Problems for Carl?

[roach]

NASCAR finds 'issue' with 99 in post-race inspection

roach

[Truth Detector]

Oops

[Mindervillain]

NASCAR finds 'issue' with 99 in post-race inspection

roach

Okay, I understand the safety issue of leaving the lid loose or off. But is there more to the story - is this some indication that someone's trying to cheat?

Otherwise, leaving it off or loose seems pretty boneheaded - you add oil, you refasten the lid. It's certainly on the top of someone's checklist, and the thing's in plain sight from outside the car. Very weird.

[crsfulk]

Okay, I understand the safety issue of leaving the lid loose or off. But is there more to the story - is this some indication that someone's trying to cheat?

Otherwise, leaving it off or loose seems pretty boneheaded - you add oil, you refasten the lid. It's certainly on the top of someone's checklist, and the thing's in plain sight from outside the car. Very weird.

It is not the "container" itself, but instead the Box that encloses it inside the cockpit. By leaving the top of the lid off or loose, it allows the air trapped under the car to escape inside the car and reduces drag.

edit: They did a piece about it at Daytona after teams got caught for the same thing early in the week.

[NoviVespa]

Not much to worry about. The way is stands now, Carl Edwards will keep the win, but lose some points and probably some money.

http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/cu...ks-inspection/

[crsfulk]

Not much to worry about. The way is stands now, Carl Edwards will keep the win, but lose some points and probably some money.

http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/cu...ks-inspection/

If NASCAR was really serious about stopping these little visits to thru the "grey area", they should make the penalty fit the crime. If you have a team that cheated, they should forfeit their place in the race. In this case, Carl should lose the win, points and money while heading to the back of the pack.

Stop with the penny-ante fines and 25 point penalty and make them pay the price for cheating!

[Lucky161]

It is not the "container" itself, but instead the Box that encloses it inside the cockpit. By leaving the top of the lid off or loose, it allows the air trapped under the car to escape inside the car and reduces drag.

edit: They did a piece about it at Daytona after teams got caught for the same thing early in the week.

Someone is going to have to explain this to me very slowly. How can air "escape" into the car and reduce drag? Seems to me that in order for the air to "escape" it needs to "escape" outside the car.

[MoparsRule]

MORE issues for Carl...

LINK


How wide can you go?


The garage has a way of policing itself.

Such was the case after Carl Edwards' win at California Speedway last Monday, when teams noted that the No. 99's sheet metal around the wheel wells extended a bit beyond the norm, which would allow for additional side force.

As a result, NASCAR officials have warned teams not to get too creative with the areas around the tires, or there will be repercussions.

Seems to me that something exactly like that cost the 24/48 100 points & a 6 race CC penalty last year.

[Mindervillain]

Someone is going to have to explain this to me very slowly. How can air "escape" into the car and reduce drag? Seems to me that in order for the air to "escape" it needs to "escape" outside the car.

Thanks crsfulk, that makes sense. I forgot that the oil tank extends out the bottom of the box.

I think I can handle this question. The underside of a stock car is a high pressure area with the speed of the car packing air in, and low ride height interfering with the air flowing out; anything that can be done to allow air to escape and lower the pressure will reduce drag and increase downforce. Since the interior of the car is lower pressure than the underside, any opening will allow air to flow into the interior, reducing the pressure under the car.

Trans-Am cars used to "cheat" by putting naca ducts (those plastic intakes you see flush with the rear quarter windows) in the floorboard, allegedly to increase cooling to the brakes and rear end, but actually to accomplish the same pressure reduction. They were hard to catch because the ducts were flush with the underside, and couldn't be seen unless the car was on a lift.

[dog-ring]

Oooops......I would imagine that there will be a fix coming from Nascar tech this week to keep those bolts or screws from coming loose.....

[Mindervillain]

Oooops......I would imagine that there will be a fix coming from Nascar tech this week to keep those bolts or screws from coming loose.....

A fairly expensive fix would be my guess.

[Niseguy]

Actually, the underside of the car is the low pressure. The venturi effect says that to have the same volume of air pass through a restricted area requires higher speed of the fluid (air) which means lower pressure. Otherwise the car generates lift if the speed of the air is faster over the top of the car.

Back to the drawning boards you psuedo aerodynamicists.

[crsfulk]

Actually, the underside of the car is the low pressure. The venturi effect says that to have the same volume of air pass through a restricted area requires higher speed of the fluid (air) which means lower pressure. Otherwise the car generates lift if the speed of the air is faster over the top of the car.

Back to the drawning boards you psuedo aerodynamicists.

Thanks for the science lesson , I was just recapping a piece that FOX did regarding the issue when it first came up at Daytona. If it is not an advantage, why would they have hit drivers with this infraction every week this year? Also, this equates to the same concept that the drivers were penalized for last year with the "door" leading into the trunk area.

Not questioning your knowledge, just restating what the reports are...

[Niseguy]

I haven't heard the reports etc, but if this is the oil sump tank they are talking about, then the pressure relief is in the engine. The sump pumps pump oil or air if no fluid there. Lower bottom end pressure helps the engine run easier/faster would be my bet, forget the aero outside the car.

Over to CamKing for the real skinny.

(we had problems with our midget dry sump system building too much pressure) on this I didn't stay at a holiday Express either.

[dog-ring]

They covered it tonight on This Week in Nascar. Phil Parsons said it is an advantage at Daytona and Talledega as you want less downforce on the car, the rear wing, but it would be a disadvantage at Las Vegas because you want all the downforce you can get on the rear wing. He said that the bolt holding the cover on backed out during the race. He said that won't make any difference as they will still get stiff penalities....


Edited because of fat fingers on the Blackberry.............