Purple flag! Now what? | Code 35 in action at Daytona

Trouble on track? Some race officials now have another option in their toolbox: the purple flag.

ChampCar is one group that has adopted the Code 35 flag–purple in color and branded with “35” in the middle of a circle.

From ChampCar’s rulebook about this relatively new flag:

“Maintain 35 mph. No passing. Maintain interval between you and the car ahead. …

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That car looks alot better than it did at the end of the race.

jmabarone said:

That car looks alot better than it did at the end of the race.

Ugh, that bad?

I noticed that a friend’s car was no longer on track, so I sent a text asking what was up.

His reply: Sometimes you’re the bug. 

And hope you all appreciate the photo. I didn’t grab a vest, so that was taken with the camera perched atop the new, taller-than-ever chain link fence while I used the Force to aim it. The sun more or less turned the purple flag pink. 

David S. Wallens said:

jmabarone said:

That car looks alot better than it did at the end of the race.

Ugh, that bad?

I noticed that a friend’s car was no longer on track, so I sent a text asking what was up.

His reply: Sometimes you’re the bug. 

And hope you all appreciate the photo. I didn’t grab a vest, so that was taken with the camera perched atop the new, taller-than-ever chain link fence while I used the Force to aim it. The sun more or less turned the purple flag pink. 

Not TOO bad but some front end and rear end damage.  I was coming into the bus stop when a car blew its engine.  There was enough crap on the track to make me just go straight on around the tires.  I was about halfway through when I heard screeching tires so I gunned it to get through quickly.  

Race control notes said at least 6 cars involved in the incident.  

In reply to jmabarone :

Ugh. 

So it's a Code 60, but in imperial?

It's amusing they made the change.

jmabarone said:

David S. Wallens said:

jmabarone said:

That car looks alot better than it did at the end of the race.

Ugh, that bad?

I noticed that a friend’s car was no longer on track, so I sent a text asking what was up.

His reply: Sometimes you’re the bug. 

And hope you all appreciate the photo. I didn’t grab a vest, so that was taken with the camera perched atop the new, taller-than-ever chain link fence while I used the Force to aim it. The sun more or less turned the purple flag pink. 

Not TOO bad but some front end and rear end damage.  I was coming into the bus stop when a car blew its engine.  There was enough crap on the track to make me just go straight on around the tires.  I was about halfway through when I heard screeching tires so I gunned it to get through quickly.  

Race control notes said at least 6 cars involved in the incident.  

I was wondering what happened at the end of the race. That sucks. 

I probably wouldn't mind the C35 as much if it wasn't employed ever 2-3 laps like it was at Daytona. That might be egregious but in my two stints I felt like I maybe got 6-7 clean laps in. 

I think at Road Atlanta there was almost 4 hours of combined C35/Yellow/Red Flag time :(

In reply to DirtyBird222 :

Too much silliness on track or too eager to throw the flag(s)?

David S. Wallens said:

In reply to DirtyBird222 :

Too much silliness on track or too eager to throw the flag(s)?

I think it's a combination of both. I know this process is in its infancy so it'll take some time to sort out the efficiency and nuances. 

I feel like at Road Atlanta and Daytona a lot of the C35s could have just been local yellows. We got caught up in the system going purple->yellow->green->yellow early in the race and black flagged for apparently passing under yellow. I think the system is wonderful to be honest, just needs to be fleshed out.  

Only tangentially related to this but worth sharing: If I’m properly reading a FB post, a college friend’s sister’s son was also driving in that Daytona race. 

Guess it is better than a Code Brown. . .. .    :-)