Meaning of Different Flags in NASCAR

After every NASCAR race, all we talk about is the winning driver and the winning team. Not a lot is heard about the faculties that ensure the seamless flow of the race. Speaking of which, the role of the flagman, who sits on the “crow's near” at the start-finish line, is just undeniably important. The flags practically decide the flow of the race. They can stop and start the race and even disqualify an entry from it. NASCAR has 15 different flag or flag combinations. Let's take a look at what each of them means.

Green Flag

Needless to say, this flag implies that the race is on the go. Nevertheless, it has four purposes: during the practice and qualifying laps, marking the start of a race, when the race resumes under full speed conditions, and when the race goes back to normal from a caution or a yellow flag situation.

Yellow Flag

That brings us to the flag that is the sign of any on-track anomaly. When NASCAR brings our the yellow flag, the race cars must slow down as there might be an ensuing crash or debris on the field that could potentially refrain the cars from running at their full speeds. After the yellow flag is lifted, the pace car enters the track and guides the pack behind it till the green flag comes out again.

Red Flag

As it might suggest, Red means ‘STOP’. When NASCAR brings out the red flag, all cars must come to an immediate halt or commit to the pit road. This happens usually due to excessive on-road debris that needs to be cleaned out first before the race can return to a green flag condition. The usual sequence goes like this: red flag, yellow flag, and then, green flag.

Black Flag

This flag is directed towards a driver who has committed an on-track offence or has breached a rule in the NASCAR rulebook. It can also be waves when a driver is deemed unfit to continue to race at full speed. Post Black Flag, the concerned team will meet with NASCAR officials to discuss what rule they have violated and whether there will be a penalty for doing so.

Black Flag with Crossed White Lines

If the driver fails to pit within five laps of the Black Flag, this flag comes out; meaning the progress of the driver after this will not be recorded and they will typically be disqualified.

White Flag

This flag indicates the final lap of the event. If there is a caution while the white flag is out, the field is frozen immediately and the event is wrapped up at once.

Chequered Black and White Flag

As many might have already seen in movies and racing games, this flag indicates the end of a race. It is also waved at the end of the qualifying laps.

Chequered Green Flag

This indicates the end of a stage.

Blue Flag with Yellow Diagonal Stripes

This flag serves the purpose of alerting one or more cars that the pack of lead cars are approaching.

Solid Blue Flag

This is a road-course-only flag, which is waved to notify the drivers of a crash that has happened during a green flag condition and that is hard to see.

Yellow and Red Striped Flag

Like the previous one, even this one is used only during road course races to indicate on-track debris.

Red Flag with Yellow Stripes

They are located at the entry points of the pit road and signify that they pits have closed.

Flag combinations

Red and Black Flags together

When the flagman waves these two flags simultaneously, it means that the practice or qualifying session has ended.

Two Chequered Flags together

This one is optional for the flagman to wave. This indicates the middle of a race.

Green-White-Chequered Flag Sequence

When there is a caution during the final two laps of a race, NASCAR will let the race go on hoping to return to a green flag condition as soon as possible. The goal is to have as many green flag laps as possible.

After that, NASCAR will sanction two laps till the finish line. The green marks the start of them, the white marks the last lap and the chequered flag marks the end of the race.

Also Read : How the NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 cash works?