Michael Waltrip throws, drops caution flag at NASCAR All-Star race

• A planned caution flag was waved on Lap 215 of the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
• Former NASCAR Cup driver Michael Waltrip was given the authority to decide when to throw the caution.

As expected by many, the promoter’s caution flag came during the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro on May 18.

It came on Lap 215. The special rule for the 250-lap non-points race is allowed anytime from Lap 100 to 220 for the race, which does not have stages.

Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith made the decision to throw the caution and left it up to former NASCAR Cup driver Michael Waltrip, who won the 1996 All-Star race for Wood Brothers Racing, to decide when.

Waltrip, now an NASCAR personality for NBC, threw the yellow flag with 35 laps to go and accidently dropped it on the track. Shortly after he waved the flag, a huge fireworks display erupted.

Joey Logano, winner of the 2024 All-Star race, was in the lead when Waltrip threw the caution.

The restart came with 28 laps to go.

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