A
Primer for NASCAR's Newbies
Crew Chief's Corner
by Mitch Arnold
THE CARS (Winston Cup and Busch only)
There are three different manufacturers involved in Winston Cup and Busch series races:
Ford, Chevrolet, and Pontiac. The cars are the Ford Taurus, Chevrolet Monte Carlo and
Pontiac Grand Prix. Each of these cars is tested by NASCAR, and adjustments are made to
ensure that the performance of the cars is as equal as possible. In spite of these
efforts, it's a seeming tradition among race teams to complain about the other guy.
Winston Cup cars weigh 3600 pounds, have a 358 cubic inch engine, use a four-speed
manual transmission and generate more than 700 horsepower.
Busch Grand National cars are a little lighter, have a slightly narrower wheel base,
and their engines are tempered with a different ratio.
NASCAR routinely inspects cars to ensure that these and other standards are followed by
all teams. Inspection can involve anything from measuring ground clearance to dismantling
most of the machine. To facilitate the inspection process, NASCAR employs templates which
fit over the body of a car to measure its conformity to the rules.
THE TEAMS
Race teams are comprised of machinists, fabricators, body and tire specialists, a
driver, a crew chief, spotters, pit crew and various other experts who are dedicated to
the performance of their team's cars. Most teams prepare several different cars and bring
at least two to the track with them, in case of accidents or other problems which would
require them to replace a car. Teams maintain a stable of different cars, and use them
according to the types of tracks they visit.
THE TERMS
Push vs. Pull Neither of these terms is a favorable condition for a
car. If a car is said to "push," that means that the front of the car tends to
drift up toward the wall when going through a corner. When a car "pulls," the
front end of the car tends to reach toward the track apron, causing the back of the car to
drift toward the wall. Either condition requires that the driver follow a route which is
more of the car's choice than his. This takes them out of their preferred groove, costing
them speed, time and often track position. Excessive tire wear can be another problem, as
drivers wrestle with the steering wheel and their tires slip.
Loose vs. Tight These are terms used to describe the condition of
the car as it enters the turns. If a car is either "loose" or "tight,"
it tends to stray out of the driver's choice of paths, often forcing him to drive higher
on the track, which, like a push or pull, can cost speed, time and track position. A
"tight" car reduces the driver's opportunity to steer the car, because the front
tires loose traction while the rear tires do not, causing the front of the car to drift
toward the top of the track. A "loose" car is just the opposite, because the
rear wheels loose traction while the front tires do not, causing the rear of the car to
drift toward the top of the track
Downforce Downforce refers to the force pushing down on the back of
a car. Downforce is especially important on speedways and superspeedways, where sheer
speed tends to lift the back of the car off of the ground. Downforce counteracts this
tendency, by pushing the car to the ground, enabling the driver to steer the car rather
than float with it.
Drafting Drafting is a common aerodynamic term used most often in
superspeedway racing. In laymans' terms, drafting occurs when two or more cars align
themselves in the same row and share the same pocket of air. This reduces air drag on the
front car, because the air which would normally drop off dramatically behind it is instead
bounced over the car behind it. The trailing cars benefit in the same way, plus the front
of their cars doesn't receive the direct impact of wind, because the air is broken by the
car in front of them. In short, using drafting, cars travel faster when tailgating each
other than they do alone or side by side. That's why you see cars teaming together to pass
others.
Spoilers A spoiler is the rear fin of the car's exterior. This fin
catches air and pushes the car's rear down, creating downforce. Spoiler height differs
among Fords, Chevrolets and Pontiacs, and is the subject of contention in many arguments.
Track Bar A component of the car's suspension that affects the
side-to-side sway of the car. Tension on the track bar is adjusted to soften or tighten
the car's ability to shift weight when going through turns.
Restrictor Plate A restrictor plate is a metal plate which fits
over a carburetor to reduce the air and fuel mixture fed into the engine. Restrictor
plates are used only in Daytona and Talledega where speeds would otherwise be dangerous to
drivers and fans.
Stickers Stickers are brand new tires, which will last longer,
because they are new; however, their traction isn't initially as good as the traction of
scuff tires.
Scuffs Scuffs are tires that have run a very limited number of
laps, and are then held for later use in the race, in situations where more traction is
needed immediately. |
