NASCAR wrist slaps R. Gordon, "little e," Harvick

USA Today | 3-26-02 | Chris Jenkins

[MickMan51]

Communication problem, Land?

[Steve0113]

Why do they complain about traction when they put on bald tires in the first place?

Those tires aren't bald -- there's plenty of rubber there. They just don't have the tread patterns that street tires do for channeling rainwater.

On smooth dry pavement, those tread patterns are unnecessary, and in fact reduce the contact area between tire and pavement (and therefore traction).

The tires used on those race cars are ideal for the conditions.

Now, if they ever get rid of rain delays and just keep racing, then a different tread would be needed.

[tacticalogic]

Maybe Im just paying more attention this year but I don't recall seeing this much intentional bumping in past years.

Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon had a little post-race sheetmetal nuzzle on pit road last year, IIRC.

[sultan88]

"Well sultan...anything I say would be smeared using plausible deniability by the other guys, eh?"

But everything you said thereafter was 100% right on the money, Landru. You know your stuff.

[AGreatPer]

"On smooth dry pavement, those tread patterns are unnecessary, and in fact reduce the contact area between tire and pavement (and therefore traction)."

Finally, finally, someone has answered this question that I have been asking for a long time in words that I can understand. Thank you Steve0113.

Ok Steve, if it is smooth and dry outside as I was coming back from Virginia Beach to Hershey last week-end, I don't need any tread pattern? I would have loved to reduce the contact area between tire and pavement (and therefore traction). Gees, maybe I could have got one more mile per gallon.

[AGreatPer]

Isn't it about time that we get some of those drivers that don't have a freekin chance off the race track? Buckshot Jones, Tricklin Dick and that broad come to mind.

Honestly, I love NASCAR. I don't understand it yet, after three years of paying attention.

I was at a shop that sells nothing but NASCAR stuff the other day. They have a die-cast car in a glass case (I forget who it is), but it was priced at $16,000......let me retype that for comfirmation, $16,000.00. The owner of the shop told me, "Believe me, I will get that price." Unbelievable!

[Calvin Locke]

Daddy wanna be Jr rode all over ...

Remember watching a race at least two or three years ago. Jr. was behind his father at the start.

Yep, rams him from behind at the green. Although, from the rumours, you would think J. Gordon would be more accommodating.

Glad to see Stewart managed to avoid this brouhaha. Makes the races more interesting when his car is competitive, and he's not on notice.

[tacticalogic]

Isn't it about time that we get some of those drivers that don't have a freekin chance off the race track? Buckshot Jones, Tricklin Dick and that broad come to mind.

Theoretically, that's what qualifying, and to some extent the sponsors are supposed to do. I don't think it would do the sport much good to get rid of the people that are there just because they love to race, even if they can't win. Shawna Robinson has only been in a few races, and hasn't done well, I agree. But it hasn't been that long ago that Steve Park was a joke. The question wasn't "Will he hit the wall today?", but "Will he get to make a pitstop before he hits the wall today?". Then he got it figured out and started running with the big dogs.