The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Newcomers → Black flag question (of course)
Ran my first Lemons last weekend in Buttonwillow and we had such a blast! The little NYPD Blue 323 ran like a champ and we no doubt pissed off half the pits. I've already apped for Thunderhill--fingers crossed!
What's the difference between an unfurled black flag shown to you and a rolled-up black flag pointing at you? I experienced both.
unfurled - you're driving like an idiot or something is wrong with your car, come to the pits
furled - stop driving like an idiot or we'll call you into the pits
FWIW Buttonwillow was the first time in my 5 Lemons races that I had heard a distinction between furled and unfurled black flags. I think it's a practice that they should adopt at all the races.
The flagging at BW was the best I have seen at any Lemons race so far.
The furled black flag has been used at both Stafford and CMP, I'm pretty sure it's a standard flagging procedure.
I've seen it at other racing venues, but did not see it used at the Lemons races at Altamont, Thunderhill, or Reno.
I'm pretty sure that they were doing the same thing at MSR-Houston this spring, but since we are all idiots and rookies, we didn't know the difference and came in on all of them, which led to a lot of head scratching by the judges ("why are you here?") and a lot of extra lost time for us. We'll know better next time.
Yep I came in three times only to be told the flags weren't for me. Even when they pointed the flags directly at me twice, with no other cars out there, I got told it wasn't for me. I'z rilly confuzled.
Once they showed an unfurled black flag at me, so I came in...sorry, wrong car
Once they pointed a rolled up black flag at me at two separate corner stations, so I came in...sorry, miscommunication they said.
Also once I was shown a black flag unfurled, pointed at me, and once I was shown a black flag unfurled, but they showed me the broadside of it. Is there a difference to that?
Everyone said the flagging was great but I kept getting called in for nothing or for errors on the judge's parts, so they said.
Sometimes it's hard to tell if it is you they are pointing it at, one of our drivers thought he was getting the flag, cause the the guy literally came out of his station and was waving it at him. It ended up being the car on the other side of him that they were trying to get. He came in, they were confused and sent him right back out. So yes it can be a little difficult to know if it's you or not. All I can say is that if you come around and see your numbers showing at the main flag station and the guy has the black flag in his hand you are busted!
Usually start will display a number board (at least at MSR) along with an unfurled black flag. This is a great way to know if you need to come in.
Usually start will display a number board (at least at MSR) along with an unfurled black flag. This is a great way to know if you need to come in.
We will definitely bear that in mind next time.
Usually start will display a number board (at least at MSR) along with an unfurled black flag. This is a great way to know if you need to come in.
Out here on the west coast, I have only seen that at Reno.
ViperX wrote:Usually start will display a number board (at least at MSR) along with an unfurled black flag. This is a great way to know if you need to come in.
Out here on the west coast, I have only seen that at Reno.
They did it at Buttonwillow, sometimes, I think the flag person at start got tired of pulling up the numbers all of the time. I don't think they were used to so many black flags during one race.:-)
The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Newcomers → Black flag question (of course)