yellow flags?

Question

Why count laps under yellow? ( I've raced for many years on local dirt tracks, so racing is not new to me.) Me and many of my friends do get why NASCAR counts yellow laps. If they were green laps, wouldnt we see less of those stupid green white checkers? Isnt it a 500 mile or lap "race"? Can't pass under yellow, so it seems kinda silly to count the laps, doesnt it? I think the racing would be so much better without yellow flag pit stops as well.

sound s like everyone wants a shorter race... so why is that they need to race freakin 500 laps when at the end the caution comes out and everone is all back together.. shorten the race then!!!!!! many times i just tune in for the last 10 or 20 laps

for all you geniuses out there...do you really think that counting yellow laps saves hours? maybe a 1/2 an hour to an hour at most. do the math (MPH, Lap times,ect.....)

Answer 1

This has been the law in nascar for nearly 30 years. Your asking them to change something that has worked for so long and very good. The only change I would like to see is on restarts, put the lead lap cars on the inside, not the outside. I feel this would make for better racing among the top 10 cars. They would't have to fight thier way around people like R Gordon and K wallace.

Answer 2

I can't say I disagree with you but when there is a 500 lap or 500 mile race then that is what it is. Period.
When you go to your local short track they may just count green flag laps but your talking maybe a 30 lap feature.
I road racing they put a lap amount and a time limit on there races.
I do think though when NASCAR reaches there distance that they are to run it should be over and get rid of the stupid green white checker too.
There are a few fans out there that don't understand that there is so much strategy that goes into getting to that last lap and when it is pushed into extra laps for a few newbies it takes some drivers right out of the race. Hopefully it will be there driver too.
I say leave it alone there have been way to many changes in NASCAR as it is in the last 6 years. It is just about un-watchable now because you can't keep up with the new rules they seem to dream up.

Answer 3

If a race is 30 laps or so, then caution laps are not counted. The fans paid money to see as advertised a 30-lap (15 mile) feature race on a half mile track.

In a 500-mile race, a fan has purchased a ticket to see which driver can finish the "distance" first. It doesn't matter if parts of the distance was at 60 mph or 160 mph.

Tuning in to see the last 20 laps is akin to catching the winning score in a football game, but you missed the "game" filled with great plays, setbacks, all the drama possibly including the the winning drive.

Consider that a driver can score bonus points for leading a caution lap. Why? Because it's a lap that is part of the advertised race distance.

Besides in a short race on a short track among short track racers if caution laps counted, the whole "race" could conceivably be run under caution at which point the promoter would face demands for money back.

Answer 4

If the socalled gas crunch keeps on then the races would be shortened by 100 miles(happened in the 70's).
But as for the yellows.When I raced in the 70's the short tracks I run at the rule was yellows did not count on any event under 50 laps.If an event was 100 or more then the laps counted(Saturday night races in the south and the "blue Laws" at the time we had to be finished by midnight at some tracks".
As for in CUP yes cout the yellows so the drivers have a breather during the heat.

Answer 5

Caution laps have always counted in NASCAR point races. It's just a way to keep the race moving. If they didn't count them, races would go on for HOURS. Local tracks do not always count yellow flag laps because most of their races are shorter, sprint style races. But then, you should already know that if you are a racer, huh?

Answer 6

I was thinking about that same thing earlier today and once I really though about it I think NASCAR has it right.

Races are long enough as it is. It would turn 4 hour races into 5+. Imagine the Coca Cola 600. It is easy to do in a 20-30 lap dirt race, but harder to do with a national TV audience. You really need to try and have a general time frame of when the race will end. I don't think it would do anything to end the green, white, checkers.

Also, it would make more races be won or lost on fuel milage and I don't want that either!

If we get rid of anything let it be the "lucky dog". You should have to race you way back onto the lead lap.

Answer 7

It's a time thing. Don't count caution laps, a 500 mile/lap race could last 12 hours theoretically. TV wouldn't like that. That's also why they sometimes start a race under yellow after a rain delay.

Answer 8

The yellow flag the forged yellow flag, or warning flag, universally demands drivers to decelerate with the aid of a risk on the song. even with the undeniable fact that, the recommendations for showing the yellow flag variety for various racing types and sanctioning bodies. In formulation One racing, a yellow flag displayed on the starter's stand or a marshal station shows that there is a risk downstream of the station. the way of demonstrate relies upon on the region of the risk: A single table certain flag denotes a risk off the direction A single waved flag denotes a risk on the racing floor itself 2 flags waved concurrently denotes a risk that completely or in part blocks the racing floor. This informs the driving force to coach to offer up, if needed. whilst shown at a station, drivers are prohibited from passing until the two the risk or the subsequent flag station showing a eco-friendly flag (signifying the tip of a cautionary section) is handed. This flag is shown on the discretion of the marshals manning the station. A double table certain flag, or a yellow flag observed with the aid of a “SC” sign denotes an entire-direction yellow, requiring using a protection motor vehicle. which means every physique racing on the circuit ought to quit and drivers ought to decelerate, carry place and stick to any protection autos that have been dispatched. Passing different autos is exactly prohibited, until no longer passing might create a protection risk. In NASCAR and IndyCar sequence, a single yellow flag waved from the starter's stand places the race below warning. right now a %. motor vehicle will enter the direction and lead the sector at a secure predetermined velocity. At those races, yellow flashing lighting fixtures are many times used to complement the widespread flag on the commencing up/end line. the sector is locked into place on the commencing up of a warning era and no person is allowed to bypass yet another motor vehicle without mutual consent (different than for crashed and motionless autos). In some races, nevertheless, autos might bypass one yet another on the pit street during a warning era.

Answer 9

I would like for them not to count near the end of the race, say within the last 20 laps or so not count yellow flag laps.

Answer 10

I think they should count caution laps, but only due to time constraints. As far as restarts, they should all be single-file, with no 'tail end of the lead lap' cars up front. Line 'em up behind the pace car in their actual running order.

BTW....They count caution laps in road racing too.