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NASCAR clarifies its position on caution lights after confusion at end of Xfinity race

NASCAR XFINITY Series ToyotaCare 250

RICHMOND, VA - APRIL 29: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Credit One Bank Chevrolet, leads the Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 BRANDT Chevrolet, during the NASCAR XFINITY Series ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond International Raceway on April 29, 2017 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

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RICHMOND, Va. – NASCAR clarified its position on caution periods after confusion at the end of Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Richmond International Raceway.

At the end of Sunday’s prerace drivers meeting for the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond, Landon Cassill asked about the procedures for when the flagstand and the caution lights seem to be conflicting.

Cup Series director Richard Buck said NASCAR uses three ways of informing a team of a caution – the lights, the flag and the scoring monitor. Buck told drivers and crew chiefs “the lights supersede the flag on the racetrack.”

The NASCAR rulebook doesn’t contain specific language about how to determine priority for a caution, noting that “when the caution lights are illuminated and the yellow flag is displayed, this will signify a caution period. The caution lights are illuminated and/or the yellow flag will be displayed immediately.