Nascar Question?

TOM_H

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I've just started getting into Nascar due to me falling in love with Danica Patrick (shit she's married) can someone explain the difference between the Sprint cup series where they seem to drift behind each other and the nationwide series?
Also how come not all drivers enter each race?

Please forgive my ignorance.
 
TOM_H said:
I've just started getting into Nascar due to me falling in love with Danica Patrick (shit she's married) can someone explain the difference between the Sprint cup series where they seem to drift behind each other and the nationwide series?
Also how come not all drivers enter each race?

Please forgive my ignorance.
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The spint cup series is the top tier level of nascar racing in the USA. Think of it like the premier league. Even includes relegation of sorts where by the top 33 cars in points are guaranteed a position in the next race unless you're a former champion whereby you can never be exempt. So with another 10 positions available, you can sometimes get up to 30 competing for those 10 spots 'usually the big paying races, other wise around 15'.

The nationwide is the feeder series where alot of those 20 cars and alot more fight it out. Alot of the bigger teams like Hendricks and Rousch have development drivers in this series, and there is nothing stopping every driver competing in the series, its just that its a level below and generally not as difficult. It adds an extra 500 miles + of racing to each weekend so it doesn't tempt the big guns like Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson etc.

Also most of the time you see the big guys competing in this is to give their team 'manufacturers points' so that they can earn more money to pay for the racing. It's more cost effective then the top tier with slightly slower cars.
 
mariachi-19 said:
The spint cup series is the top tier level of nascar racing in the USA. Think of it like the premier league. Even includes relegation of sorts where by the top 33 cars in points are guaranteed a position in the next race unless you're a former champion whereby you can never be exempt. So with another 10 positions available, you can sometimes get up to 30 competing for those 10 spots 'usually the big paying races, other wise around 15'.

The nationwide is the feeder series where alot of those 20 cars and alot more fight it out. Alot of the bigger teams like Hendricks and Rousch have development drivers in this series, and there is nothing stopping every driver competing in the series, its just that its a level below and generally not as difficult. It adds an extra 500 miles + of racing to each weekend so it doesn't tempt the big guns like Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson etc.

Also most of the time you see the big guys competing in this is to give their team 'manufacturers points' so that they can earn more money to pay for the racing. It's more cost effective then the top tier with slightly slower cars.
Click to expand...


Thanks much appreciated:) but what about the drifting behind each other? why doe's it only seem to be done in the Sprint Cup? Is it to do with the rules?
 
TOM_H said:
Thanks much appreciated:) but what about the drifting behind each other? why doe's it only seem to be done in the Sprint Cup? Is it to do with the rules?
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You're talking about drafting and bump drafting to be more specific...the reason you see it so much in the Sprint Cup is because of restrictor plates.

They limit the power output(think they are reduced by something like 25-30%) and that in turn creates much smaller gaps between the different teams and cars...allowing for the cars to bunch up...and take advantage of drafting situations.
 
restrictor plates and bump drafting only happens on superspeedways (daytona and talledega), drafting on other tracks in no different to the slipstream in formula 1, the car infront punches a hole in the air meaning you have less air resistance allowing you to go faster

when running on superspeedways the reason for bump drafting is because of less power (due to the plate), the cars no longer have sufficient power to draft and pull out and clear the car infront to make the pass, so they use somebody behind to push them allowing them to go faster
 
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