Any "NASCAR fans/Aerodynamicists" in the house?

Nitrous Al · 10-23-2001, 08:40 PM

I hope I didn't scare everyone away. If anyone watched the race at Talladega last Sunday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. got fined after winning the race. His car was 1/8" shorter than the NASCAR legal height. How much more faster could his car go with it being a 1/8 of an inch short? Can this "lower-height" help a street/strip Mustang 5.0?

Back Seat Driver · 10-23-2001, 09:16 PM

well i have no clue.. i only listened to it on the radio. i was comin through Michigan,

But i heard there a wreck with like 20 cars or so

Rev · 10-23-2001, 09:24 PM

The artical I read in the paper this morning said that the areodynamic advantage was negligable. They still popped his team with a (was it $15,000 or $20,000) fine. It was his crew chief's fault I think.

Rev

------------------
'66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph
1/4 mi.

[This message has been edited by Rev (edited 10-23-2001).]

oldman · 10-24-2001, 03:06 AM

Yes, that eighth inch will make a difference inyour street Mustang. . . .at 188 miles an hour.

Crazy Horse GT · 10-24-2001, 03:20 AM

i used to love nascar, it sucks now, the old day's were best it was run what you brung, now chevy & pontiac get a 10foot rear spoiler, after crying for years, then they take more spoiler from ford, i am glad dodge got back in but its a bs money sport now,so i will stick with hockey ,oh yeah go jeff burton ,hehe.

------------------

69fastback · 10-24-2001, 05:50 AM

I had to give a girl I know some hell about that. Cuz she is a big JR. fan and I hate his guts. Hey if u mess up u should be punished. The crew cheif new it was an 1/8th of an inch off. those guys don't make mistakes like that. So they cheated and should be punished.

PKRWUD · 10-24-2001, 01:33 PM

What it was was poor planning. They sent the car out legal. It passed pre-race inspection. Where they screwed up was in the springs. Over the course of 500 miles, the springs "settle". This is known, and the goal is to compensate just enough so that the car is legal at the end of the race. They didn't count on running so many caution free laps. At a steady speed of 190+mph, the force on the springs causes them to settle more than if there had been fairly regular breaks due to cautions. They bet on more yellows, and they lost that bet. The crew chief is ultimately responsible for the equipment choices that are made, and since this choice was a bad enough one to violate the rules, Tony received the $25,000 fine. He wasn't alone, either. Ten different teams (and ultimately 10 different crew chiefs) received fines after the race on Sunday. One crew member (I don't remember which team) even got banned from NASCAR indefinately for illegally selling credentials.

Take care,
-Chris

------------------
Retired Moderator
MustangNet

My site: Peckerwoods Pit Stop

My teams site: Jim Porter Racing

RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR

HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN.

[This message has been edited by PKRWUD (edited 10-24-2001).]

Nitrous Al · 10-24-2001, 09:25 PM

Thanks alot guys, the answers were all over the place, but here is my question. Would an 11 second Mustang lowered by an 1/8" or more, beat an equally prepared 11 second Mustang of standard height in a drag race?

Unit 5302 · 10-24-2001, 11:19 PM

Everything including the driver being EXACTLY the same, maybe.

You're changing your launch ever so slightly. Aerodynamically, it would make such a tiny effect, but if everything else was EXACTLY the same (which is impossible), you might see an increase of like .01 or some ridiculously small number. You would be lowering the amount of drag the car has, by a miniscule amount.

Now, when you are talking 190mph, 1 single mph is huge over a 500mi race.

PKRWUD · 10-25-2001, 12:32 AM

When you get to the low elevens in the quarter, things get expensive. It cost's 3 times as much to get from 11.0 to 10.0 as it did to get from 14.5 to 11.0. That being said, the improvements gained by reducing a vehicles profile by an 1/8th inch or more would be an absolute bargain. Is it worth it for a 13 second car? Probably not, but for a sub 11 second car, most definately.

Take care,
-Chris

------------------
Retired Moderator
MustangNet

My site: Peckerwoods Pit Stop

My teams site: Jim Porter Racing

RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR

HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN.

10-23-2001, 08:40 PM	#1
Nitrous Al Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Everett, MA Posts: 417	Any "NASCAR fans/Aerodynamicists" in the house? I hope I didn't scare everyone away. If anyone watched the race at Talladega last Sunday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. got fined after winning the race. His car was 1/8" shorter than the NASCAR legal height. How much more faster could his car go with it being a 1/8 of an inch short? Can this "lower-height" help a street/strip Mustang 5.0?

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10-23-2001, 09:16 PM	#2
Back Seat Driver Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Leamington Ontario Canada Posts: 103	well i have no clue.. i only listened to it on the radio. i was comin through Michigan, But i heard there a wreck with like 20 cars or so

10-23-2001, 09:24 PM	#3
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	The artical I read in the paper this morning said that the areodynamic advantage was negligable. They still popped his team with a (was it $15,000 or $20,000) fine. It was his crew chief's fault I think. Rev ------------------ '66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph 1/4 mi. [This message has been edited by Rev (edited 10-23-2001).]

10-24-2001, 03:06 AM	#4
oldman Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Amarillo, Texas, 79107 Posts: 78	Yes, that eighth inch will make a difference inyour street Mustang. . . .at 188 miles an hour.

10-24-2001, 03:20 AM	#5
Crazy Horse GT Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Sale Creek, TN. C. S. A. Posts: 4,652	i used to love nascar, it sucks now, the old day's were best it was run what you brung, now chevy & pontiac get a 10foot rear spoiler, after crying for years, then they take more spoiler from ford, i am glad dodge got back in but its a bs money sport now,so i will stick with hockey ,oh yeah go jeff burton ,hehe. ------------------

10-24-2001, 05:50 AM	#6
69fastback IRAQ VET Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: high desert California Posts: 1,480	I had to give a girl I know some hell about that. Cuz she is a big JR. fan and I hate his guts. Hey if u mess up u should be punished. The crew cheif new it was an 1/8th of an inch off. those guys don't make mistakes like that. So they cheated and should be punished.

10-24-2001, 01:33 PM	#7
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	What it was was poor planning. They sent the car out legal. It passed pre-race inspection. Where they screwed up was in the springs. Over the course of 500 miles, the springs "settle". This is known, and the goal is to compensate just enough so that the car is legal at the end of the race. They didn't count on running so many caution free laps. At a steady speed of 190+mph, the force on the springs causes them to settle more than if there had been fairly regular breaks due to cautions. They bet on more yellows, and they lost that bet. The crew chief is ultimately responsible for the equipment choices that are made, and since this choice was a bad enough one to violate the rules, Tony received the $25,000 fine. He wasn't alone, either. Ten different teams (and ultimately 10 different crew chiefs) received fines after the race on Sunday. One crew member (I don't remember which team) even got banned from NASCAR indefinately for illegally selling credentials. Take care, -Chris ------------------ Retired Moderator MustangNet My site: Peckerwoods Pit Stop My teams site: Jim Porter Racing RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. [This message has been edited by PKRWUD (edited 10-24-2001).]

10-24-2001, 09:25 PM	#8
Nitrous Al Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Everett, MA Posts: 417	Thanks alot guys, the answers were all over the place, but here is my question. Would an 11 second Mustang lowered by an 1/8" or more, beat an equally prepared 11 second Mustang of standard height in a drag race?

10-24-2001, 11:19 PM	#9
Unit 5302 Registered Member Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 5,246	Everything including the driver being EXACTLY the same, maybe. You're changing your launch ever so slightly. Aerodynamically, it would make such a tiny effect, but if everything else was EXACTLY the same (which is impossible), you might see an increase of like .01 or some ridiculously small number. You would be lowering the amount of drag the car has, by a miniscule amount. Now, when you are talking 190mph, 1 single mph is huge over a 500mi race.

10-25-2001, 12:32 AM	#10
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	When you get to the low elevens in the quarter, things get expensive. It cost's 3 times as much to get from 11.0 to 10.0 as it did to get from 14.5 to 11.0. That being said, the improvements gained by reducing a vehicles profile by an 1/8th inch or more would be an absolute bargain. Is it worth it for a 13 second car? Probably not, but for a sub 11 second car, most definately. Take care, -Chris ------------------ Retired Moderator MustangNet My site: Peckerwoods Pit Stop My teams site: Jim Porter Racing RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN.