[Racer Duck]

there's a lot of unseen things that are done, or have been done in the past, for qualifying that are changed for the race:

• running lighter "weight" oil and lube in the engine, transmission and rear end to reduce friction and only putting in the absolute minimum to get the job done. it's ok for a couple laps, but will quickly "burn up" in a race causing catastrophic failures.
• changing to springs and shocks (within the rules) that keep the car at the proper attitude around the track. this is most important on the high speed tracks where aerodynamics play a huge part in the maximum speed a car can attain. remember, there's only "clean air" during qualifying.
• changing the rear end gears to get the max RPM out of the engine. again, not something you want to do for a race because engines rarely live long when "over-rev'd".
• disconnecting the alternator and other accessories that are driven by the drivetrain. also turning off all fans so the ignition has the full power from the battery.

naturally, when there's an impound race, many of these aren't done because they are too hard or time consuming to change back during a race, thereby negating any advantage that might have been gained in qualifying.

[soapbox on:]
I don't like the current non-impound way of doing things. I blame Indy and F1 for that. qualifying has become a "media" event, and really has little to do with getting the fastest, race-ready cars lined up. in addition, it allows the tracks to sell extra tickets to the practice events held between qualifying and the race. the only resemblance of the cars that start the race to the cars that qualified for the race is the paint jobs.

it's my opinion that impound is the correct way to run a race: you bring your car to the track, practice, make adjustments, practice, make adjustments, practice, tech, qualify, impound, race, post-race tech.
[soapbox off]

[LSC9901]

Thanks Ducky. I knew I could count on you or Bob to pick up my slack !!!

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Thanks Ducky. I knew I could count on you or Bob to pick up my slack !!!

does this mean you're a slacker

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

does this mean you're a slacker

You may want to ask my former employer that question. As long as they send me that once a month payment .... I don't care.

Where did Jammie McMurrary start the race?

[Racer Duck]

Jamie started the Pepsi 400 in 15th.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

it's my opinion that impound is the correct way to run a race:
(1) you bring your car to the track,
(2)practice,
(3)make adjustments,
(4)practice,
(5)make adjustments,
(6)practice,
(7)tech,
(qualify,
(9)impound,
(10)race,
(11)post-race tech.
[soapbox off]

YES!!! The one engine rule has works almost to perfection. I thought that NA$CAR was on its way to making the Daily Double when they announced impound races to reduce costs a few years ago. However, since NASCAR appears to no longer actually the competition side of the sport, and since the mega-teams aren't spending their own money, but that of their sponsors, common sense (or should that be S-E-N-C-E?) and rationality has gone the way of fairness in qualifying.

Besides, if a team had a severe infraction, and since we now see the "suspension of crew chiefs" is a complete farce, fed to the unthinking to make people think NA$CAR is actually doing something... if such an infraction occurred, just think what making a offending driver/team eliminate steps 2 thru 6 would do to their chances of success on any given weekend. Hell of a hammer to hang over someones head, eh?

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

YES!!! The one engine rule has works almost to perfection. I thought that NA$CAR was on its way to making the Daily Double when they announced impound races to reduce costs a few years ago. However, since NASCAR appears to no longer actually the competition side of the sport, and since the mega-teams aren't spending their own money, but that of their sponsors, common sense (or should that be S-E-N-C-E?) and rationality has gone the way of fairness in qualifying.

Besides, if a team had a severe infraction, and since we now see the "suspension of crew chiefs" is a complete farce, fed to the unthinking to make people think NA$CAR is actually doing something... if such an infraction occurred, just think what making a offending driver/team eliminate steps 2 thru 6 would do to their chances of success on any given weekend. Hell of a hammer to hang over someones head, eh?

Makes complete cents to me Bob.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Makes complete cents to me Bob.

a penny here and a penny there .. it's all about the $$$.

(not our beloved Penny, of course.)

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

a penny here and a penny there .. it's all about the $$$.

(not our beloved Penny, of course.)

I wasn't sure if it was cents or scents ???

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

I wasn't sure if it was cents or scents ???

since you're having trouble with your cents and scents, I have no sense of what you're looking for.

[lilsexy08]

Yea, I got two-has to do with Jeff Hammond! Did he ever race before becoming a crew chief and is he single!

[Lefty Noob]

According to Hammond's bio, he was never a racer: "Jeff's career in NASCAR began in 1974 working as a tire changer for Walter Ballard." No mention of a significant other on his website, but he does have a son named Colt and a daughter named Heather.

Jeff Hammond Home Page

[lilsexy08]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

According to Hammond's bio, he was never a racer: "Jeff's career in NASCAR began in 1974 working as a tire changer for Walter Ballard." No mention of a significant other on his website, but he does have a son named Colt and a daughter named Heather.

Jeff Hammond Home Page

Cool! Thanks!

[harvick29]

Originally Posted by Racer X

Great explanation, RD! I new what the effect of “wedge” was and why it was done, I just did not know how it physically affected the car. I have another question…

From time to time you hear drivers talking to their crew chiefs about how they are “tight in, loose off” or “tight in the middle and loose off”. What can be adjusted on the car to loosen it up in the middle and tighten it up as they exit the turn, or vice versa? How can any adjustment have one effect on the car at one point in the turn and another effect on the car at another point in the turn? It seems to me that any adjustment would make the car, on the whole, looser or tighter. The only thing that is variable is what the driver is doing in the car in terms of steering, gas, and brake. Along the same lines, how can a car be adjusted if they it is tight in Turn 2 but loose in Turn 4? Any adjustment, to me, would make the car looser or tighter on the whole…

I hope my question makes sense…. I have been struggling with this concept for years. Thanks for any insight you can give me.

i cant offer the technical explanation as above but i might be able to help you understand what being tight in the middle and being loose off is.acctually most of the time your car feels tight in the center and loose off its because your car is tight center off the looseness you feel off is most likely because the extreme amount of wheel you have inputed in the center of the turn has caused you to not be able to unwind the wheel on exit.meaning you have the wheel cranked on exit making you feel like your loose on exit when actually your just tight center off.as for being tight in one turn and possibly loose in another.all corners have different characteristics based on banking, radias ect.most of the time no corners are the same.like in road racing its more of a compromise turn to turn how your car handles.meaning just because a car is tight in one turn doesnt dictate how the car handles around the whole track.almost all the time you want your car to handle the best around the turn that leads to the longest straightaway.sorry about the lack of technical mechanical support.just a drivers point of view.lol. GO 29!!!!!!!!