mundane errands. So people go to the races â the one place where speed is not only condoned; itâs praised.
In many ways, speed is very much a part of the American lifestyle. We are always moving, always going. Weâre lucky to grab a fast lunch or have time to whip together dinner in the evening (something that often ends up being quickly heated in the microwave). Yet, itâs not just about living fast â itâs about competition. We have to stay on top. We have to have the best schools, the fastest technology, the quickest turnaround, the most productive task force. We are a society that thrives on capitalism, and capitalism thrives on competition. We have to do it better and faster than everybody else and each other.
In racing, that ideology is physically embodied in two cars racing head to head down the track to prove, definitively, who is better and who is faster. Sure,thereâs a macho side of it, but it has everything to do with the fast-paced, capitalistic, competitive American culture that this sport comes from. Whatever the limit is, we have to go a little bit beyond, if for no other reason than to stay on top.
People often try to describe to me what it is they see and feel when they attend the races in person. They talk about the particular sound of the cars whipping past them. The bright colors of the cars blur, as in a photograph when you try to take a picture of something moving and the camera just canât catch it. But NASCAR, however fast it may be, leaves a lasting impression. It leaves a sensation that you just donât get anywhere else.
Actually, maybe it
does
compare to something else. Remember that first go-cart ride, or the first time you drove in a car with your buddies? Or that roller coaster or motorcycle ride when you finally got comfortable and said, âI want to take this a little bit fasterâ? Itâs human nature: we reach a limit and we want to go a little bit beyond it. Weâre all sixteen or seventeen, racing on a dirt road with our friends, yelling, âGo faster!â That love of speed, that competitive spirit and fast-paced culture is all-American, and itâs what NASCAR is all about. We love going over the limit.
The question then becomes: How far above the limit can we go and stay inside the lines? How long before we get caught? How far can we go and howmuch can we get away with? We have our little ones in the backseat, our speed limits and responsibilities that keep our speedometers relatively low. NASCAR, though much less hampered by things of that nature, still has to abide by certain regulations.
Obviously the cars of today are a lot faster than the race cars of yesteryear, but they could be even faster. Restrictor plates, necessary for safety reasons, restrict the horsepower of NASCAR race cars at Daytona and Talladega. A restrictor plate is a thin metal plate with four holes that is placed between the carburetor and the engine to restrict airflow from the carburetor into the engine limiting the amount of power the engine is able to generate, which ultimately reduces the vehicleâs speed.
In years past, race cars were similar to showroom cars and were thus less aerodynamic. (For 2013, the big four car manufacturers are introducing cars to the buying public that are very similar in style and looks to their counterparts on the race tracks and which will be distinguishable from the other manufacturersâ race cars.) At that time it was safer to push the limit. Now cars have to be more closely monitored, which includes having the race carâs horsepower kept in check. As much as we love speed, we have to be realistic about safety and how far we can push the boundaries. Operating within certain limitations means that we have to make certain sacrifices. Forthat reason, most speed records are usually set when a driver is qualifying. If drivers donât have to worry about other cars on the road, they have the freedom and
In many ways, speed is very much a part of the American lifestyle. We are always moving, always going. Weâre lucky to grab a fast lunch or have time to whip together dinner in the evening (something that often ends up being quickly heated in the microwave). Yet, itâs not just about living fast â itâs about competition. We have to stay on top. We have to have the best schools, the fastest technology, the quickest turnaround, the most productive task force. We are a society that thrives on capitalism, and capitalism thrives on competition. We have to do it better and faster than everybody else and each other.
In racing, that ideology is physically embodied in two cars racing head to head down the track to prove, definitively, who is better and who is faster. Sure,thereâs a macho side of it, but it has everything to do with the fast-paced, capitalistic, competitive American culture that this sport comes from. Whatever the limit is, we have to go a little bit beyond, if for no other reason than to stay on top.
People often try to describe to me what it is they see and feel when they attend the races in person. They talk about the particular sound of the cars whipping past them. The bright colors of the cars blur, as in a photograph when you try to take a picture of something moving and the camera just canât catch it. But NASCAR, however fast it may be, leaves a lasting impression. It leaves a sensation that you just donât get anywhere else.
Actually, maybe it
does
compare to something else. Remember that first go-cart ride, or the first time you drove in a car with your buddies? Or that roller coaster or motorcycle ride when you finally got comfortable and said, âI want to take this a little bit fasterâ? Itâs human nature: we reach a limit and we want to go a little bit beyond it. Weâre all sixteen or seventeen, racing on a dirt road with our friends, yelling, âGo faster!â That love of speed, that competitive spirit and fast-paced culture is all-American, and itâs what NASCAR is all about. We love going over the limit.
The question then becomes: How far above the limit can we go and stay inside the lines? How long before we get caught? How far can we go and howmuch can we get away with? We have our little ones in the backseat, our speed limits and responsibilities that keep our speedometers relatively low. NASCAR, though much less hampered by things of that nature, still has to abide by certain regulations.
Obviously the cars of today are a lot faster than the race cars of yesteryear, but they could be even faster. Restrictor plates, necessary for safety reasons, restrict the horsepower of NASCAR race cars at Daytona and Talladega. A restrictor plate is a thin metal plate with four holes that is placed between the carburetor and the engine to restrict airflow from the carburetor into the engine limiting the amount of power the engine is able to generate, which ultimately reduces the vehicleâs speed.
In years past, race cars were similar to showroom cars and were thus less aerodynamic. (For 2013, the big four car manufacturers are introducing cars to the buying public that are very similar in style and looks to their counterparts on the race tracks and which will be distinguishable from the other manufacturersâ race cars.) At that time it was safer to push the limit. Now cars have to be more closely monitored, which includes having the race carâs horsepower kept in check. As much as we love speed, we have to be realistic about safety and how far we can push the boundaries. Operating within certain limitations means that we have to make certain sacrifices. Forthat reason, most speed records are usually set when a driver is qualifying. If drivers donât have to worry about other cars on the road, they have the freedom and
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