Jeff Gluck

USA TODAY Sports

FONTANA, Calif. — There was a lot of buzz Friday at Auto Club Speedway. Literally.

A swarm of bees invaded NASCAR's flag stand Friday afternoon at the 2-mile oval, meaning Xfinity Series practice got underway with no green flag and no flag man.

FOX Sports cameras zoomed in on a collection of bees — dozens, at least — clinging to a ledge in the flag stand. Obviously, NASCAR decided it was better to not have a flag man for practice than to expose any officials to needless stings (drivers can still hear about the track conditions from their team radio communications).

This is the second straight year bees have invaded the Xfinity Series in Fontana. Last year, a swarm engulfed part of Derrike Cope's hauler.

After practice, a beekeeper arrived and sprayed some sort of liquid at the swarm -- many of which fell in a bucket.

But NASCAR spokesman Tom Bryant said there were remnants of "less than happy bees in the flag stand area" before Sprint Cup Series qualifying, which meant the flag man had to stand on an elevated platform near the start/finish line in order to wave the green.

"We anticipate no problems with this situation tomorrow or at any other point in the weekend," Bryant said.

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