What does Black flag in NASCAR mean?

Much like Formula 1, a black flag in NASCAR signals a driver to immediately come into the pits for an on-track offense. The infraction can range from illegal maneuvers to blocking or reckless driving and would require the drivers to pit their cars under five laps.

However, the flag doesn't necessarily mean a disqualification, as it does in F1. Sometimes, the black flag may be waved to bring in a driver riding under the minimum vehicle speed, which may cause grave danger for the rest of the field. If the issue is fixed in the pits, they're allowed to rejoin the race.

Such a predicament happened with Kyle Busch in his 2008 Truck Series start at Dover International Raceway. He was leading the field for 96 laps from the race start but had to be black-flagged when his No.51 Toyota blew up smoke. His team was able to fix a faulty transmission and send him back on track, 19 laps behind the lead pack. Busch could only make up two laps and ultimately finished 17 laps behind.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: AAA Insurance 200 - Source: Imagn

A black flag with a white cross, however, means an immediate disqualification. The flag is typically waved when a driver doesn't heed the initial black flag and continues racing. The black flag is also known as the 'consultation flag', as the driver will meet with NASCAR officials and discuss their violations and if it necessitates a penalty.

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NASCAR updates its rulebook on driver weight

NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass shared a recent update regarding driver weight regulations. The amended rules now enforce unannounced weigh-ins for drivers throughout the season, instead of the usual single assessment before the season starts. Any change to the driver weight will result in a new 'baseline weight' that alters the vehicle minimums accordingly.

NASCAR modified rule book on vehicle weight as far as driver weight — driver weight determines minimum vehicle weight. Drivers get weighed typically prior to season. Now it looks like they will get weighed multiple times to keep them from trying to add weight for a weigh-in," Pockrass wrote via X.

The updated rule book also had provisions for a tolerance level with weight changes.

A driver will be allotted +/- 3% of their baseline weight during reweighs. This tolerance will be calculated using the same rounding technique as used for their weight bracket. If a driver's weight falls outside of this tolerance and changes their baseline weight bracket, a new baseline driver weight bracket will be established," the revised NASCAR rulebook reads.

The move is intended to ensure any malpractice with altering vehicle weight. For instance, adding driver weight before the season began would result in reduced vehicle weight throughout the season.