7 fans injured at Talladega Superspeedway

[dt3]

Daytona. One of the trucks has but I'm not sure about any of the stock cars.

Great minds dear, great minds

 

[Sneakiecat]

Great minds dear, great minds

Then why are you thinking like me?

 

[Ryder]

Damn I heard about this. I feel bad bout it. Those poor people.

 

[Alien Allen]

With the roof flaps there are not many cars going airborne anymore. It is racing. Speed is of course what it is all about. All restrictor plates have done is too bunch things up. So when there is an accident it usually takes out multiple cars. There is not much drafting as a result of plates too.

Daytona has had many famous accidents. Rusty Wallace I believe had a huge one there

 

[sofia76]

Jimmie Johnson: Changes to Talladega can control racing - ESPN

There's one of the links I was reading on. There seems to be a lot of talk about the cars themselves being wings, which I kind of understand. Upside down wings, I would think. From what I can find on the web, a lot of the problems stem from the cars themselves when they get turned around, the air then wants to lift the car instead of keeping it down.

@sneakiecat: thanks for the spelling correction. And the crash information.

ANYHOW. I asked earlir, do you think that 150 is too slow? Will people still go out to the races if they are that speed? I'm just interested, have never been to a race and doubt I ever will be at a race. I like the idea of the technology coming down to the pedestrian level (and who in IT wouldn't) but the idea of cars going in circles does not do it for me.

But I am curious, and inquisitive by nature, so when I find something I don't know a hoot about I'm not afraid to ask, and your patience is duly noted.

evening, all.

 

[Mrs Behavin]

My dad was telling me that his boss was at that race and one of the injured ones was a lady with facial fractures. That has to suck!

 

[Sneakiecat]

Jimmie Johnson: Changes to Talladega can control racing - ESPN

There's one of the links I was reading on. There seems to be a lot of talk about the cars themselves being wings, which I kind of understand. Upside down wings, I would think. From what I can find on the web, a lot of the problems stem from the cars themselves when they get turned around, the air then wants to lift the car instead of keeping it down.

If you watch the video, there's flaps on the roof of the car that helps keep the car on the ground. In this particular wreak, they would have work if Newman hadn't been there.

@sneakiecat: thanks for the spelling correction. And the crash information.

Not a problem. We live about 45 minutes from Daytona so even if you're not a NASCAR fan, you know all about it.

ANYHOW. I asked earlir, do you think that 150 is too slow? Will people still go out to the races if they are that speed? I'm just interested, have never been to a race and doubt I ever will be at a race. I like the idea of the technology coming down to the pedestrian level (and who in IT wouldn't) but the idea of cars going in circles does not do it for me.

There are tracks where they go much slower. And people still flock to them. And there is so much more to racing than cars going in a circle but we'll save that for later.

But I am curious, and inquisitive by nature, so when I find something I don't know a hoot about I'm not afraid to ask, and your patience is duly noted.

evening, all.

I don't mind. It's always nice to have someone ask about it, instead of assume things about something they don't know anything about.

 

[Alien Allen]

I doubt it would be as exciting if they were going 150 on these big tracks. Keep in mind tracks like Daytona and Talledega are huge.

 

[sofia76]

If you watch the video, there's flaps on the roof of the car that helps keep the car on the ground. In this particular wreak, they would have work if Newman hadn't been there.

Yes, that is what Alien Allen said as well, and watching replays, I can see where the roof flaps slowed the car down to where it CAME down, but got booted back up.

Fluid dynamics has always interested me, and Bernoulli's priniciple is simply applied to air, which, at those speeds, behaves exactly as a fluid would anyhow, so this is really starting to get my interest.

In researching this, I've found that the amount of downforce that these cars have is crazy. I saw a clip where the Army driver (and yes, I've now progresssed to where I konw the driver is not affiliated with the sponsor ) in a drag race car had the back wing suffer structural failure, and the car, it appeared, was completely undrivable.

Not a problem. We live about 45 minutes from Daytona so even if you're not a NASCAR fan, you know all about it.

I have family friends on the other side of you, over south of Tampa Bay. Maybe next time I'm down there I can contact you and we can meet in the middle.

There are tracks where they go much slower. And people still flock to them. And there is so much more to racing than cars going in a circle but we'll save that for later.

I take it those are the 'short tracks' I've been reading about. Really, I'm going to haev to watch some of these if I'm going to discuss this. Again, I appreciate both you and Alien helping me on this. I haev a funny feeling that Nascar may have inadvertantly reeled in another fan. I'm one of those people who will sit down with a pad of paper and absorb as much as I can and write down what I can't and try to reconcile the two online. Given the length of the Nascar season I should be able to get this figured out (or at least not come across as an uneducated little girl in the wrong place) by September, I would hope.

I don't mind. It's always nice to have someone ask about it, instead of assume things about something they don't know anything about.

Good. In that case, I haev two questions that are scratching to get out.

Why don't they use airbags?


Why don't they remove all aero packaging from the cars on the big tracks and put in flaps on the bottom as well?

From what I've seen, there does not seem to be a lot of stuff done to the bottom of the car, aero wise. I could be wrong, but it looks like they just generally sealed it up, and no effort was made to aero it. In short, the top looks like an upside down wing, but the bottom just looks bumpy. Why not put flaps on the side or rear to help spoil the air's entry as well as slow the car down? From the video, you can very clearly see the car go up, and then come down before it got hit. Which meant the roof flaps were doing their job. I just wonder if you un-aero'd the rest of the car completely for the big tracks what would happen.

This is where I wish I had a wind tunnel.

And it's not the first time this has happened.


Again, gentleman, you patience with this young lady is very duly noted. You both both very nice and very tolerant, and if you are ever in my neck of the woods (south texas) the least I could would be to buy YOU drinks.

thank you,

Sofia.

 

[Alien Allen]

Sofia I don't think they need to do any aero on the bottom. The cars barely clear the track in the front. They do test them in wind tunnels extensively.

If you want to watch a short track race my favorites are at Bristol. They have added on to the stands to such a degree that it is now fully enclosed. It is like watching a race in a giant football stadium. I like the night race there the best..

This years is August 22nd

NASCAR.COM : Tracks

 

[sofia76]

Thanks for the link, Allen.


That "race in a football stadium" does look interesting.

The aero stuff that I'm talking about is not for when the cars are going forward, though. The roof flaps definitely slowwed the car down.

Any reason why they don't use air bags?

 

[Alien Allen]

Thanks for the link, Allen.


That "race in a football stadium" does look interesting.

The aero stuff that I'm talking about is not for when the cars are going forward, though. The roof flaps definitely slowwed the car down.

Any reason why they don't use air bags?

I would think the reason for no air bags is obvious. No offense but can you imagine if one went off by accident? Also many accidents are very hard hits but the driver still has some control. Not a good idea to have yourself blinded by an air bag at 200 MPH

 

[Sneakiecat]

If you want to watch a short track race my favorites are at Bristol. They have added on to the stands to such a degree that it is now fully enclosed. It is like watching a race in a giant football stadium. I like the night race there the best..

This years is August 22nd

NASCAR.COM : Tracks

I hate short tracks (not as much as the road races). They just don't seem as fun. Might be different when you're there. But I bet the sound would be amazing. Though Bristol's going to be on my sister's birthday.

 

[dt3]

I hate short tracks (not as much as the road races). They just don't seem as fun.

Divorce. The night Bristol race is the most fun of the year. Nothing beats glowing-red brakes

 

[Alien Allen]

Divorce. The night Bristol race is the most fun of the year. Nothing beats glowing-red brakes

:homo:

that night race is incredible. My favorite one of the year. I remember when Daryl Waltrip won one on a very hot night and damn near collapsed when he go out. They had to hold off interviewing several of the drivers who also almost collapsed. It is one race you could be 3 laps down and still sometimes have a shot at winning.

 

[Sneakiecat]

Divorce. The night Bristol race is the most fun of the year. Nothing beats glowing-red brakes

Nice try but you were already going to divorce me over not having Jaguars season tickets anymore. Besides, Kasey Kahne isn't good at short tracks.

 

[112inky]

That wreck was horrendous!!

 

[sofia76]

I would think the reason for no air bags is obvious. No offense but can you imagine if one went off by accident? Also many accidents are very hard hits but the driver still has some control. Not a good idea to have yourself blinded by an air bag at 200 MPH

No offense taken, Allen. I'm still learning.

What about sneezing?

 

[Alien Allen]

No offense taken, Allen. I'm still learning.

What about sneezing?

My brother once had a sneeze attack so bad he ran the car off the road into a ditch

 

[dt3]

My brother once had a sneeze attack so bad he ran the car off the road into a ditch

And since NASCAR tracks have no ditches, there's absolutely nothing bad that can happen if they sneeze at 180MPH