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I have my first SCCA school in Oct. and wanted to know if anyone knows where I can see what each flag looks like for study. Maybe somewhere online? They are explained well in the GCR, but I am more of a visual person and would like to actually see them to prepare for the class.
Thanks guys
See the GCR for the definitions:
Green Flag: Solid Green
Surface aka: Debris or oil http://www.flagman.com/pictures/debrislg.jpg
Yellow flag: Solid Yellow
Black Flag: http://www.flagman.com/pictures/blackflaglg.jpg
Mechanical black flag (Meatball): http://www.flagman.com/pictures/meatballlg.jpg
Passing Flag (faster car behind you): http://www.flagman.com/pictures/PASSLG.jpg
Red Flag: Solid red flag. The image won't link
White Flag: Solid white
And of course the checker: http://www.flagman.com/pictures/24checkeredlg.jpg
Images are from: http://www.flagman.com
Ah I see. Thanks Jason, much appreciated!
Chewy,
Just a couple of notes about the flags that you may or may not know. If the yellow is "standing" (not being waved) then there is something off of the surface past the flag. If it is waving, then there is something ON the surface. If it is being waved vigorously, if the flagger is jumping up-and-down, etc. prepare for significant track blockage.
In regard to the blue flag, the way that it is displayed will often let you know the seriousness of your situation.
In regard to the black flag, if it shown to you furled, it is a warning and you don't need to pit. If it is waved to you or shown standing, it will be accompanied with a sign with your car number.
This is stuff you probably already know, but just in case you don't...............
Scott
F&C
IT7 and SPU
Oh, forgot one point. When you see the red flag (and you will at one or both of your schools), DO NOT make a panic stop!! I almost collected someone in my school when the red flew and I saw two folks almost get collected when I was working at another school. Come to a quick, yet controlled stop, preferably close to the next/nearest flag station. If there are a group of you in close proximity, pull to the same side of the road (preferably, the side that the flag station is on). If this red flag is real, EV will be coming, possibly at high speed. Don't make it harder for them to get to where they need to go. Do not continue until you get communication from the flag station.
Scott
Good explanation, Scott. Particularly that on the red flag. I've seen some stupid stuff done at schools when the red was thrown. Things that got the student chewed, at best, and things that got him failed.
Also, heads up on a white flag. Until you see it, you don't know whether it's a slow moving race car or an EV of some sort. Usually, an EV will be covered by a yellow flag at the preceding corner, but not necessarily.
If the EV is leaving the incident, yes, but not if it's approaching the incident. If you see a white flag, someone on the corner is worried, so drivers should be vigilant. The EV drivers are pretty darned quick in those big monsters they drive, but you'll still close pretty quickly on them in most IT cars. Slow race cars tend to get off the track and into the runoff area ... well, most of them do. :-)Quote:
Also, heads up on a white flag. Until you see it, you don't know whether it's a slow moving race car or an EV of some sort. Usually, an EV will be covered by a yellow flag at the preceding corner, but not necessarily.
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Also, I've encountered some situations where the EV or slow cars wasn't covered with a white very far behind the car. On the corners, we like to cover them for the two corners behind them, but you can get caught out when the flags are going out or coming in.
And no matter what the color of the flag, watch the flagger's body language. You'll be able to tell how worried they are with a quick glance. :-)
Oh, and on the red flag stop, you should be in sight of at least one manned corner station when you stop, if at all possible. That'd be tough on at some tracks, in some spots, but do it if you can. No need to drive right up to the station, but being able to see flag and hand signals from the station will be a great help.
All this reminds me of the Friday night session at my school. The instructor is covering flags, showing each one and asking for its meaning.
When he holds up the blue flag, someone says 'passing flag'. The instructor says what it really means is that, when the corner shows you this flag: 'There's a race going on here, and you're not in it'.
:P
Go to this site:
http://home.earthlink.net/~mrmo/
Read everything about F&C, including the hand signals. You don't need to memorize them, but it sure helps to know them when an F&C worker is giving you signals from afar.
(BTW, the numbers are the hardest to remember... :D )
And Mo has some pretty awesome maps that are hard to come by for an SEDiv track or two. Wish I'd had this map of the road course at Lowe's prior to going.
Scott
PS In regard to hand signals, make sure you know "Fire" (if you don't, we'll usually wave a fire bottle at you!), "need help", "need lots of help, NOW!", and "driver OK". Flat tow vs. Tilt bed is a good one, too.
Though you didn't ask for it...
The other big mistake that I see at drivers school is hesitation when there is an emergency vehicle moving on course. If the vehicle is moving on course and is being covered with a white flag, pass him, but do so safely. Typically, if it is a rescue truck, there will be someone in the bed that points to which side you should pass. Otherwise, the vehicle typically hugs one side of the course, so pass on the other.
One thought with regard to stopping for any reason when on course. Do so at a corner station! I responded to an S2000, the lola kind not the Honda kind, that was on fire on the front straight at Road Atlanta back in the 80's. The driver pulled off, drivers right about half way down the straight. There was noone inside turn 12. That was going to be a long run for the Turn #1 guys to reach him. I was working the pits, got clearance from race control to jump the fence and got a point when I could cross the track and put out the fire, but if not, the car would have burned to the ground before the guy from turn 1 got to him.
On Memorial day at Kershaw, I blew a head gasket badly. When I saw the smoke in the mirrors and it started to come into the cockpit, I drove to the next corner station and stopped directly in front of the station. They litterally didn't have to move to ask me what the problem was. I asked them if I was on fire, and they said no. I asked them where I needed to push the car to, and they showed me and helped me. This beats the heck out of making them run 100+ yards with a heavy fire extinguisher.
Make it easy for them to help you, when you can!
Mike
At my school at Summit Point, I saw the white flag coming out of the esses. Coming out of turn 8 saw the EV ahead to the left side of the track. I took a line to put me on the right side and caught the EV right under the bridge, where it made a sudden right turn in front of me to get to pit in. I hit the brakes and went around to the left and learned a lesson. When approaching an EV near pit-in or any other emergency access road be ready for the sudden change in direction.