What is so interesting about NASCAR racing? The races seem to be just ordinary cars on an oval track, with no dangerous winding tracks or super-aerodynamic car bodies. Nevertheless, millions of fans eagerly follow these races. What is so special about them?
First of all, it is interesting that Prohibition was the beginning of motor racing. It was then that bootleggers realized that sooner or later they would have to face the police for their illegal alcohol trade, and that it would be best to get away from the chase. It was then that illegal funds were poured into the development of cars that looked completely ordinary but had maximally tuned engines to make them the fastest cars possible.
This then grew into a rivalry between drivers, which spectators were eager to watch. Oval tracks were typical for fairs. In this case, the track was short, easy to build, and clearly visible to all spectators. By the end of the 1930s, this type of racing had grown into officially organized races on the beach in Daytona Beach, Florida. A distinctive feature of the races then and now is that they use production cars. They can be called production cars with a big caveat, but when compared to Formula 1 or 24 Hours of Le Mans race cars, that’s what they are.
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With the development of racing, the dirt surface of fairground and beach tracks began to be replaced by asphalt speedway surfaces, and car manufacturers began to take an active interest in racing as an opportunity to design their new solutions and as excellent advertising. A distinctive feature of the new tracks was not only the new surface, but also the angle of the track. In some sections, the angle exceeded 30 degrees, which made it possible to exceed a speed of 200 km/h as early as the 1950s.
Why do cars drive in such close contact?
There is a separate term, “drifting.” It refers to a strategic racing technique in which one car follows closely behind another, taking advantage of the reduced air resistance or drag created by the leading car. This aerodynamic phenomenon allows the trailing car to experience reduced wind resistance, enabling it to achieve higher speeds or improve fuel efficiency compared to driving independently.
Thus, the aerodynamics of the body and the ability to control it have become a real tactic on the track. Techniques such as close contact between the front wing and the rear wing of the opponent led to a sharp imbalance in the rear axle, forcing the car in front to slow down. Here, it was not only speed that mattered, but also how you managed aerodynamics.
What is “The Big One”?
Now it becomes clearer that a dense stream of cars on the track at a high angle is a confrontation between masters of their craft at speeds of over 300 km/h, which inevitably leads to acute situations when all the cars literally pile into each other. It is this “pile-up” that is called “The Big One” in NASCAR racing.
Now the drivers have to decide how to act throughout the race: stay among the leaders and fight, or drive behind and save the car in case of “The Big One,” thereby guaranteeing themselves victory.
Tire wars in NASCAR racing
Goodyear and Firestone competed with each other for the right to be the sole tire supplier for NASCAR.
The situation reached its peak at the new Talladega Superspeedway in 1969. On the 2.66-mile track with a 33-degree incline, tires were bursting after just a few laps. This led to the departure of drivers from the newly formed Association of Professional Drivers.
While Firestone refused to participate in the weekend before the race, Goodyear remained. In the end, Goodyear introduced more durable tires, and there were no serious incidents in the first stage. This was probably the most important turning point in the tire war. Although Firestone remained in the sport for several more years, Goodyear gradually became a more prominent player in NASCAR. By 1974, Firestone had ceased to exist, and Goodyear became the sole tire supplier for NASCAR. In 1997, Goodyear became the sole tire supplier. Since then, Goodyear has provided the sport with much-needed stability.