Atlanta Motor Speedway
What You Won’t See at Atlanta This Weekend: Weepers
Weepers are a continuing concern for NASCAR. Atlanta Motor Speedway’s massive renovation aims to make this a problem of the past. […]
Weather
Weather
Will Later Race Starts Mean More Rain Outs?
Over the years, NASCAR race start times have been moving to later in the day. There’s been a conversation about whether those later start times will increase the likelihood of rain delays. Here’s the questions […]
NASCAR XFINITY Series
Racing in the Rain
The NASCAR XFINITY race at Charlotte Motor Speedway — aka the Roval in the Rain — prompted some fans to suggest NASCAR ought to be able to race anywhere in the rain. But ‘can’ and […]
Climate Change
Why Use LED Lights at Martinsville?
Martinsville is the first motorsport facility in the US to install LED lighting. Let’s look at their system and see why they chose LEDs. […]
Air Titan
The Scientific Secrets of PJ1 Track Bite
NASCAR’s continued struggle to balance cost, safety and competitiveness led to using PJ1 Track Bite in 2017 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Since then it’s been used (mostly successfully) at other tracks. So what is it […]
Aerodynamics
The NASCAR Vortex Theory
The NASCAR Vortex Theory says that cars racing around an oval track create a rotational disturbance that repels oncoming storms. Truth? Or Myth? What’s a Vortex? A vortex is a region in a fluid (and […]
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 […]
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 […]
Centripetal Force
Racing without Friction
Daytona is an enormous, sweeping track. Two-and-a-half miles, 31-degree banking and corner radii of a thousand feet. The infield by itself is 180 acres. If you’ve ever been there (or Talladega), it really does take your breath […]
Busch, Kurt
Cooling Fuel: Safety or Performance Issue?
Temperatures at the Dover race were unseasonably high. Kurt Busch’s Stewart-Haas 41 team was told by NASCAR officials to remove “heat shields” from their fuel cans. The cans (shown at right) have an 11-gallon capacity. Not shown […]