Auto Race Track Articles And News

Auto racing (also known as automobile racing or autosport) is a sport involving racing automobiles. Motor racing or motorsport may also mean motorcycle racing, and can include motorboat racing and air racing. It is one of the world's most popular spectator sports and perhaps the most thoroughly commercialized.

Below, you'll find leading Auto Race Track articles and extensive information on products for the auto racing enthusiast and the amateur motor car racer as well!

Auto Racing and Weather Condition

By Toby Trumbill
You've got the car, you've got the moves but you haven't got the weather. Car motor racing is not just about the equipment, the driver or the crew. There's also the weather. Sometimes Mother Nature plays a big part in a race driver's winnings and yes, a cooperative wind can mean crossing the line first.

If you have to list a race car driver's job qualifications, extraordinary driving skills will naturally be the first on the list. Understanding aerodynamics would be second.

Professional race car drivers utilize the best and latest technology available to monitor weather conditions. Teams bring virtual 'weather stations' with them to the track to help keep a tab on weather conditions such as wind speed and wind direction. Satellite TV would be on the weather channel and computers would be hooked up to the Internet so updated reports are checked constantly.

Wind. Wind will not affect tire or engine performance too greatly, but a strong wind has the capacity to affect a car when it's negotiating a turn and it can change from one turn to another so a driver must correct his driving accordingly. The crew is expected to inform the driver of major wind changes or gusts.

Adjustments in aerodynamics can be performed during pit stops, although they may cost some precious time so a team must be able to plan ahead and decide which are the best settings to use for a particular race on a particular day.

Consider air density. Air density is not something most people would care about, but to race drivers, it can mean several seconds of lead. The denser the air, the heavier it is and it creates more down-force as it flows all around the car at a specific speed. The amount of down-force a car creates will depend on how the team adjusts the car's aerodynamic settings.

Teams don't agonize too much regarding air pressure during a

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race, inasmuch as it's not probable to change tremendously. When it comes to aerodynamics, their major concern is temperature peculiarly if the race is a long one which could last from a hot noontime to a cool nightfall.

Flawless racing cars are designed to 'push down' the vehicle so it remains in contact with the ground. A car which is not aerodynamically designed can handle a curve at about 85 mph but raise the speed to more than 110 mph and that car will go careening off the track. This down-force that keeps the car on the track also produces drag, which can slow down a car in the straight parts.

Slippery when wet. And dry. The wet weather is most likely to have the dominant impact on the race because drivers have to utilize more skill in handling the car. Even car speed could be reduced and overtaking and maintaining distances between cars will be affected as well. But a wet track isn't all that bad. Using wet tires which are suited to work well with water (they are designed to allow water to run off through the grooves) can improve a car's speed. Conversely, using wet tires on a dry track will result in the car driver falling several cars behind.

A hot sunny day can also make the track slippery, particularly asphalt tracks and temperatures can rise above 120 degrees. When it becomes that, teams can tune a car's suspension to improve its maneuverability during the race.

Some races run rain or shine and it takes some guesswork to predict how long rain will last. Guessing wrong can cost a driver a race.

So what makes the best weather conditions for a good run? A cool track on a cool and overcast day, when the sun is hiding behind a cloud and not beating down on the track trying to melt it. That would be the best bet. Otherwise, adapt.

Weather changes. A warm sunny day can swiftly turn into dark with forboding skies. A lot of technical skills and preparation can be useless if weather is not factored into the race plan. A team's ability to adapt their race car to the conditions can spell the difference between winning the race and eating dust.

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