Engines
Blown Engines: A Consequence of the Testing Ban?
Blown engines were a factor in this week’s Las Vegas race, just as they were in last week’s California race. Let’s look at why this might be happening. […]
Drivers
Center of Gravity
More on the Red Bull Sheet Metal Penalties
After getting in late from Columbus, I made the mistake of listening to the radio as I attempted to sleep. Listening to the comments about the Red Bull Racing penalties got me slightly riled. NASCAR […]
Center of Gravity
Acid Dipping to Shave Weight
The stock car science blog has been a little quiet lately, mostly because I’ve been working on a really exciting project I hope to be able to tell you all about in the very near […]
Aerodynamics
Was Patrick’s Pole a Fluke?
Patrick Carpentier is usually smiling, but his smile was special Friday after he won the pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Nanoseconds hadn’t elapsed before commentators started attributing his win to the 1 hour, 45-minute […]
Carbon monoxide
Is the New Car’s Problem Heat or Something Else?
Some drivers have stumbled out of their cars and asked reporters for a few moments to hydrate and catch their breath before giving interviews the last few weeks. At Pocono, Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt, […]
Hamlin, Denny
Why NASCAR Made a Yaw Rule
Yaw makes the new car easier to drive. So why did NASCAR make a rule limiting the amount of yaw allowed in the car? Initially, NASCAR was steadfast that they weren’t going to make a […]
Aerodynamics
Why Jeff Gordon is Jealous of Carl Edwards’ Yaw
Apparently, Jeff Gordon has a slight case of yaw envy. David Newton reports on ESPN.com that Gordon asked NASCAR to take a look at the No. 99 car of Carl Edwards because he thinks that […]
Gordon, Jeff
The Science of …G-Forces
UPDATE 4/18/08: NASCAR.com has a very nice interview with Dr. Dean Sicking of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln about the SAFER barriers and how they functioned during the McDowell crash discussed below. As the FedEx commercials […]
Hamlin, Denny
The Science of …Fuel Intake Problems
Drew Donnelli asks: Can you offer any insight into the problems JGR seems to have with fuel supply? Thanks for the question, Drew. As usual, with the help of a couple incredibly patient friends, I […]
Earnhardt Jr., Dale
The Science of …Tony Stewart vs. Goodyear
Weve established in Part I and Part II of this series that there are many factors that go into tire performance, some of which Goodyear has control over and others of which they dont. Goodyear […]