Sunday’s Grant Park 165 in Chicago was a wild one, with Shane van Gisbergen cementing his road-course legend status. The Trackhouse Racing star swept the weekend, winning from the pole for his third career Cup Series victory and second of 2025, following his Mexico City triumph in June. Michael McDowell led early, taking Stage 1 and holding the point for 31 laps until a throttle cable issue derailed him.
A Lap 4 pile-up triggered by Carson Hocevar’s spin between Turns 10 and 11 collected Brad Keselowski, Austin Dillon, Daniel Suárez, and Will Brown, setting the tone for a chaotic day. But it was a late-race incident that stole the spotlight and sparked a firestorm. And once again, NASCAR’s officiating call came under scrutiny, which might have altered the race finish.
With two laps left, Cody Ware’s crash into the tire barrier at nearly 93 mph brought out a delayed caution, letting SVG cross the finish line under yellow. The call, or lack thereof, had fans and drivers fuming, questioning NASCAR’s officiating. Brad Moran, NASCAR Cup Series managing director, stepped up to address the controversy, promising changes to avoid a repeat.
NASCAR didn’t have the real-time footage to make a sound caution call
Brad Moran didn’t shy away from the heat, telling SiriusXM, “We didn’t have the actual footage of the of the impact of the of the car getting into the tire barrier. We’ll be looking at certain areas of that racetrack and definitely improving that situation. I believe it was 32 minutes now if we follow what we’ve done, you know at every road course and Street course. We do have local blue flags at road courses. We acknowledge that we have a local blue out. We tell the spotters or what’s out there if they’re in their racing line,” he said.
The issue? NASCAR didn’t see the severity of Ware’s 93-mph hit into the tire barrier, thinking he might back out. The caution came 35 seconds later, only after Ware dropped his window net, signaling he was stuck. Moran admitted the lack of immediate footage was a miss, promising better camera coverage and quicker calls at road courses to prioritize safety.
“If we would have had the shot […] the caution would have come out immediately.”#NASCAR‘s Brad Moran addressed the Cody Ware crash earlier on #TMDNASCAR.
More –> https://t.co/WGRTG5gnEd pic.twitter.com/RmI4AeGqwk
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) July 8, 2025
He continued explaining, “It changes the thought process. I think we still ended up with what seven cautions for 15 laps. So we do our best to try to give the fans as much of that time we can to get a green flag race and however if we would have a we would have the shot of Cody’s impact there the caution would’ve come out immediately but it was thrown immediately when he dropped his window net. But if we would have that first shot we would have known that car wasn’t pulling out. So that’s all enough.”
The delay was a shocker. Ware was buried in tires, calling for help, yet NASCAR hesitated, assuming the No. 51 could still move. Seven cautions ate up 15 laps in a 75-lap race, and fans wanted more green-flag action, but safety comes first. Moran’s directive signals NASCAR’s intent to tighten up officiating on street circuits like Chicago, where visibility and access are trickier than ovals.
Denny Hamlin calls out NASCAR’s caution conspiracy
Denny Hamlin wasn’t buying NASCAR’s explanation, and he let it rip on his Actions Detrimental podcast. Addressing the Cody Ware crash, he said, “Regardless of what they tell you, no question, rain coming in, the possibility of lightning, the possibility of a complete s— show… All that played into a factor, in my opinion.”
He didn’t stop there, tearing into the officiating, “But they’re saying that they didn’t see how big the hit was. That, I don’t understand that. You were not doing your job officiating, if you don’t see. It’s one thing to look over and say, Oh, there’s a car over there. You’ve got to know how they got there.” Hamlin, backed by co-host Jared Allen, suggested NASCAR rushed to wrap the race before looming bad weather turned it into a mess, letting SVG take the checkered flag uninterrupted.
Ware’s wreck was brutal as his brake rotor blew, sending him head-first into the Turn 6 tire barrier at 93 mph. Stuck and calling for help, he waited 35 seconds for the yellow flag, which only came after SVG crossed the finish line. Hamlin’s blunt take, that weather and a chaotic finish influenced the delay, echoes fan frustration.
In a sport where safety is everything, the hesitation raised eyebrows, putting NASCAR’s credibility under fire. Hamlin’s “no question” stance fuels the conspiracy talk, suggesting officials prioritized the race’s end over immediate action. With Chicago’s street course already a logistical beast, this miss has NASCAR promising to step up its game to keep drivers and fans safe.
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