Building Speed

Blogs

Aerodynamics

Explainer: Engine and Aero Packages 2019-2021

2021-09-22 0

Mix-and-match engine and aero packages were used from 2019-2021. Here’s what each one was and where it was used. […]

The lead- and caution-o-grams show the pace and progress of the race using horizontal stacked bar charts
Bristol Motor Speedway

2021 Fall Bristol Race Recap

2021-09-20 0

Tempers were news, but the 2021 Fall Bristol Race Recap shows lots of green-flag passing and earned lead changes — and highlights a problem the NextGen car can’t fix. Not this year, at least. […]

Stage Racing

Stage Wins and Starting Positions

2021-09-17 0

Is it impossible to get stage wins if you start at the back of the field? A few drivers think so. Are they right? […]

Next up: Las Vegas

Graph of the Day

Overview: Las Vegas

2020-02-25 0

Memories are selective, so let’s look at an overview of this Spring’s Las Vegas race and see how it compares to previous races. Start vs. Finish Even though last-lap pitting decisions played a crucial role […]

Cautions

Cautions at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

2020-02-22 0

Should we expect a lot cautions for tomorrow’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway? Or will we get a lot of long green-flag runs? Let’s look at what’s happened in the past. Cautions Las Vegas […]

Graph of the Day

Las Vegas: Completion and Lead Lap Finishes

2020-02-21 0

Some tracks eat cars. A small percentage of the cars that start actually finish the race. At other track, lots of cars complete the race, but few on the lead lap. Where does Las Vegas […]

Graph of the Day

Qualifying Matters at Las Vegas

2020-02-20 1

Qualifying for the Daytona 500 is a long, arduous process — and makes surprisingly little difference. At Las Vegas Motor Speedway (our first mile-and-a-half track) qualifying makes more of a difference. If you want to […]

Aerodynamics

One NASCAR Rules Package for All Tracks?

2020-01-14 6

NASCAR wants to cut costs for teams by developing a rules package that, with minimal tweaking, provides good racing at any track. The 2019 rules package met with mixed results. Races were mostly better at […]

Montage of speed-related pictures
Aerodynamic Forces

Will You Be Able to Tell if NASCAR Cars are Slower in 2019?

2019-02-08 1

When is the answer to better racing slower cars? It just might be for NASCAR. Note: This post analyzes the change in speed due to the new rules package. Please don’t interpret it as my […]

Buy The Physics of NASCAR


Copyright Trivalent Productions 2008-2020