Question about nascar and caution flags?

[Wilma Blanton]

I have a question about nascar and caution flags i've heard some people on several message boards talk about fake caution flags and that nascar has fake caution flags to tighten up a field or to bunch up a field or to try and make a race more exciting.

Is there really such a thing as nascar having fake cautions?

[Mack Too]

I think they ALL do it at times, and then they don't throw them when they should too.

[jonesi]

I have a question about nascar and caution flags i've heard some people on several message boards talk about fake caution flags and that nascar has fake caution flags to tighten up a field or to bunch up a field or to try and make a race more exciting.

Is there really such a thing as nascar having fake cautions?

No one who would really know, would be posting here. ;-) I think there's always junk of some sort on the track, what with tire pebbles, hotdog wrappers, etc it's always there. When racing is happening Nascar is slow to stop it with a caution, when racing is boring Nascar is fast to stop it with a caution. Tracks are different, what will cause a yellow at Daytona might not at Bristol. Also there really are things that at a distance look like metal, that prove harmless when retrieved.

Nascar will never again let a race leader get a lap or two on the field as happened in the 80s. However I really don't think they play favorites.

[DannyB]

However I really don't think they play favorites.

Unless you count that one-eyed monster in many family rooms across America. You know, the one that pays the bills?

[dwcremax]

No one who would really know, would be posting here. ;-) I think there's always junk of some sort on the track, what with tire pebbles, hotdog wrappers, etc it's always there. When racing is happening Nascar is slow to stop it with a caution, when racing is boring Nascar is fast to stop it with a caution. Tracks are different, what will cause a yellow at Daytona might not at Bristol. Also there really are things that at a distance look like metal, that prove harmless when retrieved.

Nascar will never again let a race leader get a lap or two on the field as happened in the 80s. However I really don't think they play favorites.

Much of what you say is true. NASCAR really doesn't care who wins. They do care by how much one wins and whether or not the finish was exciting. To that end they are not adverse to throwing a "debris" caution at the appropriate time. And we will never again see anyone win a race by 14 laps as did Ned Jarrett in a 60's Southern 500, or by even 5 laps as did Richard Petty in the inaugural Dover race on July 6, 1969. And I do know. I worked for NASCAR and worked some races in the tower during the term of Bill Gazaway as Competition Director.

[Wilma Blanton]

I've heard some people say that at this years daytona 500 that either the first 2 or even 3 caution flags were fake - to tighten up the field.


Cause with the first 2 yellows. During the 2 long green flag runs they had i think 3 or 4 cars i think it was gibbs's toyotas or 2 of gibbs's toyota's along with the chevy of jeff gordon took off and left the field.

[Cale]

Guess everybody forgot, Mark Martin got screwed at Daytona last year.

[Doctorindy]

Remember, it's all about making the show "entertaining."

[doitagain]

And Indy Car doesn't do the same thing??

[Mack Too]

Here's a clue, when they are real, if there is time, the TV crew tries to show the reason.

[MichaelP]

Then there was Bill Elliott at Daytona in 1985... during a pit stop a NASCAR tech noticed that there was a hole in the 'headlight' of the car. At that time he had a huge lead - NASCAR made them tape up the hole during the pit stop. And tape it... and tape it... and tape it... just long enough for the rest of the field to catch up.

[Mindervillain]

I'm pretty much positive that it has happened, mostly because I worked a couple of years in a series that hired a NASCAR reject to run the show, and the first thing he instituted was the "NASCAR competition yellow."

But nowadays I'd be very surprised if it happens much, if at all, in NASCAR, and I'd be astounded if it's happening in IndyCar. Regardless of how you might feel about Brian Barnhart and how he runs the show, I have a lot of difficulty imagining him phoneying it up.

[Doctorindy]

I have a lot of difficulty imagining him phoneying it up.

In fact, he's in the past shown that he's reluctant to go yellow for debris or oil yellow unless it's for sure. That came to light at Indy in 2002 when oil was seen by some. Kanaan ended up spinning out because of it. BB said he regretted not throwing the yellow, and that he was trying not to be too reactionary.

[Doctorindy]

Then there was Bill Elliott at Daytona in 1985... during a pit stop a NASCAR tech noticed that there was a hole in the 'headlight' of the car. At that time he had a huge lead - NASCAR made them tape up the hole during the pit stop. And tape it... and tape it... and tape it... just long enough for the rest of the field to catch up.

Yup...discussed in detail last summer.

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95531

[nm]

I was at the 600 a few years ago when it looked like Jimmie Johnson was going to lap the entire field. I was listening to tv broadcast control on the scanner. The producer was begging for a caution.