always been a historic venue in NASCAR. Hosting races since 1960, it has delivered some of the sport’s most memorable moments. But in 2021, the track underwent a major transformation. The repave and redesign turned it into a mini superspeedway, creating tighter packs and higher speeds. Since then, Atlanta has produced some amazing racing.

In 2024, Atlanta witnessed Trackhouse Racing driver Daniel Suarez winning the race ahead of Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch by a mere 0.003 seconds. This was the third-closest finish in NASCAR history. The 2025 race was also a historic one with more than 50 lead changes and multiple cautions it played out as a major thriller. Now NASCAR caravan moves to Circuit of the Americas for the third race of the season with Ryan Blaney leading the points table.