Las Vegas Pre-race Race Thread

dpkimmel2001

dpkimmel2001

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A lot of extra track time this week in the new cars. They're hitting the track on Thursday to try to cut down on the learning curve. Green flag approx 3:16pm/et Sunday.
  • Practices:
    Thursday, March 7, 11:30 am 3:00 pm, NO TV scheduled
    Thursday, March 7, 3:30 - 6:30 pm, NO TV scheduled
    Friday, March 8, 3:00 - 4:30 pm/et, TV-SPEED
    Saturday, March 9, 12:00 - 12:50 pm/et, TV-SPEED
  • Happy Hour 'Final' practice: Saturday, March 9, 2:35 - 3:30pm/et, TV-SPEED
  • Qualifying: 2 laps for positions 1-2, Friday, March 8 at 6:40 pm/et, TV-SPEED, re-air scheduled at 10:30pm/et and 12:30am/et.

Track facts for Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

  • Number of previous races: 15.
  • First Sprint Cup race: March 1, 1998, won by Mark Martin.
  • Last Sprint Cup race: March 11, 2011, won by Tony Stewart.
  • Won from pole: 1, by Kyle Busch in 2009.
  • Won from top-5 starting position: 4 times in 15 races (27%).
  • Won from top-10 starting position: 7 times (47%).
  • Won from 21st or worse starting position: 4 times (27%).
  • Worst starting spot for race winner: 25th, by Matt Kenseth in 2004.
  • Most laps led: 219, by Jeff Gordon in 2010.
  • Fewest laps led by a race winner: 1, by Jimmie Johnson in 2006.
  • Track records:
    • Fastest race: 146.554 mph by Mark Martin in 1998.
    • Fastest qualifying speed: 190.456 mph by Kasey Kahne in 2012.
    • Most lead changes: 28 in 2007.
    • Closest finish: Jimmie Johnson's .045 second margin over Matt Kenseth in 2006.
    • Most caution flags: 14 in 2009.
  • From 2008-2012 a typical Las Vegas Motor Speedway race had 18.0 lead changes, 9.4 cautions for 41.4 laps, and an average green-flag run of 22.1 laps.

Manufacturers / Owners:
  • Victories by manufacturer: Ford 7, Chevrolet 6, Dodge 1, Toyota 1.
  • Victories by owner: Jack Roush 7, Rick Hendrick 5, Chip Ganassi 1, Joe Gibbs 1, Stewart-Haas Racing, 1.

Driver Notes:
  • The most Las Vegas races without a:
    Active Drivers All-Time
    Win: Bobby Labonte (15 races)
    Top 5: Joe Nemechek (14)
    Top 10: Dave Blaney, Ken Schrader (11)
    Pole: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin (15)
    Lap led: Ken Schrader (11)
    Lead-lap finish: A. Almirola, B. Keselowski, D. Stremme (4) John Andretti (8)


  • Top career marks at Las Vegas:
    Active Drivers All-Time
    Races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin (15)
    Wins: Jimmie Johnson (4)
    Top 5s: Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Tony Stewart (6)
    Top 10s: Mark Martin (10)
    Poles: Kasey Kahne (3)
    Laps: Jeff Burton (3,827)
    Laps led: Tony Stewart (482)
    Lead-lap finishes: Jeff Burton (14)
 
Hopefully, Kyle gets it turned around on his hometown track.


And no, I don't mean his car.
 
mike honcho said:
If they do multi car runs,maybe?Single car runs I don't see them learning much more than they already know.
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I'm not sure that the new car has even been tested there yet, has it? Single car/multi car, they're going to learn a lot about how the car is going to run on an intermediate track. Who knows how that will translate over to the race but it sure can't be a bad thing.
 
I haven't heard much about parts shortage since Daytona, maybe they have plenty of backups now. Extra testing is always good, will make it a better race. I bet the cars will be better this week after a week to tweak on them, don't know about the tires, that might be a factor, lighter car, more down force, rear end different. I think what is slowing them down is the front end, if they had a loose car last week to keep from sliding the front, it was slow, usually loose is fast. not an expert, but last week when Kyle loosened up his car, he lost it and hit the wall. He usually has one of the loosest cars in the field, so I'm making a wild guess. If the front tires are good, the track record will fall.
 
mike honcho said:
If they do multi car runs,maybe?Single car runs I don't see them learning much more than they already know.
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Everyone says the cars just won't race well in a group, and nascar has so far refused to change anything. Round and round we go.
 
FenderBumper said:
Yeah, nascar sure is pulling out all the stops to help Danica. They didn't give other rookies all this extra practice time.
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pokey.gif
 
FenderBumper said:
Easily forced to race in a group? Didn't you watch Daytona?
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Oh you mean the parking lot version? So you want to seem them run side by side around these intermediate tracks en mass. :p

I'd just like to see them be able to pass for the lead once and a while. I don't like seeing these races determined by who comes out of the pits first. That's my only beef. I think the passing has been fine back in the pack and the stats show that even though TV doesn't.
 
List including Nationwide times.


Thursday
11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.: Sprint Cup testing (TV: none)
3:30-6:30 p.m.: Sprint Cup testing (TV: none)

Friday
Noon: Nationwide practice (TV: Speed, 1 p.m.)
2 p.m.: Sprint Cup draw for qualifying order
3 p.m.: Sprint Cup practice (TV: Speed)
4:40: Nationwide final practice (TV: Speed)
6:40 p.m.: Sprint Cup qualifying (TV: Speed)

Saturday
Noon: Sprint Cup practice (TV: Speed)
1:05 p.m.: Nationwide qualifying (TV: Speed)
2:35: Sprint Cup final practice (TV: Speed)
4:15 p.m.: Nationwide Sam’s Town 300 (TV: ESPN2)

Sunday
1 p.m.: Sprint Cup drivers meeting
3 p.m.: Sprint Cup Kobalt Tools 400 (TV: Fox)
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Oh you mean the parking lot version? So you want to seem them run side by side around these intermediate tracks en mass. :p

I'd just like to see them be able to pass for the lead once and a while. I don't like seeing these races determined by who comes out of the pits first. That's my only beef. I think the passing has been fine back in the pack and the stats show that even though TV doesn't.
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REMOVE the rear window.:D
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Oh you mean the parking lot version? So you want to seem them run side by side around these intermediate tracks en mass. :p

I'd just like to see them be able to pass for the lead once and a while. I don't like seeing these races determined by who comes out of the pits first. That's my only beef. I think the passing has been fine back in the pack and the stats show that even though TV doesn't.
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I knew you would get it eventually....if I was patient.:) Unless you're suggesting they can pass without going side by side?? :confused:
 
Think about it..when you have the fastest car, who is behind you..uhhhh ding...everybody else.
When you have a 20th place car, you have twenty cars to pass or 2o cars to get passed by.
make an air pressure change for the good in 20th..you pass 5, 6, mybe 7, slower cars, or if it is bad, the same amount backwards..this happens all day long. Doesn't happen in the top 5 cars as much, they usually get better as the race goes on, but they usually ALL get better. If on occasion, one of the top five doesn't improve their setup, bad pit, tires, bad race strategy, they get passed. And that is mainly why you don't see much passing for the lead. Also, most of the passing done by the top group is what I call pull over passing. The driver knows his car is slower, but he knows after the pit stop his car is going to get better, so don't fight to keep the lead and save it for the last 25 laps.
 
I was at the inaugural race in LV and it seems nascar races there have always been parades. Face it, the best prepared team is going to be fastest, and at least pit stops provide some opportunities for teams to use different strategies to get better position and make the car drive better. With variable conditions, how well a driver communicates with his crew chief about what to change in the span of a 13 sec. pit stop will always be key.
 
StandOnIt said:
Think about it..when you have the fastest car, who is behind you..uhhhh ding...everybody else.
When you have a 20th place car, you have twenty cars to pass or 2o cars to get passed by.
make an air pressure change for the good in 20th..you pass 5, 6, mybe 7, slower cars, or if it is bad, the same amount backwards..this happens all day long. Doesn't happen in the top 5 cars as much, they usually get better as the race goes on, but they usually ALL get better. If on occasion, one of the top five doesn't improve their setup, bad pit, tires, bad race strategy, they get passed. And that is mainly why you don't see much passing for the lead. Also, most of the passing done by the top group is what I call pull over passing. The driver knows his car is slower, but he knows after the pit stop his car is going to get better, so don't fight to keep the lead and save it for the last 25 laps.
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At Phoenix, MM was fast until he got out of the clean air. Edwards said the #2 was probably faster, so he needed the clean air. Clean air, clean air....that's all we hear from drivers.
 
Ding ding ding...the fastest car..ahead of everyone else. Thermodynamics. All this gobbly gook about making the car better more downforce blah blah blah. As soon as the second place car pulls out into clean air and usually a slicker part of the track..boom it gets hit in the face with the air and unless it has more horsepower and really good handling, it isn't going anywhere, they will both slow down compared to the cars in line behind them, downforce side force blah blah blah. A driver isn't going to attempt to pass anyway because, the car behind him when he pulled out, will cozy up to the car in front, and there he is hanging out in the slow lane. The changes to the car come into play on restarts mostly before Thermodymical laws, mostly drag are a big factor . The new car is supposed to handle (hopefully corner) better. I am betting more passing on the restarts in the last part of the race. Hamlin's hail mary infield pass and JJ ,Brad and Hamlin rubbing fender finish. If that had been for the lead spot, that would have qualified for one of the greatest finishes in Nascar. Reminded me of a short version of Kurt Bush and Ricky Cravens
 
wind drag in this case. Tires deal with friction. Air is actually a liquid/fluid, stick your hand out the window doing 60, at 120 you probably wouldn't be able to hold your arm straight out. faster you go the drag multiplies. it isn't twice as much when you are going twice as fast, it is more, at 240 it isn't twice as much as 120 it it even more of a drag coefficient number then 60 to 120.
 
Worn tracks and worn tires are the key. Tires barely even matter at most tracks these days.
 
here is a deal I am confused about. They took the camera off the top of the cars and said it gives the leader an unfair advantage, something like 40 pounds of downforce and will make it easier to pass now that it is removed. They didn't say anything about all the drag the front running car had with the camera sticking up on top. Car right behind is in the slipstream and should have less drag and less downforce to deal with, and when they pull out to pass, they should both have pretty much the same drag/downforce. things that make ya go ??
 
The down force created on the lead car allowed for it to run deeper into the corners giving it an advantage. An advantage cars running behind could not match. Less down force = loose in the corners.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Is there heat generated with the wind going over the surface of the car? I'm confused. :confused:
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not enough to matter, at supersonic speeds it is. The reason I think they are all talking about clean air is this. The car works better. But to pass the leader, you have to have a faster car..more horsepower/smoother body or both. Nascar has got them in a box on having a smoother body, and a box on horsepower, handling, you name it. So the team who can get in and out of the pits the quickest can gain spots, who gets the setup a bit better than the rest, who gets max horsepower will usually win the race..car wise. Driver skill is another variable, the wild card. What is a driver going to say...needed clean air. He is not going to say most of the time, we missed the setup, or the car was a dog..they will end up where Kurt bush is. How many times are you watching your driver on the last restart and he is like 5th with ten to go on a restart. They take off, race two and three wide for the win, and your driver falls to the back like some body ties an anchor to his bumper. What usually has happened is that he has been pack running, keeping up by staying out of the wind. As soon as the cars in front split up and he can't stay in the slipstream, he doesn't have the horsepower, and they run off and leave him behind. In his case he didn't need clean air, he needed a motor.
 
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