▁for ▁a ▁red ▁flag ▁to ▁be ▁displayed ▁during ▁a ▁late - race ▁ca ution ▁flag . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁races ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁two ▁national ▁circ uits ▁were ▁prohib ited ▁from ▁being ▁extended ▁beyond ▁the ▁advert ised ▁distance . ▁The ▁action ▁would ▁tempor arily ▁halt ▁the ▁race , ▁allowing ▁safety ▁cre ws ▁to ▁clear ▁the ▁track , ▁and ▁allow ▁for ▁a ▁full ▁restart , ▁without ▁the ▁field ▁having ▁burn ed ▁up ▁the ▁remaining ▁la ps ▁under ▁yellow . ▁Initial ly , ▁the ▁rule ▁was ▁used ▁only ▁on ▁short ▁tracks , ▁but ▁eventually ▁spread ▁to ▁all ▁races . ▁The ▁implementation , ▁however , ▁was ▁widely ▁incons istent , ▁and ▁in ev it ably ▁would ▁lead ▁to ▁controvers y . ▁▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁Pe psi ▁ 4 0 0 , ▁a ▁late - race ▁ca ution ▁came ▁out , ▁and ▁participants ▁and ▁spect ators ▁expected ▁a ▁red ▁flag . ▁NAS C AR ▁chose ▁not ▁to ▁halt ▁the ▁race , ▁cit ing ▁too ▁few ▁la ps ▁remaining , ▁and ▁fans ▁p elt ed ▁the ▁circuit ▁with ▁can s , ▁seat ▁c ush ions , ▁and ▁other ▁de br is ▁as ▁it ▁finished ▁under ▁yellow . ▁The ▁decision ▁not ▁to ▁go ▁back ▁to ▁green ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁inc idents ▁that ▁happened ▁on ▁the ▁two ▁restrict or ▁plate ▁tracks ▁( Day ton a ▁International ▁Speed way ▁and ▁T alla de ga ▁Sup ers pe ed way ). ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁W inst on ▁ 5 0 0 ▁at