Will the 2-Car Tandem be Gone at Talladega?
Let’s face it the 2-Car tandem at the restrictor plate races of Daytona and Talladega was interesting and sometimes exciting but for me it has gotten old. Seeing only 4 to 6 cars up front with a chance to win isn’t exciting anymore. Especially if my driver is stuck in the back without a pusher. Many other fans have indicated the same. The drivers also do not like this kind of racing because the pusher cannot see what is going on in front. Also, having the car ahead’s spotter spotting for the car behind has the potential for major communication problems.
Last month NASCAR changed some rules or more specifically specifications for the cars racing at Talladega in order to address these issues. Although they specifically have not said so, they want to eliminate the 2-Car Tandem and get back to pack racing. One change is the restrictor plate will be increased in size by 1/64th of an inch to 57/64th. This will add between 7 to 10 HP to the car. This will in turn increase the speeds by 2 to 3 MPH. It also should theoretically give the driver some throttle control where they can actually lift a little to control speed instead of dragging the brake in order not to hit the car ahead of them. This can also help a car pull out and pass. If during practice speeds get too high, don’t be supprised if NASCAR changes this.
The change I think will have the most impact for eliminating the 2-Car Tandem is the decrease in pressure of the Pop Off valve. They are decreasing the maximum pressure by 8 psi. That is a huge change but what does it actually mean?
They used a 33 psi valve at Daytona. Doing the engineering a 33 psi maximum water pressure in the engine equates to a maximum temperature that can be run before the valve releases water of about 278 degrees. At 25 psi, the maximum temperature before the valve releases water is about 267 degrees. This is about a 10 degree reduction in maximum temperature.
267 degrees is still above the temperature at which an engine won’t last long but the engines can withstand this temporarily. The problem is that if the valve lets out enough water, engine failure will happen very quickly because at some point there is no water left to cool the engine. That is why the drivers do not want to see water gushing out of the pop off valve.
There is no doubt that this will reduce the amount of time a pusher can stay behind the car in front. In order to overcome this they may just swap more or the car behind will have to duck out and cool. Either way this would slow the 2-Car tandem down perhaps to a point where a pack draft is just as fast.
So two questions will be answered this weekend. Will we see the 2-Car Tandem drafting? Did reducing the maximum temperature also limit conventional drafting? We will find out this Sunday.
PS For the people who are really technically minded, I did not adjust the temperatures mentioned for the elevation of Talladega above sea level nor any weather fronts. Either way the math will equate to about 10 degrees.
If you disagree please let me know by Ranting below.
One Rant to “Will the 2-Car Tandem be Gone at Talladega?”
Leave a Rant
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
FEATURED PARTNERS
- "A Christmas Story" Performed By Hot Dogs
- This Cat Is Such A Jerk
- Eastern European Anti-Homophobia Ad
- Victor Ortiz -- I'm NOT Dating Kobe Bryant's Wife Vanessa!
- Lindsey Vonn -- I'm NOT OPPOSED to Dating Tim Tebow
- Air Jordan Madness -- Violence Everywhere ... Except Los Angeles
- Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays Buzz, Presented By Candice Swanepoel
- Who to Start and Sit In Week 16 of Fantasy Football
- 26 Books You Should Read or Give as Last-Minute Gifts
Why don’t they rough-up the surfaces of the front and rear bumpers so they wont slip and slide which will make it necessary for the cars to separate before they enter the turns (only at the tracks where the 2 car drafts have become the only way to go fast)