Crime and Punishment - The Double Yellow

[MikeS]

I also blew the double yellow one or more times and was penalized with a DQ and have to sit out the next race. A fair punishment for a bad lapse in attention. Sorry to anyone I passed. Wasn't a good way to end the weekend.

[nasa-rm]

Was the double yellow the right call? What would/should have happened if you dropped that on lap 2?

Don't be this guy:

Dave - Can you send me a copy of this video clip? This is PERFECT for comp school.


I'll talk to the RDs for Hallett to bring this up in the drivers meeting. If you see someone in front of you with their hand up waving like that, it's not a point by. It means check up, something is going on ahead that you can't or didn't see. A point is definitely a point, not a hand up wave.

In the Cyclone race on Sunday, I did the same hand motion going into T4 when I saw the double yellow and was passed by two cars. Did it as T6 and was then PUSHED down the back straight by another car while being passed by two more. We (meaning experienced racers and RDs) have failed and not passed this important hand signal onto newer racers.

[AI#97]

I thought they were doing that with the pace car keeping everyone off of the straight, then a corner worked held up a "1", then the pace car went off track, then I could sort of make out a waiving flag, and I saw some of AI take off, I thought it was a restart, hence my dumb ass decision to take off in R4 and get DQ'd, good game...

so you passed someone between 13 and checkers....? If so, that was a restart. I don't recall a yellow being displayed with the checker and Misty says she didn't see one either. When I saw the checker after will pulled off, that is a race to the line. It is my understanding Will was miffed it finished that way as it SHOULD have been a yellow/checker and we should have finished behind him in the trike. no pace car and a checker flag is a race to checker. Now, should we stay in line as gentlemen, sure.....but it isn't required.

Anyone have video of the S/F flag stand with the checker? I could be wrong about what flag was shown but I saw checker and took off....sorry if that confused folks.

[dtanker65]

I can only comment on what I saw in my race, but it seemed there were some very confusing things going on with flags in R4 when the pace car came out. I was the third car behind the pace car, Tyler passed me just as we came on a flag station which was not displaying any flags. When Tyler went by me, (right at the flag station), the flag man raised double yellow from behind the wall of the station. Tyler saw the flags and the pace car at the same time. Once the double yellow was displayed he waved me back in front of him. When Tyler passed me there were no flags at all at the station and the pace car was not visible to him because it was around the next turn. I have not checked the rule book, but with the pace car on course, shouldn't all manned flag stations display double yellow? I don't think there were any flags displayed at the last station before the front straight because I was ready for a green flag restart when we got checkers. I will check the video.

[edrock96GT]

...Anyone have video of the S/F flag stand with the checker? I could be wrong about what flag was shown but I saw checker and took off....sorry if that confused folks.

It was just a checkered flag, I checked my unedited video. I think we all just kinda said "screw it" at that point.

[AI#97]

I can only comment on what I saw in my race, but it seemed there were some very confusing things going on with flags in R4 when the pace car came out. I was the third car behind the pace car, Tyler passed me just as we came on a flag station which was not displaying any flags. When Tyler went by me, (right at the flag station), the flag man raised double yellow from behind the wall of the station. Tyler saw the flags and the pace car at the same time. Once the double yellow was displayed he waved me back in front of him. When Tyler passed me there were no flags at all at the station and the pace car was not visible to him because it was around the next turn. I have not checked the rule book, but with the pace car on course, shouldn't all manned flag stations display double yellow? I don't think there were any flags displayed at the last station before the front straight because I was ready for a green flag restart when we got checkers. I will check the video.

considering the size of the field would likely extend back past T13 Corner station, no flag there would indicate a green on the straight....

By your account, Tyler was good to go....and sadly, you would be at fault "taking back" the pass while under yellow....ask me how I know that rule!

seems like flagging was a cluster. Difficult to hold racers accountable when the flags don't follow the rules. Imperfect world I guess. Just sad that it will effect Tyler for a tire race at the next event.

[dtanker65]

The next flag station had no flag, so "taking back" position was under green as I understand, also if a car pulls over and stops under yellow does the entire field stop behind it too? I was checking the CCR at the time, but I dropped the book and couldn't reach it without loosening my shoulder straps. I am glad nobody got hurt over the weekend, those were the largest fields I have ever seen. I think the drivers and safety professionals were all doing their absolute best, although I am afraid to try to get into the head of a SM driver :-)

[GlennCMC70]

Chris read the rule to me involving re-starts from a double yellow and it read that ra ing would resume at the next station not displaying a yellow. That would be the start/finish stand. That station was waiving the checkered. Once you cross the start/finish you can rume racing, but the checkered ended the race.
I don't think single and double yellows have the same rules.

[Alien]

Wow, yeah I guess I stand corrected

20.12.1 Full Course Yellow / Pace Car Procedures
During a Full Course Yellow, in the absence of a Pace Car anywhere on course (or after the Pace Car has
pulled off the marked course), the lead car will pace (meaning steady speed) the field. Each competitor may
resume passing at any time in the absence of a Pace Car being on course providing that they are completely
past a manned flag station not displaying any yellow flag, or when the green flag has been displayed at the
restart / starting stand / location.

I didn't realize we couldn't start racing again until we were past the next 'green' flag station unless it's actually displaying a green flag in which case it's game on. So for tracks that don't have a good 'start stand', if you see a station drop the double yellow, that means you can't initiate a pass until you're past the station.

I'd love to listen into the corner worker/control radio on that one. "Corner 15, green... but not like racing green, but definitely not yellow either." Talk about ambiguous.

[mach1]

Just sad that it will effect Tyler for a tire race at the next event.

I was under the impression that my punishment was finished with the DQ for R4 at TWS, I hope it doesn't carry over to Hallett, especially with the confusing circumstances, I didn't miss and blow a yellow or double yellow. I pride myself in good communication with the corner workers, I am usually the guy telling the room to wave at the corner workers on warmup at other driving events so you can mentally register where they are, when possible I signal back to the corner workers to acknowledge I see them and the flag they are waving, etc. In R4, all signs pointed to a restart so I did a restart, I will get the video up shortly.