When NASCAR first started out 60 years ago, how did driver and crew chief communicate?

Question

Surely they didn't have the scanner devices back then that they have now. Did they use CB's or what?

Answer 1

Hot dang, a question that has nothing to do with Busch/Dale Jr! TY,TY, TY!!!!!! It was hand signals & chalk boards like the others have said. They also smoked cigars and cigarettes while they drove too. Again, Thanks, a breath of fresh air!

Answer 2

I have seen something about this before when they was talking about the history of nascar, they use to use hand signals and they use to use chalkboards to write things down on. (My thing is I'm not sure how you are going to be able to read a chalkboard going that fast, but it worked somehow.)

Answer 3

Hand signals.

Answer 4

they had chalk and boards and also hand gestures... some times if the driver put his hand on the roof it meant it was loose, or something to the affect but yeah chalk and boards... i watch that back in the day show so i know that for sure and the hand gestures i vaguely remember them talking about

Answer 5

most used chalkboards

there were reports that one owner used two tow trucks at each end of daytona and used the radios in the tow trucks to communicate

Answer 6

The driver would touch the roof of the car if he was "loose".If he was tight he would put his had on the door.

The crew cheif would use a slate board(pit Board) and ackowledge this.And would also use the boaed to have the driver to pit for tires,gas or repair.

Answer 7

Hand signals and boards.........I saw something a couple-few years back on it and they were showing real quick what some of the hand signals were..........hand up was loose, hand down pushing or sumthin like that.......great question!!!!

Answer 8

Hand signs and chalk boards

Answer 9

Mental telepathy

Answer 10

Smoke signals and telegraph......I think.

Answer 11

wow this is a great question uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

chalk or hand signals

Answer 12

Hand signals.  Touching the roof meant tight and touching the door meant loose (or vice versa)

Answer 13

They used chalk board and hand signals, I use to remember my dad talking about the communication, but they did just fine back in the day, even I remember the chalk boards, and heck I even remember the stop watches, no computers, or fancy scanners..

Go Dale Jr & Hms

Answer 14

Smoke signals to the crew chief.

(Blown engines n shredded tires)

Hand signals to the other drivers

(use you imagination)

Answer 15

They used two soup cans, and a long piece of string connecting them together.....

Answer 16

Slate and chalk, I believe.

Answer 17

two beer cans and a long string            thanks its not jr or busch question

Answer 18

They weren't allowed to have radios. In fact the first person to have an in car radio was fined for having an unfair advantage. He was also disqualified.