Why I like NASCAR
Yeah, I admit it, I like NASCAR. I don’t admit this often because of the stereotype that the sport historically has had. But things are changing. And before you check out of this post, read another paragraph and see if you start to change as well. You might find that its not just a bunch of cars “going in circles.”
I’m intrigued by a sport that involves teamwork, constraints, strategy, and passion. NASCAR has all of those. By the way, it is NASCAR in all caps since its an acronym. NASCAR stands for the “National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.”
First off, there are 36 races a year and with few exceptions each is at a different track each week. 43 cars make each race and the order is set by a qualifying session involving 2 laps around the track. Here’s where the fun begins.
You want to qualify well, so that you can be up front when the race starts — they call this “track position.” You get bonus points for leading the race for a lap and those bonus points can add up over the course of a year. You also want to qualify well, so that you can select your pit position — some tracks have pit stalls that provide distinct advantages.
Qualifying is the game within the game. Cars are set up specifically to make a qualifying run. Extra tape is added to the grill to make the car more aerodynamic and to provide more downforce. The car wouldn’t run that way in the race because that lack of extra air would mean the difference between overheating or not. And obviously, the drivers drive more aggressively on those qualifying laps as well.
In the actual race, there are several constraints at play. Fuel mileage is one. Everyone’s gas tank and all the fuel pump lines are supposed to be the same size, so the winning team is the one that figures out how to get the best gas mileage or how to manage their pit stops so that they have enough fuel left to win the race.
To be competitive, drivers must run their cars on the “edge.” The edge refers to the fastest speed at which the car will grip the track without breaking free and causing the driver to lose control. So tires become a constraint. Drivers have input into that constraint by the way they drive the car. And track position has influence here as well. If you are way behind, you are probably driving aggressively to get to the front. Your tires will then wear out faster than those riding around in the front.
But speaking of track position, you can gain better track position through your pit stops. Perhaps you have a pit crew that averages a second faster than other teams. That’s a lot of ground to make up. What if you opt for two tires instead of four? You sacrifice grip, but you take several fewer seconds less in the pits.
The stereotype for the sport is that these are a bunch of hillbillies. In actuality, these are some of the smartest folks you’ll find. They are innovative, meticulous, adaptive, and hard-working.
To be competitive, they must push their engine departments to make more horsepower just to maintain competitiveness. There are tons of innovations tried each year — probably each race. Crews are meticulous with their checklists of pre-race preparations. There are a staggering number of preparations to make before the green flag waves. And during the race, the winning teams are the ones that can adapt their car to the changing track conditions. You wouldn’t believe it, but a little cloud cover can totally change the way a car handles.
At the end of the race, the winning driver is always quick to thank all the people involved. Its not just him out there. If his pit crew was slow or made mistakes, he doesn’t win. If the engine department didn’t create a competitive and durable engine, he doesn’t win. If the fabricators didn’t create an aerodynamically-sound body, he doesn’t win. If he doesn’t have enough sponsor money to pull together a winning team and the equipment to create a quality race car, he doesn’t win.
There’s much more to it than meets the eye. Most people just see cars going around in circles, but don’t realize the strategy. There’s a lot more that I could add, but I think I’ve made my point.
