NASCAR Insider Says TV Broadcasts, Not Rules, Are Slowing Down Races

Iowa race fans fed up with long caution periods at the Iowa Corn 350 may have been blaming the wrong culprit, according to a NASCAR insider who says television networks are the real reason races drag on.

Freddie Kraft, a spotter for 23XI Racing and Bubba Wallace's primary spotter, says NASCAR's recent rule change to stage breaks is a step in the right direction but misses the bigger problem. On the Door Bumper Clear podcast, Kraft explained that while the new rule addresses double-caution scenarios, it does nothing to fix the lengthy caution periods that happen during every single stage break.

What NASCAR changed and why it matters to Iowa fans

NASCAR announced before the Iowa Corn 350 that a natural caution occurring with 10 or fewer laps remaining in Stage 1 or 2 will now trigger the stage-break process. The change was designed to eliminate the double-caution periods that have frustrated fans for years.

But Kraft says that scenario only happens about 10 times a year. The real issue is what happens during every normal stage break.

“I'm glad they did it. They fixed the wrong problem. You know what I mean? This happens, I don't know, 10 times a year where we run into a stage break, but we still burn f***ing 10 laps every stage caution,” Kraft said.

TV networks are the real bottleneck, insider says

According to Kraft, NASCAR can have pit road ready within a lap or two after a caution. But the yellow flag stays out while broadcasters finish commercial breaks and other segments.

Kraft pointed to a recent example involving the No. 96 car of Anthony Alfredo during the O'Reilly Auto Parts race. When the car spun during Stage 3 on lap 150, the pace car picked up the field and pit road opened almost immediately. For Kraft, that proved NASCAR itself is capable of speeding up caution periods.

“So this is obviously not a f***ing NASCAR problem,” Kraft argued.

He explained that caution periods give networks valuable broadcast time. NASCAR may be ready to go green, but the TV schedule can determine when the race actually resumes.

What this means for Iowa race fans

For Iowa fans who traveled to Newton for the Iowa Corn 350, the takeaway is clear: the lengthy caution periods they endured are driven more by television production than by NASCAR rules. Kraft believes removing unnecessary television-driven caution laps would make a far bigger difference than simply changing the occasional stage-break scenario.

As NASCAR continues to refine its procedures, the debate over race pacing is likely to remain a hot topic among Iowa's passionate racing community.

This article is based on reporting from Yahoo Sports. Photo: Yahoo Sports