We venture to the flag stand this week and speak with everyone’s favorite flagman, Nicholas “Bubbles” Bronson. He serves as the primary starter for the Cook Out Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway and will continue his duties this weekend at the Bandolero Nationals at CMS. Read how he earned the nickname “Bubbles” and the story funny behind flaggersonly.com. And you might see him at future INEX national events!

 

Hometown: Concord, NC

Favorite Vacation Spot: Destin, Florida

Favorite Color: Duke Blue

Favorite Movie: Days of Thunder

Favorite TV Show: The Office

Favorite Food: Anything Southern

 

1. How long have you been interested in racing? What sparked your interest?

I’ve been in racing for 13 or 14 years. What really sparked it was coming out to the [Coca-Cola] 600 way back when. From the story my parents tell me, I never took my eyes off the flag stand. It was just something about the sound of the cars going by that was just a big deal. After that I had the bug.

2. What is your favorite racing memory?

It was 2016 or 2017, we had our race out at Concord Speedway…with the Southern Modified Tour. A driver that actually got me started in flagging and raced there, Shaun Mangum, [won] the race and being able to wave the checkered flag over him was a big moment. It brought some tears to my eyes, and his parents, my parents all were in tears over it. It was a big memory for all of us.

3. How did you become a flagman?

I started out as, what the majority of us call, a junior flagman. My grandmother made me my own set of flags. I started out at what was then Concord Motorsports Park just standing behind in grandstands behind the flag stand. From the time I walked in the gate I would not leave the bottom behind the flag stand just waving flags. I stated out [to Charlotte Motor Speedway] about 2005 or so and was standing behind the flag stand. I really didn’t think about getting noticed at the time but I really wanted to kind of let people see. This became a ritual coming out here every Tuesday night back then. I started in cold grid and progressively worked my way up here at Charlotte. I went to starter in 2018 when Kyle [McGowan] moved to his new position. I started at South Boston Speedway in 2013 as just a normal tech inspector. Then they had a need for a starter because the guy who was previously doing it in 2015 was diagnosed with cancer and had to step away. I filled that role, so I’ve been here, there, and everywhere.

4. Who is your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspiration are probably older starters in NASCAR like Jimmy Howell, Kevin Moss, and one that is still in the series, Joey Aycock. Those are the big three I kind of looked up to and still talk to this day.

5. What is the biggest challenge for any flagger?

The biggest is trying to watch the whole field. People in the grandstands think that we see everything. It’s just not that easy. Especially with fields that are 28 plus cars on a quarter-mile, it’s hard to see every single thing. You constantly have to have your head on the swivel. You can’t see everything out there, it’s impossible.

6. How did you get the nickname “Bubbles?”

There was an event in early 2018. Me and Kris Conyers were at Mountain Creek Speedway right before one of their big events and Tony Stevens was there that week to get everything set up. We were coming back from the drivers meeting and we were both talking about dirt racing and what we wear for eye protection. I had mentioned I use the old Dale Earnhardt amber bubble goggles. What Tony heard was only bits and pieces of it and what he heard was that I like using bubbles. As soon as he heard me say that, he whipped around and said ‘Bubbles.’ I was like, ‘Yep, that’s me now.’

7. Outside of racing, what hobbies do you have?

I’m actually starting my own business while still traveling and doing different official stuff. As well as welding outside. [My business will is] Bronson Motorsports. I’ve had a few races under the banner with being contracted out. It’s traveling around providing any starter or official role that a track may need. I’m now learning how to score a little bit. That seems to be the theme of what people really need is between a starter and a scorer right now.

8. Do you have a favorite pre-race meal or snack?

Usually if I’m here (Charlotte) it’s fast food. If I’m at a track, usually track food.

9. Who is your favorite race car driver and why?

It’d be Christopher Bell. When I was with Joe Gibbs Racing I got to know him a little bit. Super cool, down to Earth kid. Getting to know him and he is still someone I look up to for as young as he is and how he’s progressed through the ranks. Reminds me of what I did moving up. 

10. If you could appear on any TV show what would it be?

Family Feud

11. What is a fun fact about you that others would be surprised to learn?

I’m actually getting into and enjoyed the sport pickleball. Picked up on this last two, three months and I’m getting better each time. My dad got me into it. Don’t ask me how my dad found out about it but he was like ‘you wanna come out to the court and play?’ I got done and thought this was actually kind of fun.

12. What is the flaggersonly.com story that fans heard repeatedly from Steve Post during the Cook Out Summer Shootout?

This started as a joke in 2020 because we didn’t have fans. I was picking on Steve Post sending different tweets and he came up with the idea of flaggersonly.com. It became a thing last year at Winter Nationals in Florida. I opened my mouth and Tony Stevens and Tim Terry decided to look up the domain and it was free. They bought it and then linked my Facebook profile to it. That’s not one I’m proud of but it’s a joke that keeps on running.

13. If you couldn’t be a flagman, what job in the racing world would you want?

I would stick with welding and fabrication. I’ve been into that since I was 13 or 14. That’s kind of my full-time gig is welding. I enjoy playing with metal and doing different things. Taking ordinary metal, shaping it, welding it together. It’s just always been fascinating to me.

14. What level of motorsport would you want to work in if you were only welding?

I think grassroots because I’d rather work with the average racer, not having a whole lot of money, and being able to take that and turn it into winnings down the road.

15. What is your favorite track to flag at?

I will obviously say Charlotte. This has always been a dream of mine to flag here and I’m getting to live it out. Outside of here, Millbridge Speedway or South Boston Speedway are my two favorites.

16. What is one race you’d love to flag at?

The Valley Star Credit Union 300 (Martinsville Speedway).

17. What is your ultimate racing dream job?

It would be to work in the national level of NASCAR and getting to travel week after week to the tracks under the Speedway Motorsports banner and other tracks that I dream of seeing. I think that would be fun and I have a lot of friends that are actually in that side [of the sport]. Being able to travel with them full-time would be fun and being around racing in general. But definitely being able to take it to the national level would be the ultimate goal.