[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by Phils20

Pefect explanation. Then man in the flag stand doesn't wave the caution until told to do so. Nor does he control the lghts. He is mostly there to start the race, and for the fans in the stands. All those motions still have the same meaning, but listening in on the scanner, you hear the one to go until green being passed to the driver from the crew cheif prior to having the flagman wave it to the field!

I still like having the flag waved, it is tradition! Anyone take note of the footage from the first 500, when the flagger was tanding at the bottom of the track and all the photographers were in the grass?? No way would that work today!

re: bold above

Do watch closely. I'm a "scanner" junkie too, and have done some flag. "One to go" may be decided when the leader is slowly entering turn 1 just after passing under the flagger. As soon as "one to go" is decided it is communicated to the teams, other officials, etc. The first driver to be given "one to go" must be the leader. This could cause many, many cars to pass by the flagger/start finish line (after the message is transmitted) that will not see the one to go from the flagger. Flagger waits till leader returns for it is the leader that must first get this signal from flag position.

Fun stuff.

[PenelopePitStop]

Yup. Consistency is the name of the game.

I'm a reluctant fan of Harvick solely due to the relationship to Big E, and am a long-time Martin fan. I wouldn't say he's one of my favorites, but I have the utmost respect for him.

Regardless of fan base, the yellow should have been thrown.

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Yup. Consistency is the name of the game.

Welcome to GTG PPS!

Here is a fitting little cartoon I found on the net.........

[PenelopePitStop]

Thanks, Nevadastars!

I can already tell I'm going to be obsessed with this forum!

Will you watch the Busch race tonight?

[EmpireWF]

Funny find w/ the cartoon, Nevadastars.

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Thanks, Nevadastars!

I can already tell I'm going to be obsessed with this forum!

Will you watch the Busch race tonight?

Yep, sitting here waiting for the start. It was great seeing Sammy Hagar say start your engines! Seeing Brent Musberger doing racing is really odd, but it's good to see Dr. Jerry Punch back where he belongs.

[PenelopePitStop]

Agreed.

I will miss Benny. Funny how you get to know these people without actually meeting them.

[lilsexy08]

Originally Posted by wingkey1

Got to remember though, there was no caution until after the leaders crossed the finish line and took the checkered flag on the final lap.

Wow, that just reminded me of something. Flaggers tend to hold two flags, the "active" flag and the next most likely flag. In a race that is in a green condition with leaders coming to the line for the checker, it is possible the flagger is holding the white and checkered. The white for those running at the back and entering their last lap, and the checker for the leaders who let's say are just coming out of 4 to the finish. Suddenly there's a developing mess just behind the leaders (sound familiar?). Mr. Flagg is now scrambling to "rack" the white, grab the yellow (because the developing mess has potential and indeed could be the next most likely flag needed), and perhaps even with his third hand remove the green from a "display" position out over the track. All the while now hanging on to the checker because who knows, maybe the "mess" won't move to the disaster stage and this friggin race just might complete itself. And oh by the way, Mr. Flaggs spotters are starting to talk to him over the radio about the developing mess, while he does the grab and rack the flag thing AND makes a decision with regards to actually showing the yellow. Somehow while all this was going on, MR. Flagg realizes there is no friggin way he can show anything but the checker because the leaders are pretty much at the finish line by the time all of the required physical and mental responses for the situation have played out.

And oh by the way, I've been a Mr. Flagg, and scenarios similar to the above have been experienced personally. Believe me, the rate at which things occur tax your mental and physical responses.

I still love just thinking about it.

Thats cool! Hey how do you get a job doing something like that?

[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by lilsexy08

Thats cool! Hey how do you get a job doing something like that?

Ya know had to really think some about the "how did ya" on the flaggin' thing. Simple and true answer would be that I've in many ways been close to racing for more years than I could would remember.

Pretty sure the path to this was fella I raced with and against who's family has owned a local racing news paper for years and years. The best man at his wedding was Ray Evernham (Think I spelled that wrong). Next thing I knew I was at the track doing more than the normal spectator thing. Right place, right time I suppose.

Time I got to be the gate keeper for the track crossing was simply a friend of mine that was a member of the local Junior Chamber of Commerce remembered me when Penske looked for local volunteers to help at the track on race weekend. Got my headset and gate key then had great time talking with the teams and drivers (Indy and Cup) as they waited to be let in to the infield. This was many, many moons ago at the track in Trenton, NJ. We're talking Richard Petty in his prime, Wendell Scott, etc. The Unsers, Rick Mears, AJ. Great stuff.

[lilsexy08]

Originally Posted by wingkey1

Ya know had to really think some about the "how did ya" on the flaggin' thing. Simple and true answer would be that I've in many ways been close to racing for more years than I could would remember.

Pretty sure the path to this was fella I raced with and against who's family has owned a local racing news paper for years and years. The best man at his wedding was Ray Evernham (Think I spelled that wrong). Next thing I knew I was at the track doing more than the normal spectator thing. Right place, right time I suppose.

Time I got to be the gate keeper for the track crossing was simply a friend of mine that was a member of the local Junior Chamber of Commerce remembered me when Penske looked for local volunteers to help at the track on race weekend. Got my headset and gate key then had great time talking with the teams and drivers (Indy and Cup) as they waited to be let in to the infield. This was many, many moons ago at the track in Trenton, NJ. We're talking Richard Petty in his prime, Wendell Scott, etc. The Unsers, Rick Mears, AJ. Great stuff.

You need to pull some connections and get me a job! LOL!