Jimmie Johnson says NASCAR should apply speed strips to improve racing at the brobdingnagians

AndyMarquisLive

AndyMarquisLive

I love short track racing (Taylor's Version)
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F1 tried dirt track racing years ago. It just didn't take off.

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AndyMarquisLive said:
He thinks placing the VHT compound that's being used at Bristol on high grooves at the intermediate tracks would improve racing. ...
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I was afraid of this. I don't see the tracks voluntarily adding another expensive step to their pre-race checklists. When it rains like this weekend, it's time and money wasted when the stuff is mostly or completely washed away. That introduces another variable factor the teams have to account for and adjust to. Even worse will be the inevitable debates over how good a job Track A did vs. Track B, over whether they should have re-treated the surface after rains or even after each race.

I wish Jr. and Bruton had left this cat in the bag, this barn door closed, this pair of teenagers out of the back seat.
 
I can see the new thread now ...

Why Don't The Privileged Class Race Driverless Cars In The Rain At The Brobdingnagians? :D
 
Why are you guys opposed to this? More useables lanes makes for better racing. Think about Eldora where you have some trucks running way up high and some trucks going all the way to the bottom, and some guys even trying a more central line. The options are fun to watch when drivers have the freedom to move around the track and search for grip. I'm all for this and hope is happens.
 
I don't know about JJ's idea, but all the big tracks really need to produce compelling racing is to get the aero rules right, with much less aero dependence than in recent years. The 2016 rules are a good start, and the 2017 proposed rules are a welcome next step. Just my $0.02.
 
NASCAR says this won't be the last time to use Bristol Treatment

Kevin Harvick says he'd also like to see it at more tracks, and #1 would be... Martinsville. :windows:

I like the theory of using VHT to improve the racing, I'm just not sure where else it would work. At Bristol I really enjoyed not only the bottom groove being fast but also how the preferred line changed dramatically throughout the race. I'm just not sure if it would work at any other tracks. Most tracks are bottom dominant or already multi-groove enough for good racing. If you want to put VHT down to make the top work at an intermediate track, where would you put it and how much? There's a lot more leeway when defining the high groove as opposed to the bottom.18 inches of VHT along the wall might not do anything. Can anyone else think of another track besides Bristol that is top groove dominant?

Oh and for the record, Martinsville does not need changing. Single groove on the bottom of a short track is just perfect.
 
Acs said:
... Can anyone else think of another track besides Bristol that is top groove dominant?.
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Darlington, and if anyone alters a single grain of sand I will swear undying vengence with the burning heat of a thousand white-hot suns. :mad::mad::mad:

There's not much point in putting stickum too far up in the top groove. The marbles are going to get between it and the tires anyway.
 
It sounds like something they might want to add when they do tire testing at various tracks. I'm guessing that it would only be effective at certain tracks.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
There's not much point in putting stickum too far up in the top groove. The marbles are going to get between it and the tires anyway.
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I was thinking the same thing as well. It won't provide enough grip, plus is hooking up your right tires as important as the left? Another thing is on some tracks the turns are so wide that running against the wall adds so much more distance to the lap that nobody will run there anyways.

I could see this maybe working at Loudon since the current groove is about 8 feet above the line. 18 inches of stick-em off the apron might be enough to allow a car to slide underneath.
 
Acs said:
Kevin Harvick says he'd also like to see it at more tracks, and #1 would be... Martinsville. :windows:
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If they do it before the Late Model race, this gets my vote. Would love to see the Late Model race come down to something other than dumping the guy in front of you for the win.
 
Acs said:
I was thinking the same thing as well. It won't provide enough grip, plus is hooking up your right tires as important as the left?
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How do we know it wouldn't provide enough additional grip to create a workable second lane up high? There's one way to find out.

Might be better to affect the right side tires. They're more important than the lefts week to week, except for the roadies. The dynamic loads are higher. Again ... try it. That's how things are advanced.
 
cheesepuffs said:
Why are you guys opposed to this? More useables lanes makes for better racing. Think about Eldora where you have some trucks running way up high and some trucks going all the way to the bottom, and some guys even trying a more central line. The options are fun to watch when drivers have the freedom to move around the track and search for grip. I'm all for this and hope is happens.
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It won't really do anything at the big tracks. Lack of passing lanes isn't the reason it's hard to pass and isn't the reason the racing is morbid and dreadful.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Does anyone know if the results are going to be the same on asphalt vs concrete?
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The NHRA tracks all use it on the concrete or asphalt on the starting pad:

"PJ1 TrackBite, formerly known as VHT TrackBite or simply VHT, is a custom formulated resin, typically black in color, used in drag racing to either increase the traction of a car's tires or as a sealer for newly ground and/or resurfaced race tracks.[1] It stays sticky for weeks, has fire-retardant properties and is hydrophobic. It is generally sprayed onto the track from either a 55-gallon (208-liter) drum or 1 gallon, 2.5 liter and 15 liter plastic jug. It has been used in professional racing since 1972. With the help of Trackbite, a normal street surface can be prepped so well a drag car can lift the front wheels off the ground.[citation needed]

It can also be sprayed from specialized VHT spraying tanks. The TrackBite that the NHRA uses, commercial "VHT TRACKBITE CONCENTRATE" is yellowish in color and per NHRA regulations is diluted with methanol for optimum effect. Trackbite contains no petroleum distillates and is biodegradable when dry.[citation needed]

Its use was prohibited by NASCAR in 2010 to reduce the amount of chemicals used at its events."
 
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aunty dive said:
The NHRA tracks all use it on the asphalt:


Its use was prohibited by NASCAR in 2010 to reduce the amount of chemicals used at its events."
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So does this mean it used to be used in NASCAR? Perhaps they mean lower-level series?
 
^^ I think it means they changed their collective mind.
 
I'd like to see this used at Martinsville for the Late Model race but I'd hate to see it used for the Cup race. I'm not a fan of wrecking, but I think the fact that it's tough to pass and drivers get to beating and banging gives the track character.

Every time the drivers want something, it usually results in a boring race for fans. Imagine if Martinsville became a multi-groove track and drivers could pass with ease and drivers suddenly became afraid to rub because it'll dent the car.

And now they want to ruin the best race in NASCAR because they don't like rubbing a little bit.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
I'd like to see this used at Martinsville for the Late Model race but I'd hate to see it used for the Cup race. I'm not a fan of wrecking, but I think the fact that it's tough to pass and drivers get to beating and banging gives the track character.

Every time the drivers want something, it usually results in a boring race for fans. Imagine if Martinsville became a multi-groove track and drivers could pass with ease and drivers suddenly became afraid to rub because it'll dent the car.

And now they want to ruin the best race in NASCAR because they don't like rubbing a little bit.
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Part of the problem is that the cars aren't capable of a little rubbing anymore. A litte rubbing leads to sheet metal peeling off, decreases in downforce, and cut tires. And foam spilling out. ugh!
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
It won't really do anything at the big tracks. Lack of passing lanes isn't the reason it's hard to pass and isn't the reason the racing is morbid and dreadful.
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Dude, you are stuck in 2015. In 2016 the racing has been an excellent test of driving skill, with big gains in the ability of a faster car/driver to get by a slower car/driver. It's not supposed to be *easy* to pass, but is supposed to be *possible* to pass if you are faster. And the planned 2017 rules will be a welcome next step.
 
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