pandr
02-15-2011, 11:56 AM
NASCAR orders changes, tries to dodge draft trouble
By Jim Utter - charlotteobserver
Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - NASCAR wasted little time in making changes to limit the two-car drafts that dominated much of Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout.
Sprint Cup Series crews were issued technical bulletins Sunday afternoon outlining changes. New dimensions for the openings of Cup cars' grilles were specified and the addition of a pressure-relief valve required for the cooling systems.
Both are intended to limit the amount of time cars could hook up and run bumper-to-bumper before engine temperatures get dangerously high.
There could be additional changes before Thursday's pair of qualifying races or Sunday's Daytona 500, NASCAR officials said.
Officials said they would continue to monitor speeds, which some drivers pushed to 206 mph in Saturday night's event.
Jimmy Makar, vice president of racing operations for Joe Gibbs Racing, said the changes should decrease the distance drivers can maintain in the two-car tandems.
"Basically, they’re going to restrict the amount of air that’s going to flow through the radiator with a smaller opening in the grille, so you’re going to get less cooling through your radiator,” Makar said.
“That will tend to make your cars run hotter when you’re in the draft too long. It’s going to make you have to step out more often.
"The valve is going to keep you from being able to run a pressurized water system to where you don’t boil water as quickly," he said. "You’re not going to have the ability to run a lot hotter than 220 to 230-ish.
"It will drop that number down a little bit as to how hot you can run the motor before you start pushing water out.”
c/p Thats Racin
Read more: hxxp://www.thatsracin.com/2011/02/13/55927/nascar-orders-changes-tries-to.html#ixzz1E1lUqNFE
By Jim Utter - charlotteobserver
Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - NASCAR wasted little time in making changes to limit the two-car drafts that dominated much of Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout.
Sprint Cup Series crews were issued technical bulletins Sunday afternoon outlining changes. New dimensions for the openings of Cup cars' grilles were specified and the addition of a pressure-relief valve required for the cooling systems.
Both are intended to limit the amount of time cars could hook up and run bumper-to-bumper before engine temperatures get dangerously high.
There could be additional changes before Thursday's pair of qualifying races or Sunday's Daytona 500, NASCAR officials said.
Officials said they would continue to monitor speeds, which some drivers pushed to 206 mph in Saturday night's event.
Jimmy Makar, vice president of racing operations for Joe Gibbs Racing, said the changes should decrease the distance drivers can maintain in the two-car tandems.
"Basically, they’re going to restrict the amount of air that’s going to flow through the radiator with a smaller opening in the grille, so you’re going to get less cooling through your radiator,” Makar said.
“That will tend to make your cars run hotter when you’re in the draft too long. It’s going to make you have to step out more often.
"The valve is going to keep you from being able to run a pressurized water system to where you don’t boil water as quickly," he said. "You’re not going to have the ability to run a lot hotter than 220 to 230-ish.
"It will drop that number down a little bit as to how hot you can run the motor before you start pushing water out.”
c/p Thats Racin
Read more: hxxp://www.thatsracin.com/2011/02/13/55927/nascar-orders-changes-tries-to.html#ixzz1E1lUqNFE