Indy 500 Red Flag History

The Indy 500 has had a recent bout of red flag fever. Talking about the odd and sparse history of the use of the red flag at the Indy 500, NASCAR influence on the race and stoppages of the race through history.

#Indy500 #IndyCar #kylelarson

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[lucasesquivel]

1:36 racing was so dangerous back then that you could even get decapitated heading to victory lane 😅

[brendan_]

Red flags being used as a manipulative entertainment tool rather than a safety tool is as backwards as it gets in motorsports

[sunshinecoolwater]

There is a fine line between an exciting and entertaining finish and having cars covered with a tarp, if you get what I'm saying...

[lazier]

Very timely David. Thanks. Last years red flag use was unprecedented and hope they are more judicious with its use this year.

[jacobevenson]

My only issue with races ending under caution is if the caution came out with more than 8 or so laps to go and it ends the race. A rule that I'd love to see for NASCAR (and I think Indycar could possibly implement it too in some way) is if a caution comes out with more than lets say 4 to go, there is one guaranteed restart, and if the caution comes out after 4 to go, the race is over.

[tylerensminger]

I think IndyCar will continue with the current way of throwing the red until tragedy strikes. Then I think we will see a change again

[sunshinecoolwater]

Green, white checkers at Indy, is only inviting danger. This isn't NASCAR.

[timford]

Thank you for the link to doctor Indy's Main page. I am an avid follower of all things 500 and you've led me to a "Treasure Trove" of historically significant broad casts. I'm starting with some vintage (1980) recordings of 'The talk of Gasoline Alley", of course, hosted by the inimitable Indianapolis 500 Historian Emeritus, the great Donald Davidson. I can not tell you how much this find means to me. The 1950's through the early 1970's is, for me, the absolute "Golden Era of The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race." Thank you once again David. Your channel has the best coverage of IndyCar and, of course, "The 500" anywhere on YouTube, My hat's off to you Mr. Land!!!

[anthony]

One of your best video David. Excellent job on the history and how it all changed in the last 20 years. Particularly the NASCAR influence. I was disgusted by what happened the last 2 years with these red flag finishes.

[LessGo]

I remember vividly back in the 2020 Indy 500 when they “controversially” ended the race under yellow after the red flag for Pigot’s awful crash, a lot of people complained about it not restarting and ending under green. Now that Indycar tried doing a bs “end under green” finish last year, I hope it made them all learn that forcing a green flag finish is not necessarily worth it 😂

[TheSpeedracer]

The Indy 500 is too dangerous to use the red flag like this.

[anthonynonya]

This is my favorite source for Indy news and history. Love this channel.

[michaelhutchinson]

David! Thoroughly enjoy your YouTube channel. I’ve always prided myself on being an amateur Indy historian. Thought I knew all kinds of minutiae about the race history of rain delays, red flag’s etc. this particular post, is your finest! Donald Davidson, Robin Miller & Bob Jenkins would most definitely agree. Well done, my young friend!

[Bullypulpit]

Last year was embarrassing. If I see another late red, I'm not gonna bother watching the finish.

[joeljohnson]

I was hoping for a more comprehensive history of the red flag such as the 1964 race or the 1973 500 Salt Walther incident.

[thehourmarketer]

I believe if things were flipped (Newgarden 1st) then it wouldn’t have gone green

[DFSJR]

David, the Green, White, Checker if used at the 500 is just inviting a crash that could seriously injure or worst kill a driver. Look at NASCAR and races at Talladega or Daytona. How many times has the Green, White, Checker caused an even larger crash at those two tracks. There they are in full body stock cars, but In IndyCar with the vehicles massive speed I can only imagine the results of a huge NASCAR type pile up. Like I said I would hate for someone to get seriously hurt or killed just to have a green flag finish.

[BengtsonJ]

Once the 198th lap has commenced. No Red Flag should be used to ensure a Green Flag Finish.

[jacobboenzi]

NASCAR had a cutoff lap in the years before GWC. 5 laps to go was typically the point of no return and any caution after that meant the race would always end under yellow. If Indycar wants green flag finishes without extending the race distance, then they should adopt this rule.

As someone who attended last year's Indy 500, if the race had ended after that last yellow, I would have been bummed but still would've left the track satisfied. I don't believe finishes always define the quality of the race and I think we sometimes put too much emphasis on the finish. The 2015 Indycar race at Fontana is a great example. It ended under caution but the overall race was so amazing that most fans didn't care.

[WahDizzy]

I'm ok with using a red flag to get one last shot at a green flag finish; emphasis on one. I also think there should be a rule in place that dictates the last lap a red flag can be thrown that can be followed by a green to restart the race, probably around 2-3 to go. Otherwise just let the race finish under yellow to the scheduled distance. I'm so tired of the chaos that typically happens at the end of NASCAR races when they keep attempting the GWC.