What is a black flag penalty in NASCAR? All you need to know

With the high-speed nature of any motorsport, including NASCAR, drivers primarily rely on visual cues to get crucial updates like caution ahead or race leaders approaching backmarkers during a race. One such important flag during a NASCAR race is the black flag.

The black flag in NASCAR is one of the most dreaded flags for a racer. It's probably race over for most drivers along with a possibility of a penalty. A black flag is waved at a driver who commits a serious on-track offense or is declared unfit to continue racing by the authorities. As a result, the racer is instructed to immediately return to the pit lane and retire the car.

If it's a case of an on-track offense, the driver and his team are often summoned by NASCAR's trackside official to discuss the infraction and penalty, if applicable.

Meanwhile, if the flag is waved to declare a race car unfit for having loose parts or being unable to continue racing at full speed, the driver still has an opportunity to rejoin the race after the issue is fixed by the pit crew.

Apart from the black flag, there's also a black flag with crossed white lines, which is generally waved after the black flag. It's used if a driver ignores the black flag and returns to the pit within five laps. A black flag with crossed white lines indicates that the driver's progress after the black flag is not scored and they have been disqualified from the race.

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When Richard Petty got black-flagged for refusing to leave NASCAR racetrack during 2017 Southern 500 race at Darlington Raceway

With 200 Cup Series wins, the iconic Richard 'The King' Petty is the most winningest NASCAR driver in motorsport history. However, the seven-time Cup Series champion received a black flag after over 25 years from his retirement.

Petty was called in to serve the role of an honorary pace car driver for the 2017 Southern 500 race at Darlington Raceway. Driving behind the pace car in his legendary #43 blue-colored Plymouth race car, Petty circled around the track, which is considered one of NASCAR's crown jewels ahead of the green flag.

However, in an unprecedented move, the 'King' of NASCAR refused to come to the pit lane, extending the race duration by a few laps. As a result, the trackside officials took an unusual decision to wave a black flag to Petty and make him come to the pits to flag off the race.

Here's a look at the video of the iconic moment available on NASCAR's YouTube channel:

Unlike other racers that day, Petty wasn't obligated to see the official for getting flagged.