Official 2011 Race Thread

[Little Whiskey]

I know that is just me and harv that post on this thread, so maybe i should have just sent him a PM. :)

the daytona 500 was pretty exciting towards the end and really felt good to watch the youngster win it. Trevor bayne just turned 20. seems like a good kid. it was also nice to see the struggling wood brothers race team back in victory lane.

I'm not sure if i like the two car racing. I thought i'd never say this but i missed the packs. I just couldn't see how anyone could pull out and pass the lead car.

[Joemailman]

I don't follow Nascar much, but it's pretty incredible a guy won it in his 2nd race. So many great drivers go years and even decades without winning Daytona.

[channtheman]

Why do the drivers buttfuck their way around the track in pairs of two like that?

[Little Whiskey]

the draft.

since the cars air intake is restricted, so is their max speed. (they are all equally as fast). the first car cuts thru the air so the second doesn't have to. the second car is faster and pushes the first car.

[channtheman]

So they are still all going the same speed when pairing up. What's really the point?


Ahh nevermind, the idea of a race track simply being an oval never appealed to me, doesn't seem to allow for a higher skill of driving. Whatever.

[Little Whiskey]

the sum of the two is greater than either one. the two cars paired up will go faster than a single car that is out of the draft. that lone car is quite a bit slower.

the two giant superspeedways, daytona and talladega, allow for just about anyone to win. however, you still need to understand how to draft. your car also has to work well in the draft. some cars yesterday did better when pushing, while others did better while pulling.

jamie mcmurry, last years winner, said that this isn't the toughest track they drive on but it is one of the most mentally draining.

[MadScientist]

The other factors involved with the 2 car draft are that the track is smooth enough to allow cars to get that close, and adding more cars becomes unstable, the 3rd driver can't anticipate as well.

As for oval vs road courses, the road courses have more interesting driving, but the ovals have more interesting racing (more passing, faster speeds, higher risks).

[Little Whiskey]

true MS. the new surface (because of the grip and lack of bumps) allows for the drive to keep his foot to the floor and not lift. this would have allowed for faster speeds had nascar not narrowed the restricter plate. they also reduced the size of the opening in for the radiator. this made the drivers have to get out from behind the lead car to keep engine temps down.

I know that trevor is the hot new name in nascar. but i doubt he'll factor in the other races that he is in. (he's not scheduled to run a full schedule of races) he's just not in good equipment.