Aerodynamics

Aerodynamic Forces

Brief Thoughts on the Nationwide Accident at Daytona

2013-02-24 dr. diandra 4

We’ve been painting the house. I was straining to hear EPSN’s commentary over the swoosh-swish of the paint roller as the race came to a close – but it was all too easy to hear the change the tone of Allen Bestwick’s voice. We heard it recently from Marty Reid in Vegas. I remember the first-hand feeling sitting about 50 yards from Michael McDowell’s wreck during qualifying at Texas. A track full of race fans – all quiet – is one of the worst sounds in all of sports. […]

Aerodynamic Forces

Rules Changes…Again

2012-06-21 dr. diandra 8

NASCAR issues rules change on Wednesday – one of which extends an earlier rule change to try to improve aerodynamics at intermediate tracks. The other is designed to cut off an entirely new direction of research before it starts. […]

Aerodynamic Forces

200-mph Laps at Michigan Are Not Like 200-mph Laps at Superspeedways

2012-06-17 dr. diandra 3

People worry that 200-mph laps at Michigan International Speedway could make cars airborne, as can happen at superspeedways. Should they worry? […]

Aerodynamic Forces

The Myth of the 200-mph “Lift-Off Speed”

2012-06-15 dr. diandra 6

The speeds at Pocono were high, but the speeds at newly repaved Michigan are even higher. Nine drivers posted lap times over 200 mph on Thursday, leading to media and driver hysteria about the high speeds. What is the lift-off speed at Michigan? […]

Aerodynamic Forces

Aerodynamic Downforce: A Passing Fad?

2012-05-21 dr. diandra 5

The question of why it is so difficult for cars to pass each other at 1.5 mile and 2 mile tracks is getting more and more attention. Carl Edwards put it succinctly:

“I firmly believe, and NASCAR hates it when I say this, that we should not be racing with downforce, sideforce and all these aerodynamic devices. We do not need splitters on the race cars and giant spoilers. I have not been around long enough to say something definitely, but it is pretty common sense: if all the cars are very similar and all the drivers are within a tenth of a second of each other but are relying on clean air and downforce, then by definition if the guy in front of you is disturbing the air then your car is not going to be able to go as fast as it could in clean air.” […]

Aerodynamics

Can You Really Bring Back the Same Car? (Or the Same Track?)

2012-03-30 dr. diandra 0

Every week at least one driver says they are bringing back “the same car we raced at…”.  But unlike Indy or ALMS racing, each shop builds multiple cars, each specialized for a specific track. Let’s […]

Aerodynamics

Why Does Bump Drafting Seem Much Harder in 2012?

2012-02-25 dr. diandra 1

Although there is a lot of science behind bump drafting, the act of bump drafting is an art. Even the experienced bump drafters are surprised by the touchiness of the cars this year. […]

Aerodynamics

Daytona Testing Notes: The Magic 200 MPH Mark — Not

2012-01-13 dr. diandra 0

There is absolutely nothing magic about the 200-mph mark.

People have been treating the 200-mph number like it was handed down by a sacred oracle. […]

Aerodynamics

turning left, shifting right: why drivers move to the right to get air to the engine

2011-02-22 dr. diandra 5

Jack asks: “I’m curious as to why the rear cars are offsetting to the right, when offsetting to the left would let the rear driver see what is happening ahead of them and keep the radiator in cooler air, since the exhaust on these cars is on the right. I know that all those drivers and crew chiefs are smarter than I am, so I must be missing something.” […]

Aerodynamic Forces

Why Two and Not Three Cars in a Draft?

2011-02-13 dr. diandra 13

Go get three oranges from the kitchen. Try to juggle two of them. Not super easy, but not impossible. Now juggle three. […]