Kahne puts NASCAR in spotlight over caution call

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- It was just a little over two years ago when two-time series champion Tony Stewart accused NASCAR officials of "playing God" by manipulating races through phantom debris cautions.

Upset because a series of caution flags contributed to him losing a race at Phoenix, Stewart likened the sport to professional wrestling in complaining that the bogus debris calls changed the outcome of races.

"I guess NASCAR thinks 'Hey, wrestling worked, and it was for the most part staged, so I guess it's going to work in racing, too,'" he fumed. "I don't know that they've run a fair race all year."

The issue has come roaring back behind Kasey Kahne's accusation that NASCAR threw a bogus caution Sunday to bunch up the field and avoid a boring runaway win by Jimmie Johnson at Auto Club Speedway.