Unless the “Lucky Dog” rule is applicable, any driver who passes the safety car is subject to NASCAR penalties. Also, the aforementioned rule is not applicable in the last 10 laps of the race. The exception from that rule is when the driver is one lap down as a result of a penalty handed by the race officials or mechanical problems. Under the “Lucky Dog” rule, the first driver a lap down to the leaders is allowed to unlap himself when the caution comes out. Under yellow flag, no driver is allowed to pass the safety car unless specifically instructed by the NASCAR officials. This flag is also waved if an emergency vehicle is on the track or if a slight drizzle or heavy rain starts pouring down the racetrack (as known, NASCAR racing is forbidden under rainy conditions). Therefore, the officials will wave the yellow flag for preventable purposes also. Also, there are situations like the one at the Atlanta Motor Speedway (during the 2009 Kobalt Tools 500) when a tire from the pits is approaching the racetrack and could cause a racing incident. There are a considerable amount of things that can force the officials to deploy the pace car, from a severe crash as a result of a racing incident to an animal being spotted on the track or nearby. The pace car is immediately deployed by the race officials, and all drivers are obliged to stay behind it until the car returns to the pits. Yellow Flag When they are waved the yellow flag, all NASCAR drivers are warned that an unusual or hazardous situation is awaiting them on the track and that they should slow down.

The green flag is used during both oval and road-course events for all NASCAR-sanctioned series. In both cases, the NASCAR drivers are informed that they are allowed to resume racing on track. Either at the beginning of the race, after the formation laps, or after a caution has ended. The green flag is waved by the race officials on two occasions.

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