Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
Moderators:  /  David Smith Jr

I tried my hardest

LOL!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks Easy But I'd Like to See You Try It!!!

There is another flag that most circuits use that have 25+ vehicles on the course to signal a participant of a mechanical or other reason to bring them to Hot Pit Road for a visit with the Pit Steward or Race Ref. It is called the Meatball Flag, Black with a large Red/Orange ball in the center.

It is used in conjunction with a Lap Board, which displays the Number of the vehicle being flagged to be brought to the Hot Pit Road. Lessens the excuse that the participant did not know who the flag was for. It is shown to the entire field around the offending vehicle in most cases.

Used for a stop and go due to a foul jumpstart, most this form of racing does not penalize the entire field of racers or the entire grandstand of fans due to one participants infraction.

I could see where this would work in moto cross, But IMO it would never work in stock car or sprint car racing.

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

Not sure where Moto Cross came in the discussion? I have never seen such a flag used in Moto Cross, they rarely use caution Yellow flags yet alone a Red or a Debris or a Meatball. Majority of the engines used in MX for decades were two stroke, which smoked by design, and they are not concerned with fluid spills on their course, rougher and wetter the better for them, they run Knobby Tires.

Meatball flags are used alot on road courses, and other asphalt tracks, for both four wheel and two wheel racing vehicles. Karts, Cars, Trucks, Formula 1, FIA, FIM, AMA, CCS, WERA, and FUSA motorcycle road racing etc.

Meatball flags are used mainly on asphalt tracks, oval, road course etc. or on a hard grove track where flat designs of tires are used. Meatball flags are used where fluid spills could affect the traction on the race surface, such as from a water leak or oil spill problem from a liquid cooled powerplant.

Majority of race sanctions rules provide for fines for oil downs and leaking coolants or water on racetracks.

Makes way more sense to get the offending vehicle off the racing surface as soon as possible, rather than waiting for it to pass by start/finish to see a black flag. Meatball Flags and Black Flags can be used at all corner stations on any racetrack, and should be for utmost safety. Pretty simple for Race Control to radio to corner X to display the Meatball Flag to vehicle # Y. On 1/2 miles and mile ovals the time is longer for each lap to complete, so there is ample time. On 1/4 miles or smaller it is a moot point.

Not much difference in down time for oil on asphalt or on a clay track should the event occur. Best to have the flag and board ready to prevent the problem from happening. Also saves lots of money by getting the vehicle off the course as soon as possible to avoid further damage to the engine.

Fans always appreciate a penality by paper or a flag, other than being punished to re-group the entire field nose to tail for 5 to 15 minutes under caution, making pointless laps around the circuit in order to place the offender at the tail of the field. Much eaiser to just make the offender perform a simple slow and go or stop and go if a clutch is available penalty and keep the green flag out and the races happening.

I personally hate yellow caution flags, nothing more boring to me than sitting through cautions and the line up dance of the infield wokers attempting to get the vehicles in the proper order. Anything that can avoid using a caution flag is good as far as I am concerned.

The FIA and FIM make most of the original rules, engine spec rules and other basic rules which are modified for racing in the U.S.A. International World Rules authority.

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/Pages/HomePage.aspx

FIA

http://www.fim-live.com/en/

FIM

Sorry AMP... moto cross was the first thing that come to mind. Don't really know about the meatball flag, sounds like it would go with a good meat sauce LOL! But it sounds like in some types of racing it would work out for the good of the show.

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

Actually, due to this discussion, "Meatball" has become a nick name for one of our weekly Round Table Lunch participants.

Clue, two of the lunch Round Table folks are race series promoters, one is a famous painter, one is a wheelsmith, and another is a race suit designer. One of the participats gave another the "Meatball" nick name. Any guess to who "Meatball" is?

You?

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

Nope, I am not the one that gave the nickname or got it. Two other people in the group.

Man-o-man, I thought it was CLEAR and SIMPLE. If you are shown the Blue / Yellow Flag (move over / hold your line) however you perceive it means; the LEAD lap cars are coming and you are going a Lap down so stay the.......out of their way.

Seriously, if you go (1) one lap down in any class of Dirt Car Racing your chances of Winning or even placing in the top (5) five are slim to none. And at best if all of the competition "crashes out" your best bet is a top 5 finish. Because, the Leaders are not likely to make "Rookie" mistakes(Remember you are a Lap Down on the field.)

This is in general for all classes..... we all know that the "TOP DOGS" sometimes have a off night. But they too should honour the decision and drive respectively.

You are right Allen, to those cars that just putt putt around and that are always in the way go and hire a driver to drive the damn thing, sell it or go play golf.

And the biggest thing to add to your point is the if the blue and yellow flag needs to be used and understood but it is not so thats why we still have a cluster _ _ _ _ !!!!!

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"