Legitimate NASCAR questions thread

[Jrod511]

This is NOT a bash on NASCAR thread. There are plenty of those. This is a thread for the not really a fan, casual observer to learn about the cars and technology in use.

This is an open thread where I hope to learn some things and I hope others have answers, and questions of their own for others to answer. Sort of the NASCAR version of the go ahead and ask those car questions...thread.

In this series what makes a Ford a Ford, a Chevy a Chevy, a Toyota a Toyota? They are built by individual race teams to a tight template, or allowance, is there any of their "brand" in them or does the "brand" really just sponsor the team? Would a Ford and Chevy, in this series, otherwise be interchangeable?

Is Daytona the fastest track they run at?

How cool would it be to see them run the Daytona road course part of the track? Not sure WHY they don't as another race.

[Fritz27]

Are the cars they're currently running the "Car of Tomorrow" or are those still only being used for a limited amount of races?

[Chapel]

Is Daytona the fastest track they run at?

No, Talladega is a faster track
the superspeedways are restrictor plate racing so they COULD go quite a bit faster.
I was hoping for more speed this year now that they're on EFI... they're just nudgin the 200mph mark at Daytona today.

and yes, they're all technically CoTs now. Though slightly different than the original COT, they've gone back to spoilers and removed the wings (which were causing more flips than anticipated)

They also fiddled around with the spoilers too... they're more radiused now and not nearly as large.
Next year we should see a less template looking car and something more resembling of the production car (but that's yet to be seen)

[randyvr6]

All of them have been the COT for several years now.

Most of the engine components and many of the body panels are supplied by the auto manufacturers, but they are not the same components you would ever see on a street car.

Daytona and Talladega would be the fastest tracks, but 20 years ago the speeds were so high that they instituted a restrictor plate to cut down the horsepower. The fastest tracks are now probably Atlanta, Michigan and Texas. Michigan (my home traack 10 minutes away) just got repaved, so I expect them to set a track record this year in the mid 190 mph range.

[Jrod511]

Next year we should see a less template looking car and something more resembling of the production car (but that's yet to be seen)

But still not anything resembling a "real" car, right? What happened to Dodge? Still curious what makes a Chevy what it is versus a Ford.

[randyvr6]

Dodge is still involved. My favorite driver, Brad Keselowski, races the Miller Lite Dodge for Penske.

Brad went to my HS and I watched him race locally when he was starting out.

Like I said before, The engine parts and some body panels (while still aftermarket) are approved and supplied by the auto companies. The Ford for example has nose and tail pieces submitted by Ford to NASCAR for approval, as well as block, heads, etc. supplied through Roush and Yates.

[Fritz27]

I'm glad the cheesy spoiler is gone, but I liked the aggressive splitter they had on the "old" COT. I thought they looked pretty tough, but made the cars all look exactly the same.

[Chapel]

All of them have been the COT for several years now.

Most of the engine components and many of the body panels are supplied by the auto manufacturers, but they are not the same components you would ever see on a street car.

Daytona and Talladega would be the fastest tracks, but 20 years ago the speeds were so high that they instituted a restrictor plate to cut down the horsepower. The fastest tracks are now probably Atlanta, Michigan and Texas. Michigan (my home traack 10 minutes away) just got repaved, so I expect them to set a track record this year in the mid 190 mph range.

You can blame restrictor plate racing on Bill Elliott, the fastest NASCAR driver in the world (212mph qualifying at Talladega and 210 at Daytona in 1987...)

I think they did a test day without restrictors a few years back and were up over 216mph

[jettafan[atic]]

What makes one track faster than the other? Do some just use restrictor plates or other methods of slowing the cars down while other tracks run unrestricted? What really separates one car from the next in terms of builds? (I'm sure "money" would be the simple answer there but what can be different from one team to the next?)

[randyvr6]

Feel free to ask any serious questions and I will do my best.

I have attended over 100 NASCAR races ( and over 500 total) and work at a NASCAR track on race weekends giving tours of pit road pre race, so I know a lot about it.

[randyvr6]

What makes one track faster than the other? Do some just use restrictor plates or other methods of slowing the cars down while other tracks run unrestricted? What really separates one car from the next in terms of builds? (I'm sure "money" would be the simple answer there but what can be different from one team to the next?)

Only two tracks have the plates. As far as one track being faster, it depends on the length, the banking, the shape of the turns, the quality of the pavement etc.

You are right that $$$ has everything to do with it. At those speeds a 10th of a second is dozens of car lengths, so while all the cars are actually pretty close it doesn't take much. The high dollar teams have a few hundred employees and healthy R & D budgets

[Jrod511]

Has any stability/traction control/ABS ever been tried in the sport? That would seam like a MASSIVE engineering accomplishment, but GM has shown that programs can be developed to help the best drivers push "street" cars on a race track.

Also; why does pit road "close" ?

[McBanagon]

They are also running FI for the first time. That's quite an upgrage.

[Jrod511]

They are also running FI for the first time. That's quite an upgrage.

Was this to limit creative rule bending / cheating? Make tolerances tighter? In many regards I am surprised/astounded by the older, lower technology solutions at use in the cars but there is no denying they perform a few specialized tasks very well.

[Jrod511]

WOW! Jet fuel burns like.........goddamned jet fuel. This is nuts.

[Chapel]

But still not anything resembling a "real" car, right? What happened to Dodge? Still curious what makes a Chevy what it is versus a Ford.

we'll see... the designs haven't really come out yet... but I would say "no, probably not"
Dodge is still around.
I hate to perpetuate the idea that the cars are all just templates with a different sticker package.... but they are (FOR THE MOST PART). They share NOTHING in common with ANYTHING on the street. They're tube frame cars with bespoke 5.8L engines built by custom engine builders. They're all the same length and wheelbase...

they all use 4 speed transmissions (which is fine because you spend most of the race in 4th anyway...)

The things that are really interesting are things like how they work the suspension. Tuning a car to go round in circles is a really magic art. Things like weird camber changes, wedge settings, ballast... it's all really interesting stuff that makes no sense to the average suspension tuner.

Not to mention you have to really work at keeping the chassis equal despite constantly turning one way. With the right tuning, you can practically get the car to go around a course by itself (when it's all by itself with no other cars disturbing it)

[DerSpiegel]

Has any stability/traction control/ABS ever been tried in the sport? That would seam like a MASSIVE engineering accomplishment, but GM has shown that programs can be developed to help the best drivers push "street" cars on a race track.

Also; why does pit road "close" ?

No traction control, ABS, or stability control has ever been legal. NASCAR has been staunchly against such electronic aids and remains so, because that type of engineering spirals costs out of control....both in building the cars and policing the systems. Plus, it allows a cleaner, purer path from the lower ranks such as modifieds, ARCA, etc. into the big time.

Was this to limit creative rule bending / cheating? Make tolerances tighter? In many regards I am surprised/astounded by the older, lower technology solutions at use in the cars but there is no denying they perform a few specialized tasks very well.

Fuel injection was avoided until this year essentially for the same cost reasons listed above. They now finally have a system that can be tightly regulated.

[randyvr6]

Has any stability/traction control/ABS ever been tried in the sport? That would seam like a MASSIVE engineering accomplishment, but GM has shown that programs can be developed to help the best drivers push "street" cars on a race track.

Also; why does pit road "close" ?

1) Not allowed; NASCAR has tried over the years to keep the cars away from computer controlled technology.

2) Pit road is closed for safety and scoring purposes until the pace car can pick up the field and get everyone situated in line.

[hushypushy]

WOW! Jet fuel burns like.........goddamned jet fuel. This is nuts.

yeah, that was INSANE! Never seen anything like that, and apparently neither have the commentators. So weird.

Speaking of fuel, with the carbs they made 900hp and got 5mpg running flat out! Pretty impressive, but the fuel economy is still improved with EFI. Source: http://www.nascar.com/news/111018/in...tor/index.html

[DerSpiegel]

What really separates one car from the next in terms of builds?

Most teams build their own chassis to the same set of NASCAR rules. They all have their little tricks and preferences (within and brushing up against the rules), and at the end of the day the teams that can get an illegal advantage past the tech guys will go faster.....same as any other race series.

For example, one anonymous crew chief described how titanium is illegal for engine parts and the like. His solution? Add just enough titanium to the steel parts to make a difference but remain undetectable by the usual methods.

[McBanagon]

wrong thread

[Woodski]

we'll see... the designs haven't really come out yet... but I would say "no, probably not"

Yes they have.

[Chapel]

Yes they have.

I don't think these have been approved yet... but I hope they look like that

you can tell those aren't the approved shapes because the spoiler is square and not tapered (they changed the spoiler radius this year... it's not sharp like that anymore

[Woodski]

the bodies are final, the spoilers are just placeholders.

[Chapel]

the bodies are final, the spoilers are just placeholders.

have the Chevy and Toyota designs been finalized?
I saw the Fusion earlier, but I thought that was going to be the Nationwide car...

[Jrod511]

What speed does the pace car lead them at? Looks slow on TV, but "slow" could be 80 mph. Either way it appears to be a parade and not pacing. Makes me wonder how they're getting heat into those tires at night time temps.

[Nourdmrolnmt]

Exactly how much cooling do these cars have no with the new radiator openings?

Those things are TINY... and for the power they are running... like HOW?

[Jrod511]

Exactly how much cooling do these cars have no with the new radiator openings?

Those things are TINY... and for the power they are running... like HOW?

Good question, those are really small openings. It's just a slit about 3 feet in the bumper right? I'd imagine being in traffic could be a big problem.

[dossantos25]

Exactly how much cooling do these cars have no with the new radiator openings?

Those things are TINY... and for the power they are running... like HOW?

At high enough speeds the rad's work well if they are getting ' clean air '. I don't expect to see alot of bump drafting as this greatly reduces airflow over the front of the car. Yes it helps a car pull up closer but also rises the coolant temperature. hopefully we don't see too many engines blow.

[Woodski]

have the Chevy and Toyota designs been finalized?
I saw the Fusion earlier, but I thought that was going to be the Nationwide car...

toyota was driven around daytona earlier this week, under camoflauge.

[muffintop]

After seeing the latest Top Gear on Nascar I have gained respect for it.

[Dave Zero]

If you're not first, you're last.

Seriously though better NASCAR movie

Talledega Nights or Days of Thunder?

[DannyLo]

Wow those new designs posted are sooooo nice compared to the last decade or so. It'd be cool to see that differentiation come back where the shapes aren't all the same. More like the days of stock cars, even if they actually aren't

[gonzo08452]

Wow those new designs posted are sooooo nice compared to the last decade or so. It'd be cool to see that differentiation come back where the shapes aren't all the same. More like the days of stock cars, even if they actually aren't

Race on Sunday, sell on Monday! That was old school.

[Woodski]

If you're not first, you're last.

Seriously though better NASCAR movie

Talledega Nights or Days of Thunder?

Days of Thunder x 35794256725265454957692649