Today’s NASCAR ABC is about Aerodynamics and drafting. In racing, there is one big enemy for driving real fast – the air. All teams needs to study the airflow around their stock car – aerodynamics. Clean air will make the stock car go faster compared to driving in a turbulent air (“dirty air”). Downforce is the air pressure that moves over the car surface and this increases the weight. If you increase the downforce, then you slow down the straightaway speeds (increase the drag). This is something that NASCAR management experienced with last season.
The drafting element in NASCAR has changed on the Superspeedways (Daytona & Talladega). The “nose to tail” driving will not work as it used to because the car will easily overheat in draft mode. This is also something that NASCAR management has changed a few years ago. It’s more back to single car racing again on the Superspeedways. (JS)