Concussion

NASCAR Concussions II: A Screening Test to Avoid Relying Entirely on the Driver

I was lucky enough to speak with Dr. Mark Lovell, an innovator in neurocognitive testing inbetween talks at a conference he was attending. Dr. Lovell came to my attention as the developer of the ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment Testing) test, which was one of the tools used to evaluate Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s concussion. […]

Concussion

Concussions – What Are They and Why Stop Racing?

We all know that concussions are caused by hits to the head, but what actually IS a concussion and why is one forcing Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to step out of the car and effectively take himself out of the running for a championship? […]

Asphalt
Allmendinger, A.J.

Talking about Things You Don’t Understand

Some clarifications in response to some very confused statements over the past few days. 1.  Amphetamine is a particular molecule: It isn’t a category.  Stimulant is the category.  Amphetamine has nine carbon atoms, 13 hydrogen […]

Allmendinger, A.J.

What is Does it Mean to be “Nanograms Over”?

As a nanomaterials research, I usually love seeing the word ‘nano’ in the news, but not in reference to finding out that AJ Allmendinger’s ‘B’ sample tested positive “within nanograms”.  I would have been very […]

Allmendinger, A.J.
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?

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