[Shotimes] Racing

[kerbyh@netzero.net]

Yep, yesterday's race at the Glen really did emphasize the fact that most NASCAR drivers aren't near as good as they are hyped to be.  Obviously Tony is good, and his car was just wicked fast, but then you had Robbie Gordon, Boris "I'll drive anything with an engine and a steering wheel" Said, and Scott Pruett.  And Scott was filling in for Sterling Marlin.  Barely got there in time to start the race.  Frankly, I found the whole thing just sad...

Kerby

-- Mark Nunnally <marknunnally@JoiMail.com> wrote:
> You guys see PJ Jones explode his brake rotor?  See?  It doesn't just happen
> to me.  :)

Those cars are really hard on those little brakes (remember they use 15"
wheels so not a lot of room to stick big components in there).  I watch the
in car telemetry and the corner speeds are almost the same as what we are
there, but they really get moving on the straights with that ~900 hp.  155+
down into turn 1 and 180+ down the backstraight.

Was at Joe Gibbs Racing back last Oct while they were prepping some
martinsville cars, they run a massive brake package for that track.  They
stick as much hardware in there as it'll fit.  Rotor dia is limited in the
15" wheel but the 6 pot calipers wrap 1/2 way around the rotor, and the
rotor width looked 1.5" +.  Huge pad material depth to.  Mondo brake cooling
ducts/blowers, etc.  The alternators can be 2 or 3x the amp output on the
big brake type tracks (compared to like a restrictor plate track) just to
run all the brake blowers, coolers, etc.

I wish they did many more road courses.  Very fun to watch.  It's cool to
see how a good wheel man can take a low budget 1 car team (robby gordon) and
go beat the pants off the big dogs (started at the rear, passed 10 cars on
the 1st lap!).  Shows you how important the driver is (vs just holding it on
the floor around daytona for 200 laps!)  zzzzzzz

Mark
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