Caution-free INDYCAR racing: Drivers too good or impact of the hybrid?

Are the INDYCAR drivers just too good this year?

The talent level throughout the grid is one of the reasons being cited for the fact that after the opening-lap caution in the season opener at St. Petersburg, the series has gone without a caution in its first three events.

To go one race without a caution is unusual. Two races is quite rare, and nearly three full events is unbelievable.

So, will there be a caution Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park (1:30 p.m. ET on FOX)?

"Lord, I hope so," said veteran driver Alexander Rossi. "For all of us."

The good news for Rossi (and all of us) is that in 14 INDYCAR races at Barber Motorsports Park, there’s never one that has gone caution-free. That being said, the Long Beach race last month was only the second caution-free race there in the last 26 years.

So why have there been no cautions? 

"There’s no cautions in Formula 1 and everyone says that they’re the best," quipped driver Conor Daly. "So we’re competing with them."

The facts don’t lie that drivers aren’t wrecking as much in the race. Will Power got into the back of Nolan Siegel on the first lap at St. Pete but beyond that, there hasn't been contact that has put debris on the track or knocked a driver out of an event.

"The reality of the situation is the driving talent is through the roof," said veteran Graham Rahal. "It’s not what it was 15 years ago — not saying it was bad then, but you had a few that were probably going to cause a yellow. Nowadays, it’s in a different stratosphere of talent level and guys don’t make the same mistakes.

"A lot of the young guys that two, three, four years ago were making kind of bonehead moves in the race, they’re not anymore. They’re much more calculated in what they’re doing."

But the facts