Skip to main content

Honor the Agreement Caution-Flag Racing

On three occasions this season a driver has violated NASCAR's
so-called "gentlemen's agreement," the unwritten rule that
drivers not race to the caution flag. The agreement is intended
to prevent dueling under dangerous track conditions by drivers
trying to improve their positions before crossing the
start-finish line to take the yellow flag.

When everyone acts like, well, a gentleman, the deal works
famously. But because not all drivers do--most recently, Robby
Gordon ignored the agreement at Sonoma--it's time for the GA to
go the way of the dodo, an idea endorsed by an increasing number
of drivers. NASCAR should either freeze the order of the field at
the time of the caution (race officials claim they don't have the
technology to do this) or have the field revert to the order in
which they were running at the end of the last full green-flag lap.

"Guys racing through accidents to get their laps back is a
terrifying possibility," says Benny Parsons. "If no changes are
made, the potential for disaster is there."