Denny Hamlin opens up on major NASCAR issue after Martinsville complaints

Denny Hamlin has hit out at an issue many NASCAR fans have noticed in recent years.

Simply put, races are under caution for too long. The problem came to a head at Martinsville this weekend, with the two stage-end cautions eating away nearly 30 laps of green flag racing.

Hamlin revealed that part of the issue comes from FOX wanting to get their commercial breaks in while also being live for the key pit stops, essentially worsening the racing product for their own commercial benefit.

Hamlin pointed out that he had seen the same issue on The CW's broadcast of the O'Reilly Series race on Saturday, and begged broadcasters to find a solution which doesn't cause long periods without green flag action.

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Hamlin: NASCAR races under caution too long

Speaking on his Actions Detrimental podcast this week, the Joe Gibbs Racing star said: "Apparently, what's happening is FOX feels they need to see the pit stops.

"So, the end of the stage break happens, green-checkered [flag] and boom, we're under caution. The pace car comes out, they catch us, and we're under commercial. We're going to get our commercials in, they're going to get them in, all five minutes of it.

"It seems like awhile. They open pit road, and then it's a reset, we got to line up ... It's just so long."

The veteran racer provided some potential fixes of his own rather than just complaining into the void, suggesting: “Can we get a side-by-side (commercials + race) for the pit stops maybe.

"Or, when you come back from the commercials, just do a recap because we’re running too long under caution. We have to find a way to shorten them up and we won’t shorten them up as long as we’re doing what we’re doing in the sense of ‘well, TV has to catch the pit stops live'.

“So okay, well you have to shorten your commercials or something because we’re under caution too long.”