NASCAR Rules Question - Yellow Flags, Restarts, Pits?

Question

Can anyone provide the details of the NASCAR rules about caution flags and pit stops? I get so confused when I'm watching a race, and a yellow flag comes out...some times they're all racing for the pits, some times not...some times someone gets a "lap back"...I'm just very confused about how the determine positions coming out of a caution, etc. If anyone can let me know, or point me in the right direction, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

Answer 1

Well, let's see. Cautions are when something happens and they have to clean up the track(debris, accident, etc.) they have a rule called the "Lucky Dog" where whoever is the first car a lap down gets their lap back. Pit Stops are where they get fuel and tires that they need(since they run over 400-500 miles) the lead lap cars pit first, and they race off pit road. The first one off pit road usually gets to start first. Then again, there are penalties if you speed on pit road, or something happens in the pits(tire flies away, etc.) where they either have to start at the end of the longest line, or have a drive thru penalty, or a stop and go, which means that they stop in their pits and go. A lot of this can be explained at the following websites, I hope this was helpful to you.

Answer 2

I hope I help you out as its very confusing. When a caution comes out they say Pit Road is closed or open and if its closed a driver cannot pit but if they do anyhow they will have to start at the tale end of the lead lap. When pit road is open they race to the pits and race out of the pits. The first person who is a lap down gets their lap back at a caution is called the Lucky Dog and they start at the tale end of the lead lap. The NASCAR officials determine the positions that the drivers will restart by who is first off pit road or who stayed out and where the drivers shuffle back into the pack. So say 10 drivers stay out the first car out of pit road will be 11th and so on all the way back. I hope that helps.

Answer 3

When the yellow comes on, all positions are frozen.
Sometimes they close pit road until all the car's are slowed down and lined up behind the pace car for safety reasons. When it's safe, they open pit road.
For the people that do pit during a caution, they can make up positions in the pit's by beating car's out. At the end of the pit road is a line painted on the pavement. If you can get to the line ahead of other car's while not exceeding the pit road speed limit, you can gain position's.

Answer 4

ok if there are cars a lap down the first car off the lead lap automatically gets a lap back usually to put them on the lead lap they did this a couple years to prevent wrecks caused while racing back to the yellow flag now the field automatically freezes when the caution comes out


for some wrecks they will have to wait for the pits to open on caution while for debris cautions and minor crashes the pits are usually open

to determine position after caution they just look at the running order of the cars on the track they are leading after the caution and they are on the lead lap they are in first place same for the rest of the positions

Answer 5

Nascar Pit Stop Rules

Answer 6

If a hendricks car needs a caution they usually throw one out, take todays race for an example Johnson would have ran out of gas on lap 324, then there just happens to be a debris caution with no debris on the course. Getting a lap back just means that youre the first car a lap down and you get a free pass for your lap when the caution comes out.

Answer 7

When the caution flag comes out, the field is frozen. Meaning, whatever place a driver is in, he stays there. However, when they go into the pits, whatever order they come out of the pits, determines what postion they get for the restart, hence the "race" into and out of the pits. (They can't actually race, there's a set speed for pits and if you break that you get a penalty.)

Answer 8

YELLOW (CAUTION) NASCAR Flag: The track is not clear, slow down and hold your position behind the pace car. This flag is used to signal an accident, debris caused by contact or mechanical failure, or weather-related issues. NASCAR rules allow cars to bunch up behind the leader. In most cases, lead-lap cars restart in the outside lane, while any lapped cars restart to the inside. In addition, a yellow flag during a practice session means cars should go to pits immediately.

RED NASCAR Flag: The track is unsafe and there is a situation that requires immediate attention. Cars must go to a designated location and stop. This flag is usually waved in cases of heavy precipitation, an accident which requires immediate medical assistance or if the track is blocked. In addition, NASCAR reserves the right to throw a red flag in the closing laps of a race to make sure the event ends under green conditions.

WHITE NASCAR Flag: There is one lap remaining in the scheduled distance.

CHECKERED NASCAR Flag: The event has reached its scheduled distance and is complete.

In addition, there are flags that communicate information.

BLACK NASCAR Flag: Come into the pits immediately for consultation. Normally, this flag is waved at an individual car, either because it has a mechanical problem or has broken a rule. Waved in combination with a red flag signals the end of a practice session.

BLACK WITH WHITE CROSS NASCAR Flag: Cars that refuse to acknowledge the black flag are shown this flag, which means NASCAR will no longer score them until they come into the pits for consultation.

BLUE WITH YELLOW STRIPE NASCAR Flag: Pay attention to your mirrors, because a faster car is approaching from behind. Contrary to popular opinion, this flag does not make it mandatory that slower cars must move over for the leader of the race. This flag gets a workout at tracks like Bristol and Martinsville, where traffic becomes a major factor.

YELLOW WITH RED VERTICAL STRIPES NASCAR Flag: Used only on road courses by corner workers, held or waved to signify debris or slippery conditions ahead.

Answer 9

You think your confused. So is NASCAR. For example at Atlanta when Jimmie Johnson pitted. If you remember his tire rolled out of his pit box before he left it. That is a "drive through penalty" which was never enforced. Jimmie just used his"Hendrick/France rule" which over-rules any and all rules set forth by NASCAR. Unfortunately only Hendrick drivers can use the "Hendrick/France rule". It comes into effect when big money is on the line for either person.

Answer 10

If you drive for Hendricks the you whine to the crew chief who inturn whines to NASCAR who says there is some object on the track and throws a caution,so in come the cars and the phantom object is picked up and all is fine and it is set for Hendricks to win.
That's all I have to say about that.