Tony Stewart and Lewis Hamilton to swap...

legion · 03-08-2011, 05:38 PM

...Rides.

(Though I'm sure Stewart wouldn't turn down Nicole Scherzinger...)

NASCAR's Tony Stewart, F1's Lewis Hamilton to swap cars - ESPN

Quote:

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Barring an unforeseen scheduling hiccup, two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and 2008 Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton will swap race cars in an exhibition later this year, Stewart-Haas Racing spokesman Mike Arning confirmed Saturday.

The seat swap comes at the hands of Mobil 1, a mutual sponsor for the two drivers, and is expected to take place at Watkins Glen International sometime during the summer.

The cars involved will not be show cars. They will be legitimate race-prepared machines.

Hamilton will man Stewart's road course ready No. 14 Chevrolet Impala, and Stewart will drive Hamilton's 2010-model F1 McLaren. The respective drivers' race teams will travel with them to the event to tune the cars.

Stewart was not available for comment Saturday.

This isn't the first time NASCAR and F1 have hosted an event like this. In 2003, Jeff Gordon traded rides with Juan Pablo Montoya at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, after which both expressed greater appreciation for the other's respective discipline. Gordon made two runs in Montoya's BMW/Williams F1 machine.

"To get the opportunity here today to do this fulfills really every desire and dream that I had," Gordon said at the time.

Come on, I'm surprised you guys missed this one...

herr_oberst · 03-08-2011, 05:49 PM

hmmm. . . .

dd74 · 03-08-2011, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by legion

Come on, I'm surprised you guys missed this one...

It was announced during the Vegas race, so I'm sure fans already know about it.

Anyway, I bet Stewart will do much better than Hamilton. Stewart used to race Indy cars before NASCAR. Don't know if Hamilton's been in cars similar to NASCAR.

sammyg2 · 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dd74

It was announced during the Vegas race, so I'm sure fans already know about it.

Anyway, I bet Stewart will do much better than Hamilton. Stewart used to race Indy cars before NASCAR. Don't know if Hamilton's been in cars similar to NASCAR.

It's been done before in 2003 and Jeff Gordon had problems while JPM didn't have any problems with the nascrap car.
JPM threw it around like a toy while Gordon nearly knocked himself out from the G-forces and had to have extra padding installed around his helmet.
The first time gordon his the brakes hard going down the straight he stopped well short of the corner and had top accelerate towards the turn in.
Eventually his times improved to the point where he was only 5 seconds off the typical pace but it was a very steep learning curve.

s_morrison57 · 03-09-2011, 06:33 AM

I bet tony will adapt a bit quicker than louis will but can he get his fat a$$ in the car is the question

kanadary · 03-09-2011, 08:06 AM

that's what i was thinking too looking at the picture in the thread.. how is he going to fit in the cockpit

Zeke · 03-09-2011, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s_morrison57

I bet tony will adapt a bit quicker than louis will but can he get his fat a$$ in the car is the question

Even though he has lost weight, this is the question. LH is a tiny man. Maybe if they have an old David Coultard seat around....

But he was 6' and 160 lbs.

Or JPM seat. Still, Tony is a bit wide at the girth.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kanadary

that's what i was thinking too looking at the picture in the thread.. how is he going to fit in the cockpit

However, Tony could crawl into a Cup car when the windows were 15" high. I've done it and it ain't easy. I'm 6' 185

Joe Ricard · Joe Ricard's Garage

I think I remember Montoya's comment was close to. Didn't turn, didn't stop, and when you put your foot on the gas the back end wants to pass you.

Gordon's comments were Holy crap!!!!!

McLovin · 03-09-2011, 09:22 AM

C'mon. It will be like driving a fast street car for Hamilton.

sammyg2 · 03-09-2011, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McLovin

C'mon. It will be like driving a fast street car for Hamilton.

Nascars are very powerful but are heavy and don't have enough tire under them. imagine trying to drive a 500 hp street car, on ICE!

McLovin · 03-09-2011, 09:54 AM

That's a bit dramatic. A NASCAR is like a stock ZR1 corvette with a couple hundred extra hp (850 v. 650). Weight is about the same. NASCAR race slicks are going to be a lot stickier then any street tire. A pig like that is a walk in the park for an F1 driver.

kanadary · 03-09-2011, 10:42 AM

so you're saying its like driving a 70s muscle car .. 426 hemi in a charger.. no?

matthew-s · matthew-s's Garage

I think it would be easy for Hamilton to get stock car seat time in before the event. He could probably keep it on the hush-hush fairly easily too.

These guys are so competitive, I'd be surprised if he did not do something like that.

Just my thoughts!

sammyg2 · 03-09-2011, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McLovin

That's a bit dramatic. A NASCAR is like a stock ZR1 corvette with a couple hundred extra hp (850 v. 650). Weight is about the same. NASCAR race slicks are going to be a lot stickier then any street tire. A pig like that is a walk in the park for an F1 driver.

At 120 mph you're spot on. At 180 in a turn it's slipping and sliding.

I've only driven on a banked oval twice. Once at Irwindale, once at California speedway.

Both cars had good power to weight ratios and had high performance steet tires.

The feeling of driving a banked oval at speed is something you have to experience.
Even though I wasn't pushing it all that hard the cars were doing a 4 wheel drift up towards the wall.
That wall gets awful big near the exit point of the corner.
It doesn't look like them nascars are sliding in the corners on TV, but they are. And they're sliding at 180 mph or more and are about 2 feet from each other.

One instructor told me: "if you get into the marbles and feel the car let go, don't lift. Let the passenger door take the hit, not the front or back of the car".

VaSteve · 03-09-2011, 02:48 PM

Sammy I got to richmond and walk up to the turn 4 fence during practice. You could high five the drivers you are so close. They are like one inch off the wall exiting the turn. That drift is intoxicating..

McLovin · 03-09-2011, 02:59 PM

The thing is, being the road course that it is, Watkins Glen has no high speed, high banked oval turns.

VaSteve · 03-09-2011, 03:09 PM

Stewart is one of the better road course drivers in nascar. This should still be fun to watch.

McLovin · 03-09-2011, 03:13 PM

I think it will be great to watch. I hope they make it competitive. They should have each driver do their best lap times in both cars. Also give them sufficient warm up and set up time. It's a very interesting exercise that a lot of race fans would be interested in.