Allmendinger, A.J.
More Drug Testing FAQs
More questions about the Allmendinger situation and drug testing in general are answered. […]
Drivers
Allmendinger, A.J.
Infographic: Energy Drink Label Comparison
With all the talk about phenyalanine being a potential problem in energy drinks, thought I’d point out that fuel in a bottle isn’t the only energy drink that includes it.
Allmendinger, A.J.
Drug Testing FAQ
Some clarifications to clean up the incorrect information circulating around in the wake of A.J. Allmendinger’s failed drugs test. More questions – send them to admin(at)buildingspeed(dot)org and I’ll add them […]
Busch, Kyle
Infographic: Current Drivers’ Rookie Years
Just out of curiosity, I pulled up some data from racing-reference.info on different drivers’ rookie years in the Cup series. The data are from each driver’s first full year as a Cup driver. I picked […]
Bristol Motor Speedway
The Reason for Decreasing Cautions
This was the first year that most people noticed a decrease in the number of cautions, but (as I’ve pointed out), 2012 is merely the latest in a six-year trend of decreasing cautions. The same downward trend is evident in the Nationwide Series. This year is perhaps notable for it being so extreme.
The data clearly shows the trend: The question, of course, is why?
Aerodynamic Forces
Aerodynamic Downforce: A Passing Fad?
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.” […]
Vickers, Brian
Inforgraphic: Hendrick Motorsports – 200 Wins by Driver
Statistics Reported Without Comment […]
Edwards, Carl
Richmond Redux: Relative Velocity
NOTE: Some clarifications added 1:00 p.m. 4/30/12. Thanks to all the commenters, especially @nateryan! I think Dave Moody did a good job breaking things down. The situation is confounded because there were so many different […]
Aerodynamics
Can You Really Bring Back the Same Car? (Or the Same Track?)
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 […]
Electronic Fuel Injection
The Truth about Cell Phones, ECUs and Car Control
It didn’t take long after Brad Kezelowski pulled out his cellphone during the 2-hour-long Daytona red flag for the conspiracy theorists to leap into action.
The argument goes like this: Cellphones should be banned from the car because a driver could use his specially prepared cellphone to a) change the Engine Control Unit (ECU) and/or b) transmit data from the car back to his crew chief during a race. We will not address the suggestions that the driver could use the cellphone to talk secretly to the crew chief during a race because anyone who has been in a race car or worn a helmet knows that’s just plain dopey. […]