Cooling
Does Qualifying Matter at Talladega?
50% of races won at Talladega are won by drivers starting from the first two rows. Can you win if you don’t qualify well? […]
Talladega Superspeedway
Statistics
Can Anyone Really Win at Talladega?
Every year at this time, we hear that Talladega is a wild card because “Anyone can win”. Which, of course, made me wonder — can anyone win? […]
Cooling
Engine Issues at Talladega: Vapor Lock, Gas Cans and Oil Coolers
An usual number of teams “ran out of gas” or had engine troubles during the Talladega race. The TV analysts had some ready answers for what might have caused these problems. Their extemporaneous theories tend to elicit sighs from engine builders, who know that problems can rarely be diagnosed at the track – and even more rarely by someone who hasn’t looked at the car.
A wonderful aspect of blogging is that we’re not called to have answers on the spot like the television broadcasters and we have the leisure of time. Let’s examine some of those theories. […]
Cooling
Plate Racing Rules: Getting Ready for Talladega
Most of the issues we were talking about at the start of the year regarding the measures NASCAR has taken to eliminate or reduce the two-car draft are still in play, so I thought I’d put the most important in one place as you start getting ready for Talladega this weekend. […]
Talladega Superspeedway
Tornadoes at Talladega
Tornadoes are a primarily North American phenomenon. The U.S. has about four times as many tornadoes as all of Europe (excluding waterspouts and if you ever lived in Nebraska, you know why). North America […]
Edwards, Carl
The Science Says Talladega Needs More than Minor Rules Changes
NASCAR had not one but two drivers on their roofs yesterday at Talladega. Ryan Newman’s wreck was by far the most spectacular, but I had to wince at Mark Martin looking a little shook up […]
Edwards, Carl
Talladega Teardown: Roof Flaps and Catch Fences
“You have to understand that, like, for years, we have had wrecks like this every time we come to Talladega ever since the (restrictor) plate got here, and for years, it was celebrated. The media […]