Bottom Line... the TRACK OFFICIALS have to be in control of each race, NOT the DRIVERS!I think Brandon should have been black flagged, or told on his 1 way radio to pull in.....maybe he was told over the radio, and just ignored it? Maybe he thought he could hold on and transfer to the A?
However you look at it, the fact remains, Brandon has been driving sprinters long enough to know damn well he had a flat RR. He wiggled the car around a couple of times during the yellow, he had to have felt that the rear end was spongy and wallowing around.....plus he can see the LR to see it was up, and had to have felt the car leaning to the right. When he stepped on it to take the green, he had to have really known something was wrong.
Did the flagman, or the people in the tower force him run 3 laps with the flat? No. He is the one piloting the thing........
Case in point (if you want to disagree) ... let the drivers be in control and have a caution ...watch them position THEMSELVES for a re-start ... you'll have drivers side-by-side for 100 laps...
Also, it was NEVER broadcast over the raceceivers that the lead car had a flat ... period.
And, believe it or not, when you are strapped in one (a sprint car), you can't usually pinpoint a problem ... Brandon knew something was wrong, yet most likely didn't know it was a flat RR ... and he was leading ... he wasn't gonna give that away without being told ...
Once again, thankfully there was not a disaster ... this time ...