| Nascar Racing is one form of racing where people | | | | The engine outputs are nearly identical, the tires are |
| tend to have very strong opinions. People either love | | | | nearly identical, and the weights of the cars are |
| it or hate it. What's the truth about Nascar Racing? Is | | | | nearly identical. Despite the fact that one car may be |
| it a driver's race, in the truest sense, or is it simply | | | | labeled Dodge and one car may be labeled Ford, the |
| some cars going in circles? | | | | similarities beneath the skin are many. This translates |
| Many people are under the misconception that Nascar | | | | into driver skill and pit crew execution being the |
| driver's are very unskilled since the course is simply a | | | | largest deciding factor in these races. A pit crew |
| very large oval. While it's true that there are no | | | | must be able to service a car in a matter of |
| complicated twists and turns, this actually makes a | | | | moments, or precious time may be lost with the car |
| Nascar race very difficult to win. Because the course | | | | not in motion. A simple mistake during a tire change |
| itself is so simple and the cars so evenly matched, | | | | or re-fuel can lead to the entire race being lost. |
| Nascar requires each lap be near perfect in order to | | | | For this reason, pit crews rehearse constantly to |
| claim a victory. Each minor mistake or subtle error | | | | make sure that they're motions are quick, consistent, |
| can drop a car back several spots in the grid. | | | | and effective. They are timed with stopwatches, and |
| So while this form of racing may appear "easy" or | | | | compete almost in the same manner as a track and |
| "simple", the emphasis really lies on nearing perfection | | | | field team trying to shave valuable milliseconds off of |
| in a race. The setup of the cars is another factor | | | | their times. After all, ever fraction of a second that a |
| which emphasizes perfection from the entire racing | | | | car spends at 0 mph is time that the competition is |
| crew. The restrictions on the cars in Nascar are very | | | | speeding away at upwards of 160mph. To really |
| detailed, and are designed to ensure that all cars are | | | | appreciate Nascar Racing it's important to understand |
| nearly perfectly matched. When race day arrives, | | | | what's going on beneath the surface. If you take the |
| you can be assured that nearly every car on the | | | | time to watch closely, you might find that Nascar |
| track is within a fraction of a percent in terms of | | | | requires more discipline and skill than you'd think. |
| their performance capabilities. | | | | |