Open Discussion involving Race starts

Ken,
When I was out at turn 6 this year (observing a novice race), the flaggers tried to explain the purpose of the white flag following the last of the grid. They thought it was ridiculous, and never could make the explanation sound useful to me as a driver. Just sounds like pointless extra work for the flaggers.

Jeff,
Please don't suggest that--if we have to be gridded up by the entrance to the back straight, we'll never get enough heat in the tires to start with and the heat that's there will start to cool as we proceed at slow speed. Turn one will be a nightmare of sliding into each other. PIR is, for me, one of the hardest to get enough heat in my tires.
Getting gridded up shouldn't be that hard. Just stop scrubbing tires, have the lead person of each pair wave the other forward into position (lets him/her know the scrubbing has stopped), and stay close to those ahead of you. We're racers. We're supposed to process and react quickly. We should be able to do that within the brake zone to 10 and be looking pretty for 10, 11 and 12. :)
 
Karen Stimson said:
We should be able to do that within the brake zone to 10 and be looking pretty for 10, 11 and 12. :)
Click to expand...

This was my thought as well. And we should be gridding up on our way up the hill from 7 (or even 6) to 8 in Seattle, nicely formed 2-by-2 by the time we go through 9.
 
As one of the privileged few at the back of a rather usually large group (2) I must say that the Pace Lap can be rather frustrating. IMHO a "brisk" pace must be done at the start in order to get all the cars out of Pre-grid in a timely fashion and not have to sit there and stew. Then it must be slowed enough to allow us at the tail to catch up without going all-out and running into the butt of the one in front of us who checks up suddenly when the field slows down. All of this is going to depend on the footprint on the track and on the number of cars. I think Jon for CSCC does a pretty good job setting the pace overall. It is not a skill one learns right away.

As far as staying in line until after crossing the start/finish line... good luck with that.
 
Karen Stimson said:
........ the flaggers tried to explain the purpose of the white flag following the last of the grid.....
Click to expand...

The theory is, cars that are already 'caught up' with the Pace Car do NOT need a warning that the Pace Car is in front of them as they are already fully aware.

The WHITE after the initial closed up group goes by is to 'alert' closing cars that the Pace "PACK" is one station in front of them.... close with caution...

Not so tough...... really, even small minds such as mine 'get it'.

Is it a 'good change'? At least my opinion could go either way... How do the DRIVERS feel? Have they noticed the change from the cockpit??
 
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To be specific, I think we are speaking of the following concept/description of...

<Please to excuse some formatting for my small mind to read what I'm trying to explain to an 18 YO kid that's just now trying to 'get it'.>

1501 B. White Flag1. Steady: Slow competitor is on the course. First lap of any practice session to be standing white at all manned stations. Pass with caution.(Spring 2011)

(a) Displayed at a turn station previous to a waving white flag.

2. Waved: **Emergency vehicle is travelling through or may be
stopped beyond this station. Pass with extreme caution.**

3. Pace Car: ***Waving white flags will follow the last car in the
main group. (Spring 2011)***

-and, lest we forget the other time we use a Pace Car procedure someplace, it should go something like this-

1501.C.4. Double Yellow: Displayed at all turn stations. Indicates full course yellow with the imminent deployment of the Pace Car
during a race.

(a) Where local conditions do not allow racing to continue, the Pace Car will enter the circuit and lead the competitors around in a single file at reduced speed. Every station around the circuit will display the double yellow flag.

A waving yellow flag will be displayed previous to the incident(s).

In addition, the Starter shall display a signreading “Pace Car” until the race is slowed behind the Pace Car.

**A waving white flag will be displayed at the turn station preceding emergency vehicles and/or the Pace Car on the track, backed up with a steady white flag at the previous turn station.**

No car shall pass the pace car, except when directed to pass by an Official in the Pace Car. The Official in the Pace Car may wave cars by until the leader is behind the Pace Car. When conditions permit, the Pace Car will exit the track and the Starter will permit the race to continue with a green flag. All cars shall hold their position until the green flag is displayed.

-end transmission-

Thank you for your indulgence. That is what the 'book' sez.

Scenario--

My station is on dbl yellow, but the incident is at the next station so they are waving yellow. The Safety vehicles have arrived so they go waving white also.

My station is standing white to back up the waving white... here comes the pace car.

The previous station is waving white (and dbl yellow) as the Pace Car goes by. The previous station is waving white(for the field)/dbl yellow, with the previous to that maybe standing to back it up (field size??) How many stations is that 'waving whites' now?

My station upgrades our standing white to a waving as the Pace Car goes by. The previous station is still waving as the pack as not cleared the plane of territory, then downgrades to standing as the last car of the field goes past.

Myh station can down grade to standing white remaining as back up to the station that may still have Safety vehicles... remember the Safety vehicles? That includes the Pace Car now, and the rest of the pack.

My arm gets tired just over-thinking it so much.

pretty long_legs_waving_the_checkered_flag.jpg

IT'S SO PRETTY!!​

These regulations are the foundation, if not root, of our operational procedures.

You're right to ask Richard. Who's really paying attention enough to notice from the cockpit?

Get it? Sometimes I'm not sure I do completely, but I continue to try to have fun in an attempt to make some sense of it.
 
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All? Not necessarily.

They do make some very nice "danskin" style Nomax undies that may serve. Think Seven-of-Nine.

But I digress...
 
Re-tread the thread?

I did stop short of posting a provocative, yet tasteful example of my topic. Some credit there, Steve. After some time with humans she softened up.

Wanna talk about green flags on turns to indicate a clear track beyond that station (which includes the Starter stand)?

Another thread perhaps.

JZ trailer tire.jpg

If this one's gone flat.​
 
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