zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Racing
/
NASCAR's Symmetrical Next Gen Cars Are Getting Skewed In Practice
NASCAR's Symmetrical Next Gen Cars Are Getting Skewed In Practice-December 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:10:53

The rules for NASCAR’s newest Next Gen cars are designed to make the new cars as symmetrical as possible, but some teams have already found a way around the rules. Previously, teams were allowed to run asymmetrical cars designed to maximize speed on banked left turns. During this week’s test session at Daytona International Speedway, some cars have been running some fairly excessive skew — and right now, it could very well be totally legal.

Basically, skew refers to a set up where the car is set to run at an angle. The front end looks like it’s pointing in a different direction than the direction the car is actually going, which gives the whole thing a sort of crab-walk look. Usually, the rear axle is mounted at an angle when compared to the chassis. For oval tracks, that skew conveys aerodynamic advantages and reduces the amount of turning input required to go left, which makes the cars easier to drive and, crucially, which makes them go faster.

This didn’t sit well with NASCAR for a lot of reasons. It creates further deviation from the Cup cars’ real-world counterparts, it presents a competition advantage for teams running skew, and it’s one of those things that teams can get crazy with if you don’t keep them in line.

NASCAR has made symmetry a key part of the formula for the upcoming 2022 season, in part to make one car that teams will use on both oval and road courses. But that skew is still making an appearance. Here’s Erik Jones running a ton of skew, which makes his car look like it’s pointing at the wall when it’s actually running straight:

As one crew member told me, “It’s all clip skew. You can run shims in the rear clip and fuck with the toe. So technically, as of this second, it’s totally legal.”

Basically, the axle itself isn’t skewed. So as of right now, it’s fine, since there’s nothing in the rulebook to disallow it.

And, even if something is eventually added to the rulebook, there’s no guarantee that teams will stop running skewed cars. The history of the sport is built on fudging the rulebook, and longtime fans will likely remember the Cars of Tomorrow that would pass tech inspection only to become magically more skewed on the track when the race started.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Racing
Race Team Would Rather Create A Fake AI Woman Rather Than Hire A Real One
Race Team Would Rather Create A Fake AI Woman Rather Than Hire A Real One
In another unsurprising example of motorsport’s inhospitable mindset toward hiring competent women, the Racing team has announced a new partnership with Ava Rose, a literal , who will... engage with fans? Share knowledge about technology? “Navigate the cutting edge of innovation to create positive change” (whatever that means)? I...
Dec 29, 2024
Get Ready To Spend All Your Money On Retro Formula 1 Merch
Get Ready To Spend All Your Money On Retro Formula 1 Merch
Fellow nerds, get ready to open your wallets, because I’ve found what may be the greatest store of all time. With designs from Formula 1 teams like , you’re sure to find something that fits your particular nostalgic niche. I’d like to introduce you to Racing Retro. I first...
Dec 29, 2024
Listen To In-Car Audio From Race Cars While You Work
Listen To In-Car Audio From Race Cars While You Work
If you follow racing in the U.S., you probably already know about the . Most of the episodes are too much of a distraction to put on as background noise while you work, but a couple of recent entries in his series have been working incredibly well for me....
Dec 29, 2024
Local Businesses Want Compensation After Allegedly Losing Money During Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
Local Businesses Want Compensation After Allegedly Losing Money During Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
If you listen to Formula 1 or local officials from Las Vegas and Clark County, you’d probably think November’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix was a success. Some sources estimated that the city of Las Vegas made over $1 billion in revenue from the event — but there were...
Dec 29, 2024
You've Probably Never Heard Of The Coolest Canadian Car Ever Built
You've Probably Never Heard Of The Coolest Canadian Car Ever Built
Name a car from the early 1960s built by a famed racing driver with curvy, lightweight aluminum bodywork, a big American engine, and a reputation for being unruly and fast as all hell. Your first thought was probably the famed Shelby Cobra, did you know there was a who...
Dec 29, 2024
After Delivering 8 Seasons At The Back Of The Grid, Haas F1 Team Dumps Guenther Steiner
After Delivering 8 Seasons At The Back Of The Grid, Haas F1 Team Dumps Guenther Steiner
The partially North Carolina-based squad has determined that after , it needs to mix things up a little. The team’s firebrand has been following an abysmal 2023 season which saw the team score just four points-paying finishes. The team’s , where scored a fourth-place finish, but that season too...
Dec 29, 2024
Copyright 2023-2024 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved