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2008 Malaysian GP Now that the F1 cars are on a “real” track, we’ll be able to see just how much capability is in the cars. The first of the Hermann Tilke-designed tracks, Sepang is fast, sweeping and wide. This promotes aggressive driving and features a few distinct passing locations. For car setup, a medium downforce level would be ideal, although some teams will be forced to run more wing then what would be considered “optimum.” Nevertheless, Sepang showcases good driver skill and engineering setup; the car with both mechanical grip and a driver that can use it will be the one that’ll do well in qualifying. 2008 Australian GP With qualifying over, it’s evident that the engineers really are earning their money. Less uncontrolled “events” (slides and lockups) mean that the guys back in the garage are really exploring the limits of the setup range available within the chassis and aerodynamic package. This leads me to some things to look forward too during the rest of the year. With less driver aids, the driver becomes a much more involved member of the vehicle’s stability regimen. What this means is that the chassis engineers, suspension engineers and aerodynamicists are now going to be much more cognizant of “the line.” This line is the boundary between control and out-of-control. Most drivers cannot “overdrive” the cars in the classic sense. The tires just won’t allow it. But they can over exert parts of the car. They can push the front, slide the rear, or both, and kill the tires. Nevertheless, the guys back at home base will have engineered a much broader operating envelope for the both the trackside engineers and drivers to live within. What does this mean? It means the drivers and trackside tuning will become a serious part of the racing process. Not only will good driving be rewarded, but so will flexible chassis (in terms of setup envelope, not flexure) and tuning. 2008 Australian GP There are some things that are obvious: If you don’t have traction control, the cars will be loose. Sure, that’s easy enough to see, but with the spec ECU, one of the tuning systems that all the teams have now lost is the variable differential lock-up (and release) and engine braking management. EBM is where the ECU would apply throttle (a few percentage points) to prevent rear wheel lock-up. The fact that the cars are looser on corner exit and under power is no surprise. Watching the drivers dial in opposite lock and trying to “point-the-rear” down the track is great and exciting. But seeing the drivers get used to the lack of computerized deceleration management is where the good stuff is at. In order to compensate for the lack of CDM, the drivers can play with brake compound, pressure and of course, bias. They can also make teeny-tiny changes to ride height and aero balance to keep that rear-end under control. Ultimately, though, a delicate touch on the brake and accelerator pedal (for the left-foot brakers) is what will keep the cars pointing where the drivers want them to go in that ultra-critical brake zone. Let's see who's the quickest to adapt. NASCAR is not allowing the city of Charlotte to use the phrase “NASCAR Valley” as an official slogan, according to Scott Dodd of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, who notes Charlotte leaders “coined the phrase... last year and repeated it countless times during the competition to land the NASCAR Hall of Fame.” NASCAR VP/Licensing Mark Dyer indicated that if NASCAR “allowed an entire region to use its name, that might dilute its trademark (!!!!),” as it could set a precedent for other businesses and entities to use the NASCAR name. Charlotte city attorney Mac McCarley said, “It was simply too uncontrollable when put into the public use.” Dyer added, “I would never want to dampen the enthusiasm of [Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory], but the legal opinion was that it was just far too risky.” Dyer “thinks the issue is closed, but Charlotte leaders still hope to find a way around” the problem. Bank of America Global Treasury Services Exec Cathy Bessant said that an alternative like “Speed Valley, just doesn’t have the same pop.” Bessant: “I think that’s a missed opportunity. I’m hopeful that the topic is not closed” CHARLOTTE OBSERVER I love it... the city and state’s taxpayers are gonna fork out tens of millions of their hard-earned dollars to build a hall of fame for a racing series owned by a family based in Florida worth billions and they won’t let the city of Charlotte use the phrase “NASCAR Valley” because it “might dilute the trademark.” This is quite possibly the lamest thing that I’ve EVER HEARD!!!! NASCAR slaps its name on EVERYTHING—and I MEAN EVERYTHING for a buck (i.e. Moon Pies, the Official Marshmallow Pastry of NASCAR and NASCAR-themed Harlequinn novels!@#)—and somehow that’s just fine and dandy, but by allowing “an entire region to use its name, that might dilute its trademark?” Said region is the home to virtually every team, driver, one of the sports most popular venues (Lowe’s Motor Speedway) and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, but by calling it “NASCAR Valley,” this somehow diminishes the brand? Give me a break!!! Sperber wants NASCAR to add a third race in Phoenix, two at his oval plus a downtown street race? Hogwash, NASCAR will never give him a third date. This is just NASCAR and the France family trying to kill off any competing competition. When is the general media going to see NASCAR's tactics for what they are and call a spade a spade? We suspect eventually the open wheel leaders, Kalkhoven and George, are eventually going to have to slap them with another antitrust lawsuit or something similar. Like we said, this should get very interesting as open wheel racing merges back together and starts to become a threat to NASCAR's fiefdom. 25 May 2006 |