Dumb question on Nascar/Danica P

[yellowperil]

It`s probably a given that Patrick is 100lb lighter than Stewart, Newman, Waltrip and many others, Right? Does the team then get to run lighter or do they ballast up to a minimum weight?. Assuming they ballast, do they get to put it where they want i.e.
on the floor to lower C of G?. If so, is that why she was one of one who kept the car
down on the yellow line for quicker time?

We all know about the Penske Camaros being acid dipped to be able add the saved weight lower on the car, is this more of the same only not having to acid dip Patrick as she is already light enough. Thank you for looking.,

[Aragorn]

I'd say Smoke has more than 100lbs on Danica....

As far as ballast goes, World Challenge used to make them ballast the passenger seat area for minimum weight and penality weight. I believe Nascar makes the teams ballast the frame rails with something like tungsten to get to the minimum weight.

[yellowperil]

If it's in the frame rails, it would certianly add to the cars better cornering IMO.

Anyway today the fast guys including Waltrip and other 500 specialists are turning times almost 200 mph, so maybe it's all changing anyway.

Goin' to be a good race. (A good distraction while waiting for F1)

[Aragorn]

Most racing is good racing: F1, supercross, motocross, AMA, Swampbuggys,etc. Nascar used to be better when the old guard was racing. Now it is more tame and corporate. Still good racing though.

[John Rogers]

Unless the rules changed from a couple years ago, the car is weighed with driver fully suited, remote cameras installed, X gallons of gas, full oil system or escentially ready to race.

In DW's book about the early days of NASCAR they used to use lead, fake radios and then switch them until one was dropped on an official, load the frame tubes with lead shot and pull a small cover after race start to dump the lead but they got caught when a driver was dumping the shot and had to go down pit road to miss an accident....... They started weighing the cars AFTER the race too, still do. Then Smokey caused them to start using templates with his "small sized" cars!

[Aragorn]

Originally Posted by john rogers

Unless the rules changed from a couple years ago, the car is weighed with driver fully suited, remote cameras installed, X gallons of gas, full oil system or escentially ready to race.

In DW's book about the early days of NASCAR they used to use lead, fake radios and then switch them until one was dropped on an official, load the frame tubes with lead shot and pull a small cover after race start to dump the lead but they got caught when a driver was dumping the shot and had to go down pit road to miss an accident....... They started weighing the cars AFTER the race too, still do. Then Smokey caused them to start using templates with his "small sized" cars!

Smokey was a genius. That one car was something like 15/16ths scale. Came up with the idea of the counter-rotating engine to better handling. Hid fuel lines in the roll cage for "better' fuel economy. And so on and so on. His rule rule book started between the lines of the Nascar rule book.

[VaSteve]

Someone was suggesting that the results were manipulated so she'd get a different plate and thus make the pole. Possible and look at all the press she/NASCAR is getting. They have stopped talking about her new boyfriend as well.

[URY914]

NASCAR Sprint Cup rivals weigh in on Danica Patrick's weight advantage at Daytona 500 - NASCAR News | FOX Sports on MSN

[ckelly78z]

At least at the Daytona and Talledega races (restrictor plate races), starting position means next to nothing. There are so many lead changes, that they only count them at the completeion of a lap, and there was a race within the last couple years that the lead changed 70 times in 200 laps.

[yellowperil]

Originally Posted by URY914

NASCAR Sprint Cup rivals weigh in on Danica Patrick's weight advantage at Daytona 500 - NASCAR News | FOX Sports on MSN

Thanks, good explanation. What Kennseth said is too funny! If Patrick gets too fast, add what to her roof.

[weseeeee]

They said the same thing regarding her weight advantage when she ran well at Indy. She is fast and I'd like to see her win a few races. I would also like to see Jr win a few. Now Jr. and Danica as a couple.....Marketing Gold!

[KevinP73]

Originally Posted by Aragorn

Smokey was a genius. That one car was something like 15/16ths scale. Came up with the idea of the counter-rotating engine to better handling. Hid fuel lines in the roll cage for "better' fuel economy. And so on and so on. His rule rule book started between the lines of the Nascar rule book.

As the story goes NASCAR officials came to his shop to investigate the accusation. Smokey had a cam removed from his engine and proceeded to break it into three pieces giving NASCAR the center piece. He stated that he didn't trust them to inspect the cam he provided. But having only the center section NASCAR officials couldn't discern front to rear of the piece he provided therefore couldn't determine the direction of rotation.
Those were the good ole days.

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by weseeeee

They said the same thing regarding her weight advantage when she ran well at Indy. She is fast and I'd like to see her win a few races. I would also like to see Jr win a few. Now Jr. and Danica as a couple.....Marketing Gold!

She is fast, but any time I've streamed the cameras and radio from her car, I find her folding under pressure. I did the same thing the first two years I raced. Eventually, you need to learn to shutup and drive during a race. She's really bad at not knowing when to not talk, she'll open up and talk in the middle of a corner, watch her lap time, and that lap will be slower. When she talks for half the laps...she's not racing as well. When she shuts up and drives, she can well. Brad K. may wait 4 or 5 laps until he's in a decent position to answer his crew chief's question. Even then, its in fragments each time he's on the straight.

As for weight, yeah, maybe a small advantage from ballast, but nothing I'd complain about. She's going to have a fast car with that Hendrick know-how no matter what.

[URY914]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

She is fast, but any time I've streamed the cameras and radio from her car, I find her folding under pressure. I did the same thing the first two years I raced. Eventually, you need to learn to shutup and drive during a race. She's really bad at not knowing when to not talk, she'll open up and talk in the middle of a corner, watch her lap time, and that lap will be slower. When she talks for half the laps...she's not racing as well. When she shuts up and drives, she can well. Brad K. may wait 4 or 5 laps until he's in a decent position to answer his crew chief's question. Even then, its in fragments each time he's on the straight.

As for weight, yeah, maybe a small advantage from ballast, but nothing I'd complain about. She's going to have a fast car with that Hendrick know-how no matter what.

Gee a women talking while driving and effecting her speed? I see it everyday on I-75.

[dienstuhr]

The size and perceived fitness levels of some NASCAR drivers is embarrassing. You don't like that your competitor weighs less than you? Try a diet and some exercise. And quit whining about getting beaten by a girl.

d.

[ckelly78z]

No one has ever complained about Mark Martin who is about 5'5" and 140 lbs, but the big guys like Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, and Micheal Waltrip, are giving up close to 100 lbs to him.

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

No one has ever complained about Mark Martin who is about 5'5" and 140 lbs, but the big guys like Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, and Micheal Waltrip, are giving up close to 100 lbs to him.

Jeff Gordan is on the short side to.

I never heard complains of Danica's weight in NASCAR until now, and she's been racing in it for more than two years. There were definitely complaints in Indy, as Indy doesn't factor driver weight.

[intakexhaust]

Originally Posted by dienstuhr

The size and perceived fitness levels of some NASCAR drivers is embarrassing. You don't like that your competitor weighs less than you? Try a diet and some exercise. And quit whining about getting beaten by a girl.

d.

To equal the field, maybe these 'pansy' drivers can simply get breast implants.