The GCR and You

[jjjanos]

I would suggest that the bigger question is why they did not get the dead car off track sooner. They should have thrown a full course caution and sent out the tow truck right away. I did not like the position of the disabled car at all.

Because the disabled car is not on course. It is in the grass. For me the bigger question is why they moved it at all. One lap standing yellow and let the folks race. The car was in a low probability impact zone and putting an EV out there with people only increases the likelihood of someone getting injured.

Why the standing yellow at S/F? There's no incident between S/F and Turn 1. That particular incident was half-way to turn 3! They've shutdown 20% of the course for a freaking hot pull in the grass.

Why the waving at turn 1? Waving denotes a condition that warrants extreme caution. Unneeded escalation of the flag condition teaches drivers to ignore the flags.

I recognize that each sanctioning body has its own rules, but those two flags conveyed incorrect information to the drivers. And that's all a flag is... information. It doesn't protect flaggers or EV volunteers.

What can be more simple than:
Waving = paving. Something is on the pavement that will damage your car. You may need to adjust your line. Use extreme caution.
Standing = grass. Keep your car on the road and everybody will be OK. Use caution.

[mlytle]

this was not an scca event.

i suspect the yellow at s/f and waving yellow at t1 were because so many folks had blown off the yellow at T1 already. i would much rather have that than a full course or black flag.

the car off was kinda right after track out for t2. i have seen cars go off there and run up the grass right where the car was parked. good call getting it out of the way.

[jjjanos]

i suspect the yellow at s/f and waving yellow at t1 were because so many folks had blown off the yellow at T1 already. i would much rather have that than a full course or black flag.

How'd that work out for them? Based on the video, not so good. As a flagger, I'm against things like this. I display the flags and it's up to the drivers to obey/show situational awareness. One or two cars blowing the flag, OK.. we'll let the stewards handle it. Widespread ADD... I'm going with "Control this is 1. The driver's are ignoring my standing yellow and over-driving the course condition. I would like a FCY." Most stewards will toss the FCY for a request like that, especially if they know the flagger.

As a driver, I'm OK with that. Give me the opportunity to race until we collectively misbehave.

the car off was kinda right after track out for t2. i have seen cars go off there and run up the grass right where the car was parked. good call getting it out of the way.

"Control, we can leave the car there, nobody ever goes off there." - Anonymous SP flagger for a car sitting on the berm between turn 8 station and registration building. (Back in the corner where the woods start)

"Control this is 8. We just had an unknown car go off driver's right and impact the car on the berm. We'll need a second tiltbed." -Anonymous SP flagger about 45 second later.

"There's no safe place at a race track." - S. Wantland

There are varying degrees of comfort. I've spent many weekends flagging T1/T2 and wouldn't have asked for a hot tow for that car. IMO, the increased risk of having an EV with vols exposed outweighs the risk of someone hitting that car. YMMV.