Today, racecar drivers are still referred to as chauffeurs. Perched on cane-bottom rocking chairs they watched from the hotel’s verandah wagers were placed in proportion to egos. These wealthy Northeasterners became auto racing’s first sponsors when owners pitted their chauffeur-driven cars against one another on the hard beach. Pictures still exist of horse racing and automobile racing on the beach. At their large public meals a briskly-waved checkered tablecloth of the era, signaled food was ready to be served and the horse racing competitions should come quickly to an end.Īs the automobile replaced the horse, another story holds that in the early days of racing on dirt tracks, the contrasting colors of the checkerboard pattern made it easy to see, especially in a dirty dusty environment – the perfect flag for the finish line.īy the late 1800’s, the Ormond Beach Hotel (ten miles north of Daytona Beach), had become the vacationing spot of wealthy Northeasterners escaping the cold. Stories most often credit settlers of the American Midwest with the origin of the checkered flag. The horse culture of the American Indians certainly provided for competition, and required something for concluding it. But, why is it checkered and why does it stand for the finish of a race? Stories, but they are just that – stories – about the checkered flag’s origin vary from French bicycle racing in the mid 1800’s, to naval flags used in ship-to-ship communication, or flag communication on the railways. Very possibly, its appropriateness is so rooted to the sport of automobile racing, its life span, measured in short-tenths-of-a-second, becomes unnoticed – unnoticed because instantly after it is waved, and rightfully so, focus shifts elsewhere. What is the answer to the brainteaser? The one driving flag that stands out above others. The racing driver has information and command flags: black with an orange dot, blue with a diagonal yellow stripe, red, white, green. More symbols are prominently visible at the track – the US flag, the state flag, sponsor flags, direction flags. Some are well-recognized international symbols, joined through marketing to winning performances: Red Bull, Rolex, the Goodyear blimp, Coca-Cola, and many more.
There are many symbols throughout racing. Dropped only once, with just anticipation of its falling, it can bring a crowd to its feet. What is black and white all over and not read until the end? It is a universally recognized symbol for “racing” and “performance.” Its importance is absolutely critical to competition. I'll leave it to him to explain this interesting mystery. Paul Dickinson covers a topic that I hadn't previously put much thought into, but then wondered about.
Time for a little history lesson, along with solving a mystery.
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