NASCAR questions....for our resident experts

[jeff kushner]

I know we have more than a few Car racing fans here & super fans like Mags......and I admit, I know very little about any type of car racing so I have a couple of questions.

NASCAR Questions;

1. Are traction control devices allowed? If so, is the culture "yes they are good" or "only putz's use them" ?
2. Is satellite GPS used in ANY capacity to regulate traction control devices, throttle maxes or throttle cuts, or to apply braking?
3. Are all the engines really the same, as delivered?

I watched a bike race a couple of weeks ago.....a Gran Prix race in Europe...........and all the rider had to do was to sit on the damned bike, and weigh 108 lbs................okay, not all he had to do....but you get the point.....


Multiple GPS-activated "rider aids" systems seem to make the motorcycle racer much better than he would be alone....we don't know though b/c they never take the crutches off. I would have loved to see the group on an unregulated Talladega at 200-210mph! We would very quickly see who can ride...............lol

So, what about NASCAR?

 

[Yvonne G]

@maggie3fan

 

[jeff kushner]

I'm waiting for her to show up.....must be sleeping late today? LOL

 

[Maggie3fan]

No, no and no...the engines are spec to all be the same, that is what NASCAR is doing now to make the races safer, meaning no fun...
no traction control...let me tell you about them as you brought it up.
My friend's adult son, 40 something, got a new 2 seat BMW with all the bells and whistles...he had a teenaged nephew in the dummy seat and his brother in his car behind Ron...they were going thru Oregon's Coast Range to go to the ocean...2 lane mountain hiway with 25mph and slower curves... so Ron starts road racing his week old car...with the traction control on...tries to go into a 25 mph curve at about 50, tries to slide around the curve and the traction device took over and stopped the slide and sent the car straight off the roadway over a boulder that put the car into the air and it hit a tree head on 15 ft in the air and slid (sic) down the tree to stick grill down in the ground. Ron's brother ran up and help the unhurt nephew out of the car and when he saw his brother he jumped into the car and took part of Ron's brain that was coming out of his skull in his hands and pushed it carefully back in...that was about 3 years ago...Ron has physically recovered, he's 6'5" tall and 250...bald as hell, and he's a monster sized 13 year old without a filter or manners.

I'm waiting for her to show up.....must be sleeping late today? LOL

actually no, I took the 2000 road trip from hell that my car, cat and I are trying to recover from it. With the exception of my visit with my sister...we had a great visit, and she baked cookies for me...midnight snack....the rest of the trip was awful

 

[Maggie3fan]

Funny you mention 'dega NASCAR's fastest car did 195mph. Sunday..my favorite track and DEI was so the boss there...

 

[Blackdog1714]

Motorcycles like Ducatti have a "Launch Control" that with practice can allow you to come off the line without breaking traction. Practice often means the engine will sputter out or you create your ground to sky short film! Then while riding they have "Blip" controls that is done by quickly cracking the throttle open then closed (blip) while you simultaneously squeeze the clutch and click the gearshift lever. My buddy drops a knee and blips into a curve and blips coming out so smooth it looks like he is operating a spaceship.

 

[jeff kushner]

You guys are the best....thanks...I was curious about it.

Sorry to hear that you had a "2000 road trip from hell " Maggie...those suck bigtime!

I'm super happy to hear that NASCAR doesn't allow aids.


The GP bike racers had Satellite controlled Traction and Throttle control. This means the TC kicks in at different levels(0-10) depending on the section of track, all by GPS and the rider has no direct control on those setting once he's off racing. Same with throttle....they can set his max speed via GPS, allowing the rider to simply pin the throttle WFO continuously, or least that's the idea. I turned if off...........it wasn't a race, it was a contest of electronics!

I'm not against tech, I generally embrace it.....buuuut.....How is a guy to know if he's faster than the other guy with big brother deciding his fate from the pits?

 

[Maggie3fan]

My personal opinion is that NASCAR has implemented so much safety crap that they have taken most of the fun out of auto racing. I don't mean I like wrecks. But I like racing. However...all the engines, body and specs of each car are the same. The Hans device and other safety stuff in the car prevent the driver from moving his head much, so his spotter tells him where the other cars are and basically how to drive the race. I like good racing, and my IROC beats your Toyota because I have a mechanic who has made my engine faster then your mechanic could...and I am a better driver than you are so I win. All this everybody is equal stuff is a serious bunch of bullshit to me. We are not equal in life or on the track... now off my soap box...
oh and take a hint do not tell the nice officer that you and your cat were sharing a baloney sandwich...just keep your mouth shut...and he saw you spit out the potato chips from you mouth onto his shirt...oh hell...lol

 

[snowman04]

"All this everybody is equal stuff is a serious bunch of bullshit to me. We are not equal in life or on the track..."

Excellent point and very true... F1 changed up everything to get racing competitive again and it is making a huge difference so far!

 

[jeff kushner]

" I like good racing, and my IROC beats your Toyota because I have a mechanic who has made my engine faster then your mechanic could...and I am a better driver than you are so I win. All this everybody is equal stuff is a serious bunch of bullshit to me. We are not equal in life or on the track..."

AMEN SISTER!!


No one, could have put this better~!!