Piquet drives Danika Patrick off track in debut race

[ISLAMATRON]

they are fast for what they are but they are not fast, but they are very difficult to make them go as fast as they can go.

[Fil]

who was Piquet's teammate in that race.. and did he win..?

And who was his spotter? I wouldn't be surprised if it was Mr X..

[ISLAMATRON]

Jean Girard

[autogyro]

Islam, sorry I have to rib you on this one, but is this the same car you said was louder than an F1 engine?

Faster than Nascar, louder than F1, and can outrun a top fuel in the 1/4 mile?

I'm just buggin ya... all in good fun, considering my only car right now is virtual, I shouldn't be talking.

ISLAMATRON is exactly right on this one. The NHRA banned all rotary engines precisely because of how loud they were. I've heard stories from my Dad how those cars with short exhaust would shatter windows just doing a burnout and how loud they were. Those were the only cars that actually caused physical pain is what he told me.

NHRA banned rotaries because they were becoming a threat to the established pushrod V8s that dominate for the car and oil companies.
It was the same when the Norton rotary was banned in the bikes when it was winning everything. Japs did that.
With a turbo generator fitted to harvest exhaust energy and allow the exhaust to be cleaned up a rotary would not be noisy or dirty.
It would send reciprocating engines to the dustbin though.


I'd still bet against you winning against a Cup car at Montreal, and maybe even Laguna Seca. You may think you're a hotshoe, and even with a power to weight advantage you're no professional. I think. But just because they weigh 3600lbs and make 800+HP doesn't mean they don't go like stink. Those cars are faster than most people give them credit for, even around a road course. If they were allowed to actually tune the cars versus NASCAR pretty much mandating what they have to run shocks/springs/rollbars/camber/toe-in and out/ride height wise, they'd be even faster. Just letting them actually set a car up to see it's full potential they'd be a whole hell of a lot faster than they are now. Can't remember what well known car mag it was, maybe Road and Track, that took one of those cars to the skidpad years ago, but they were absolutely floored that the car could turn, stop and accelerate as fast as it could given how skinny the tires were and how low the grip was on them, not to mention how heavy they were too. They were also very impressed with the brakes, and how much power they had. From a carb no less.

[Scuderia_Russ]

She admitted to taking her hands off the steering wheel.

Compared to single seater reaction time requirements she had an age to make that save IMO.

[jddh1]

Every time I put my ear directly to any exhaust I seem to have trouble hearing anything after whatsoever.

...And never, never kiss the exhaust either.

[jddh1]

She admitted to taking her hands off the steering wheel.

Compared to single seater reaction time requirements she had an age to make that save IMO.

I know, I think she had time to make the save, but she also admitted her open-wheel racing instincts kicked in and she just took her hands off the steering wheel. Either way, she did not crash which is good for any driver, not only Patricka.

[tk421]

these huge "racecars"

why would you put 'racecars' in quotes?

because they are as far from being a racecar as a racecar can get

they are race cars. i understand you want to bash the series, but could you at least do it properly?

[DaveKillens]

Here we go again, F1 versus NASCAR. It's almost sad, because at the heart of either series, are dedicated and competent teams, and brave drivers who wring the most out of their steeds, and compete fiercly.

I hope that most understand that NASCAR writes the rules so that these cars are they way they are? They are heavy, they are topheavy, and a lot more deficiencies compared to a Formula One car. That is exactly what NASCAR wants, because these kinds of cars deliver a show that makes their fans happy. As well, The cost of running a car a season is lower because the teams are forced to use certain components, and thus save a lot of money. How much would it cost to develop a brand new engine management computer and fuel injection system? Five milllion, ten?
How about zilch because they use carbs. How much would it cost to develop a new rear end? That's right, nothing for a NASCAR team becaus ethey are forced to use a specific rear end that is inexpensive and easily available.

That, dear folks is why NASCAR cars are they way they are. Not because the teams and engineers lack the intelligence and means to use other methods. It's because NASCAR deliberately keeps the technology in the 1930's, to contain costs. I remember when some teams wanted to use carbon fiber on certain parts of the body. NASCAR said no-no, use sheet metal. I remember when a certain car driven by Jeff Gordon, and named T-rex was basically outlawed by NASCAR because the designers used advanced design methods, and NASCAR said no-no, you can't do it that way because it would force other teams to spend more money to keep up with the Rainbow Warriors.

Without a doubt these are not thoroughbreds, but they are race cars, in every sense of the word.

[Ray]

Jean Girard

=D>

[Shrek]

Here we go again, F1 versus NASCAR. It's almost sad, because at the heart of either series, are dedicated and competent teams, and brave drivers who wring the most out of their steeds, and compete fiercly.

I hope that most understand that NASCAR writes the rules so that these cars are they way they are? They are heavy, they are topheavy, and a lot more deficiencies compared to a Formula One car. That is exactly what NASCAR wants, because these kinds of cars deliver a show that makes their fans happy. As well, The cost of running a car a season is lower because the teams are forced to use certain components, and thus save a lot of money. How much would it cost to develop a brand new engine management computer and fuel injection system? Five milllion, ten?
How about zilch because they use carbs. How much would it cost to develop a new rear end? That's right, nothing for a NASCAR team becaus ethey are forced to use a specific rear end that is inexpensive and easily available.

That, dear folks is why NASCAR cars are they way they are. Not because the teams and engineers lack the intelligence and means to use other methods. It's because NASCAR deliberately keeps the technology in the 1930's, to contain costs. I remember when some teams wanted to use carbon fiber on certain parts of the body. NASCAR said no-no, use sheet metal. I remember when a certain car driven by Jeff Gordon, and named T-rex was basically outlawed by NASCAR because the designers used advanced design methods, and NASCAR said no-no, you can't do it that way because it would force other teams to spend more money to keep up with the Rainbow Warriors.

Without a doubt these are not thoroughbreds, but they are race cars, in every sense of the word.

and to extend it they use a 40 year old chassis design(69 Ford F-100 i think), and before toyota came in all engines were part of a production engine (Chevy SBC, Ford 351 Windsor) and with the old car(begining of NASCAR-2006) the roof was off of a production car

[countersteer]

@ Dave Killens...

How much would it cost to develop a brand new engine management computer and fuel injection system? Five milllion, ten?
How about zilch because they use carbs. How much would it cost to develop a new rear end? That's right, nothing for a NASCAR team becaus ethey are forced to use a specific rear end that is inexpensive and easily available.

I'm finishing up the Smokey Yunick series. You're comments rang a bell because Smokey would not have agreed with you. The simple matter of it is that teams are spending millions on carburetor development. (Carburetors!!!) They could mandate an ECU (with rev limit) and injectors and let it go. I mean, don't ALL "stock" cars have Electronic Fuel Injection? Smokey went on to talk about how much money was wasted because of their requirement of a flat tappet cam. Well... don't most modern cars use roller cams? Put a roller in it, limit RPM (power), ta da, money saved. Then they spend buckets of money developing a "restrictor plate" motor. This a separate program from the other motor. Simple, drop the RPM limit at the big tracks. voila, reduced power.

I will agree with you that their chassis rules save a lot of cost. But... why not allow a fiberglass/kevlar body and save the hundreds of man hours per car beating sheetmetal into shape?

Not trying to argue... Just food for thought from Smokey. I'm almost finished with Volume 3, the second half of which is the really good stuff. He discusses the purely technical stuff, including his patents, etc. He was one of a kind...

[ISLAMATRON]

I would never say that they arent racecars, I'm just saying they are as far from being racecars as a racecar can get. ---, I used to race 40 foot city buses when in college(D1 style)... anything can be a "racecar".

I prefer DTM "stock" cars

[Chaparral]

I saw the Nationwide race this morning and Patrick did well - you have to hand it to her crew chief who was on the blower to her constantly helping with the confidence thing and tactics she was just unlucky to go out. Hopefully our guy Marcos Ambrose does well tomorrow morning he was third in practice (qualified 14th) but he will win an oval race this year - loved the 2009 review they showed today some of that oversteer stuff through the corners on the big ovals is brilliant car control. Islamatron I like DTM also weve just started having it aired down here - its a similar formula to our V8 Supercars except unlike DTM the V8s are overpowered and under tyred and DTM seem better spec wise. As we now get NASCAR live (all races) Im getting back into it I first started watching it on highlight packages from ABC World Of Sport in the mid 60s - not that fussed on the COT car preferred the more aerodynamic version before but thats the way it is.

[ISLAMATRON]

yes, when it comes to "stock" cars you cant get much better than DTM, BTCC/WTCC, V8 supercars and those types... much more interesting cars than what they run in NASCAR