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 […]
The Building Speed Blog
Race Reports
Kansas 2020-33 Race Report
There was a lot of debate about the end of the Kansas 2020-33 race. Some loved watching Harvick try (and fail) to pass Logano. Others felt Harvick’s inability to pass was a clear indictment of […]
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Race 2020-32: Roval Rundown by the Numbers
The Charlotte Roval was a runaway win for Chase Elliott, with a margin of victory of almost four seconds. But there’s more to the story of this race. Here’s your Roval Rundown for race 2020-32. […]
Racing
Laps Led and Lead Changes: All Laps are Not Created Equal
NASCAR provides lots of statistics, but beware: the numbers can be deceiving. That’s especially true for laps led and lead changes Laps Led The box score for each race always includes statistics like how many […]
Race Reports
Talladega 2020-31 Race Report
Talladega 2020-31 was a race of attrition and mistakes, which is reflected in the large number of cautions and cars that didn’t finish the race or finished laps down. A caution on lap 1 is […]
Race Reports
2020 Las Vegas II Breakdown
2020 Las Vegas II produced the first surprise winner of the playoffs due to late-race cautions. How else was this race different than the usual Las Vegas race? Qualifying matters at Las Vegas, so the […]
grip
Grip: How NASCAR Decides If There’s Enough
Without grip — aka ‘friction’ — there is no racing. But how do you know how much grip a racetrack has? The primary tool for tuning racing grip is the tire. Goodyear produces different tire […]
Bristol Motor Speedway
How Power Steering Affects Lap Times
Brad Keselowski lost his power steering early in Stage 3 of the fall Bristol race. I wondered if we could quantify how much power steering affects lap times. Turns out we can. Below is a […]
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Driver Stats: Fall
Every race in the playoffs is critical, but the elimination races, like this week’s Bristol race, are even more critical. How do drivers do in the fall races at Bristol? Here’s your Bristol Driver Stats. […]
Safety
How NASCAR Drivers Keep Cool
It’s critical for NASCAR drivers to keep their cool — mentally and physically. That’s not easy when the interior of the car can easily reach 120ºF to 130ºF. So how do NASCAR drivers keep their […]