Any news on the tests, rumors, etc?
I have been off line most of the week.
MEOWWWW?PURRRRRR kat
I have been off line most of the week.
MEOWWWW?PURRRRRR kat
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Oh yeah, odds and ends.
Here's one.
From the Daytona New-Journal Online
Daytona 500 to get face-'lift'?
By GODWIN KELLY Motorsports Editor
DAYTONA BEACH -- NASCAR tested various aerodynamic configurations of Winston Cup cars Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway with the hope of making a significant rules change for the 2003 Daytona 500.
Ten teams, representing the four makes of cars that compete in Winston Cup, participated in the test session, which was cut short by a persistent line of thunderstorms that rumbled over the Speedway.
Gary Nelson, NASCAR's managing director of competition, directed the test that involved larger restrictor plates and lower rear spoiler heights.
"Our goal wasn't to come to Daytona and figure out a whole new rules package in one day," Nelson said. "Our thoughts were to study a different approach to this type of track. We asked the question: What happened if we had less downforce and a bigger restrictor plate where the drivers may have to deal with letting off the gas when they got into the corner? That was basically the concept and theory we were exploring."
With the current configuration of stock cars, drivers never have to lift off the throttle as they negotiate Daytona's 31-degree banking. The cars also run in a tightly bunched pack, which has led to several major multi-car accidents at Daytona and Talladega Superspeedway, the two tracks where restrictor plates are used.
If drivers have to lift in the corners, that would help stretch out the cars and make restrictor plate racing a bit safer.
Nelson said Tuesday's test was aimed at creating a rules package for Speed Weeks 2003 and would not be used at Talladega Superspeedway's race in October.
"Talladega has bigger turns; the turns have a bigger radius," he said. "We're looking at Daytona as a separate set of issues. We approached this test as a Daytona test. The knowledge we got today is for down the road."
NASCAR plans to use a smaller fuel cell for the Talladega race with the hopes that more pit stops will help separate the field. The regular fuel cell measures 33 inches and holds 22 gallons of gas. The Talladega tank measures 20 inches.
"A few guys tried it (Tuesday) but it was not part of the test," Nelson said. "We did not run cars low on gas during this test."
Nelson said the proposed large greenhouse, which creates more room in the ****pit, was simulated by several teams.
"The big greenhouse blocks air to the spoiler and creates the aero effect that we could simulate very easily," Nelson said. "We got feedback that will help the large greenhouse project tremendously."
Tuesday's showers scrubbed NASCAR's plan to run the cars with the new aerodynamic configuration in a draft situation. Nelson said that part of the test would be rescheduled.
"We were looking forward to the drafting portion of the test to close the loop but we're very thrilled that we got this far," Nelson said. "At the same time, we were wishing we got the rest of the test in."
Ward Burton, Hut Stricklin and Kyle Petty were here testing under the Dodge banner. Chevrolet was represented by Jeff Green, Michael Waltrip and Bobby Hamilton. Dave Blaney, Geoffrey Bodine and Elliott Sadler were here in Fords, while Mike Wallace was in the lone Pontiac.
Burton won the season-opening Daytona 500, while Waltrip captured the Pepsi 400 in July.
Here's one.
From the Daytona New-Journal Online
Daytona 500 to get face-'lift'?
By GODWIN KELLY Motorsports Editor
DAYTONA BEACH -- NASCAR tested various aerodynamic configurations of Winston Cup cars Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway with the hope of making a significant rules change for the 2003 Daytona 500.
Ten teams, representing the four makes of cars that compete in Winston Cup, participated in the test session, which was cut short by a persistent line of thunderstorms that rumbled over the Speedway.
Gary Nelson, NASCAR's managing director of competition, directed the test that involved larger restrictor plates and lower rear spoiler heights.
"Our goal wasn't to come to Daytona and figure out a whole new rules package in one day," Nelson said. "Our thoughts were to study a different approach to this type of track. We asked the question: What happened if we had less downforce and a bigger restrictor plate where the drivers may have to deal with letting off the gas when they got into the corner? That was basically the concept and theory we were exploring."
With the current configuration of stock cars, drivers never have to lift off the throttle as they negotiate Daytona's 31-degree banking. The cars also run in a tightly bunched pack, which has led to several major multi-car accidents at Daytona and Talladega Superspeedway, the two tracks where restrictor plates are used.
If drivers have to lift in the corners, that would help stretch out the cars and make restrictor plate racing a bit safer.
Nelson said Tuesday's test was aimed at creating a rules package for Speed Weeks 2003 and would not be used at Talladega Superspeedway's race in October.
"Talladega has bigger turns; the turns have a bigger radius," he said. "We're looking at Daytona as a separate set of issues. We approached this test as a Daytona test. The knowledge we got today is for down the road."
NASCAR plans to use a smaller fuel cell for the Talladega race with the hopes that more pit stops will help separate the field. The regular fuel cell measures 33 inches and holds 22 gallons of gas. The Talladega tank measures 20 inches.
"A few guys tried it (Tuesday) but it was not part of the test," Nelson said. "We did not run cars low on gas during this test."
Nelson said the proposed large greenhouse, which creates more room in the ****pit, was simulated by several teams.
"The big greenhouse blocks air to the spoiler and creates the aero effect that we could simulate very easily," Nelson said. "We got feedback that will help the large greenhouse project tremendously."
Tuesday's showers scrubbed NASCAR's plan to run the cars with the new aerodynamic configuration in a draft situation. Nelson said that part of the test would be rescheduled.
"We were looking forward to the drafting portion of the test to close the loop but we're very thrilled that we got this far," Nelson said. "At the same time, we were wishing we got the rest of the test in."
Ward Burton, Hut Stricklin and Kyle Petty were here testing under the Dodge banner. Chevrolet was represented by Jeff Green, Michael Waltrip and Bobby Hamilton. Dave Blaney, Geoffrey Bodine and Elliott Sadler were here in Fords, while Mike Wallace was in the lone Pontiac.
Burton won the season-opening Daytona 500, while Waltrip captured the Pepsi 400 in July.
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And another,
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Severe thunderstorms curtailed a NASCAR Winston Cup aerodynamic test session Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway, but not before the 10 teams on hand gathered some valuable data.
The test was scheduled to examine a variety of aerodynamic and engine combinations that may be used in the series' next restrictor plate race, the Oct. 6 EA Sports Thunder 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
NASCAR managing director of competition Gary Nelson said Tuesday afternoon that the teams were able to test enough aerodynamic and engine modifications to give the sanctioning body a decent bank of information to go to the wind tunnel with before it considered the next step in an ongoing program.
"We really learned a lot and we're very optimistic with the direction we're going," Nelson said. "We found some things we thought would be fact, were true. In actuality the theory that we were pursuing was lowering the downforce on the cars and how that would affect how they perform on the track."
The teams began testing at about 9:30 a.m. ET and ran until noon. After a 45-minute meeting over lunch, the test resumed until heavy rains ended it about 1:30, just before the teams were going to make drafting runs.
"The next thing we want to do is go to the wind tunnel and organize the data that we've collected today and make sure that we feel comfortable," Nelson said. "We felt pretty good about going out and drafting but then it rained. Once we go to the wind tunnel we'll be able to decide if we need to come to the race track again."
Those that tested Tuesday included Geoffrey Bodine, Dave Blaney, Elliott Sadler, Mike Wallace for MB2 Motorsports, John Andretti, Ward Burton, Hut Stricklin, Michael Waltrip, Jeff Green and Bobby Hamilton.
NASCAR said the teams of Andretti and Hamilton would be allowed to remain at the track Wednesday, weather permitting, for open testing without being charged for one of their seven tests available for the 2002 season.
"I don't know what they got out of it, but I am happy that they are trying several different, extreme scenarios -- from one end of the spectrum to the other -- more than we've ever tried before," Hamilton said. "Everything that we do with stock cars, no matter what they throw at us we can adjust for it.
"I guess the moral of the story is gonna be we'd like for the speeds to be around 188 mph, I would say; we need to lift in the corners; and we need to keep the packs separated -- to put it back more in the drivers' hands and the chassis guys' hands as to how maneuverable the cars are in traffic instead of just having a bunch of downforce and restrictor plates where everybody is wide open and they can't get away from each other."
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Severe thunderstorms curtailed a NASCAR Winston Cup aerodynamic test session Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway, but not before the 10 teams on hand gathered some valuable data.
The test was scheduled to examine a variety of aerodynamic and engine combinations that may be used in the series' next restrictor plate race, the Oct. 6 EA Sports Thunder 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
NASCAR managing director of competition Gary Nelson said Tuesday afternoon that the teams were able to test enough aerodynamic and engine modifications to give the sanctioning body a decent bank of information to go to the wind tunnel with before it considered the next step in an ongoing program.
"We really learned a lot and we're very optimistic with the direction we're going," Nelson said. "We found some things we thought would be fact, were true. In actuality the theory that we were pursuing was lowering the downforce on the cars and how that would affect how they perform on the track."
The teams began testing at about 9:30 a.m. ET and ran until noon. After a 45-minute meeting over lunch, the test resumed until heavy rains ended it about 1:30, just before the teams were going to make drafting runs.
"The next thing we want to do is go to the wind tunnel and organize the data that we've collected today and make sure that we feel comfortable," Nelson said. "We felt pretty good about going out and drafting but then it rained. Once we go to the wind tunnel we'll be able to decide if we need to come to the race track again."
Those that tested Tuesday included Geoffrey Bodine, Dave Blaney, Elliott Sadler, Mike Wallace for MB2 Motorsports, John Andretti, Ward Burton, Hut Stricklin, Michael Waltrip, Jeff Green and Bobby Hamilton.
NASCAR said the teams of Andretti and Hamilton would be allowed to remain at the track Wednesday, weather permitting, for open testing without being charged for one of their seven tests available for the 2002 season.
"I don't know what they got out of it, but I am happy that they are trying several different, extreme scenarios -- from one end of the spectrum to the other -- more than we've ever tried before," Hamilton said. "Everything that we do with stock cars, no matter what they throw at us we can adjust for it.
"I guess the moral of the story is gonna be we'd like for the speeds to be around 188 mph, I would say; we need to lift in the corners; and we need to keep the packs separated -- to put it back more in the drivers' hands and the chassis guys' hands as to how maneuverable the cars are in traffic instead of just having a bunch of downforce and restrictor plates where everybody is wide open and they can't get away from each other."
Thanks a whole PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Other curious minds probably also want to know.
Other curious minds probably also want to know.