Drivers
Do Less-Experienced NASCAR Drivers Get More In-Race Penalties?
NASCAR has assessed 376 in-race penalties after 34 races. Do less-experienced drivers make more of these mistakes? Let’s check the data. […]
Racing
Busch, Kurt
Winning vs. Consistency: The Delicate Balance of the NASCAR Playoffs
The NASCAR playoffs determine the season’s champion. Is the champion the guy who wins the most races? Or the guy who runs up front the most?
There’s no scientific way to answer this question, but there is data. NASCAR has modified their playoffs to try to create a suitable balance between winning and consistency. Have they succeeded?
Aerodynamics
The 2019 Rules Package: The Tapered Spacer
NASCAR announced the 2019 rules package last week. Reactions from fans ranged from wait-and-see to despair to a surprising amount of anger. […]
Drivers
The NASCAR Playoffs and Preordination
Preordination (n): The action of determining an outcome or course of action in advance;Â The fact of being determined in advance. The Oxford Living Dictionary You’d think with my interest in data that I’d be the […]
Aerodynamics
Sciencing Out NASCAR Rules Changes
Rules changes in NASCAR are tricky. There’s really no way to test them before implementing them. You’re relying on the judgement and experience of the NASCAR team, with input from race teams, drivers, Goodyear and […]
Road Courses
Do Road Courses (Like Superspeedways) Level the Playing Field?
Are road courses, like superspeedways, where drivers with little chance of winning the championship can ‘luck’ into a playoff berth? […]
Chicagoland Speedway
How NASCAR’s “Enhanced Schedule” Affects the Race Teams
NASCAR’s enhanced schedule compresses three days on on-track activity into two. It’s designed to save teams time and money, but how will it affect the racing? What is an “Enhanced Schedule”? If you’re wondering why […]
Childers, Rodney
Jumping the (Air) Gun
(Air) Gun Control A lot’s changed on Pit Road this year. In addition to cutting the over-the-wall crew to five people, NASCAR decided (by majority vote of the Team Owners’ Council) that they would provide air guns […]
Cautions
Early-Season Predictions Require Caution
Predictions: The Peril of the Early-Season Off-Week I can post only when I have something to contribute. The professionals who cover NASCAR don’t have the luxury of waiting until there’s news. The content monster remains perpetually […]
Data Science
Data Sharing: Fact and Fiction
New for 2018: Data Sharing NASCAR announced (in a somewhat roundabout way) they would share the data collected by each car during races, qualifying and practice with all teams in the 2018 season. This produced […]