Pit Road Speed

P

Patrick9999

Guest
Why in heck can't these guys afford a speedometer or a speed gun or a stop watch or a calculator. I don't understand WHY they have to wait until the pace laps to get there pit road speed from the pace car. It's not like they'd have to use the speedometer during the race - us it on one of the dozens of laps during practice, ask Busch for a sharpie and put a mark on your tach.

Waltrip was jawing on INCR last night about engineers figuring things out for them using gear ratios, tachs etc. What am I missing here?

Of course it doesn't appear as though being caught speeding at Daytona is that big of a deal.
 
why they don't. I dunno.
But, that's just the way things go.
Maybe it's just one more thing not needed. It prolly has something to do with translation, and calibration and all for the Tach/Speedometer to work with precision.

I know sometimes the speedometer doesn't read correct and has to be adjusted. maybe the tach is more consistant. not being a "car guy" in the sernse of the way things work, I may only be toss out crap to the wind. LOL But, that's my guess on the whole deal.

I know it's weird, but, even if I buy and automatic car, I NEED a tach.
 
They've already got the transponders on the cars. They could use the same recievers in the pits that the networks use when they show the speeds on TV. The crew chief could relay the speeds as they approach the pits.....GPS is almost instantaneous. It's coming............unless there's a rule against using such technology (which could be the reason, I suppose).
 
Last year Ray Evernham was asked this question (sorry don't remember the show or the circumstances). His reply was that it simply wasn't necessary to have a speedometer (which would be difficult to calibrate). They can judge speed from the RPMs and the gear selections.
 
I think it's just one of NASCAR's rules. One of many that don't make much sense. All part of the game.
 
TonyB said:
Last year Ray Evernham was asked this question (sorry don't remember the show or the circumstances). His reply was that it simply wasn't necessary to have a speedometer (which would be difficult to calibrate). They can judge speed from the RPMs and the gear selections.
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So, I was pretty close!!! :beerbang:

good guess'n on my part! *patting myself on the back* :p
 
I thought they usually did check what the tach should read for entering pit road during practice or they could have even checked it during the Bud Shootout since they had to make pit stops
 
The check the RPMs during the pace laps of the race since they have the same gearing in the car at that time as they will have in the race.
 
Doesn't the pace car still bring the field down pit road at the pit road speed for that particular track during the pace laps so the drivers can check the actual RPM the car is turning?
I know that has been the normal practice ever since the pit road speed limits were instituted a few years ago.
 
I think they still do boB. But our illustrious hosts for the races seem to never mention it at all. I'm going by the California races Cutie and I have attended. The lap after the second pace car separating the field in about half is when they've done that. But, then who knows if it done at all tracks?

Now watch, they won't do it next Sunday so I can verify that. :mad:
 
DE_Wrangler_2 said:
But our illustrious hosts for the races seem to never mention it at all.
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Actually they mention it every once in a while. It isn't something so exciting that it needs to be mentioned every race.

It they explained it every race, then we'd be bithcing about it just like the announcers explaining "loose" and "tight" all the time.
 
yeah, that's true.
and you're right, the packes are split to get a better reading for the drivers (due to lag and all of car farther back from the original speed of the pace car) in the back pack.

after a lap (or 2, I'm not sure) the 2nd car goes away, and the pack bunches up to go race'n! :)

Larry Mack or Jeff Hammond answered that last season on "Inside NASCAR". I do believe.
 
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