It ’s 10 a.m. on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway , and the NASCAR garage is hustle with activity . On the south last of the longsighted , blade garage building , four NASCAR examiner range car after car through the review line for one last look at the slick car that will soon turn the peaceful morning into five hr of continuous thunder .
The squad ramble the car onto an elevated platform where two of the inspectors will fit a recollective aluminum templet over the nose , cap and trunk of the car . The inspector at the front remnant slither a small template between the template and the hood while the other examiner , the one near the rear of the automobile , does a final check of the rearward wing . Meanwhile , another gentleman target a flat piece of aluminum along the side of the car .
Before the auto rolls off the platform , a squad member crawl through the window and pound on the flat solid metal from inside using a labored rubber mallet . seemingly , something does n’t jibe and the inspectors wo n’t release the car until it does .
Finally , the railcar rolls off the weapons platform and another take its place . One by one , each competitor will take their twist on same stage . As the cars roll off , they link up the start control grid and before long 100,000 devotee will root on for their favored machine driver in the Pep Boys 500 , the 7th race in NASCAR ’s Chase for the title .
Forty - three cable car take the track each NASCAR wash day . Before a single lap is turned , every car must pass a serial of tight inspections under the alert middle of Sprint Cup manager of competition John Darby and his team of skilled watchdog . The same inspectors dish up as referee during the race who inspect cars as they total off the lead . This article will explain both the pre - race and post - race inspection process as well as give some examples of cars that flush it to make the grade .
What happens when a car does n’t pass inspection ? Does the winning equipment driver turn a loss his trophy if NASCAR finds something amiss after the race ? These answers and more lie out front . Let ’s begin with pre - race inspections in the next part .
Out With the Old, In With the Car of Tomorrow
Bill France Sr . founded NASCAR more than 50 year ago with the estimate of having a rush along serial ofstock cars– cable car you could actually go down to your local dealership and buy off the saleroom floor . Over the year , proficient improvement and years of research and development have changed the plot , but the original philosophy remained the same . NASCAR rule required team to field elevator car that at least resemble motorcar find in the manufacturing business ’s mathematical product line .
With the inception of NASCAR ’s car of tomorrow ( COT ) , Sprint Cup railcar have taken on a whole new look and lost the profound individuality of automobile seen in the past . As a result , the inspection process has evolved to accommodate the Modern cars . NASCAR still want the motorcar to be as evenly equal as possible . In year past , competing maker each give their teams a different vehicle with different specifications for contender . As a result , NASCAR used several unlike stage set of templet or measuring gadget to check different areas of the gondola ’s physical structure . But problems – such as uniformness of aerodynamic characteristics – often make teams form one manufacturer or another to call for change for level off the perceived playing landing field . The railcar of tomorrow , in hypothesis , is the same across the display board for every competitor . The only difference in each body is the decals used to name the manufacturer .
The inspection process really start up at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord , N.C. team build up flesh within the same set of specifications , regardless of manufacturing business . Each chassis is mensurate using a high - tech data processor and automatonlike measure arm to verify the tolerance or measurement at specific area . Once NASCAR is quenched the chassis meet its specifications , midget tuner frequency identification ( RFID ) check are placed in distinct locations and an favourable reception sticker , similar to a fomite identification turn ( VIN ) sticker is place on the form for next scanning .
As you will see in the next section , NASCAR has reduce its adhesive friction on the review process . Officials keep on to check down on teams that push the hoary area of the rule in an attempt to give every team an adequate chance for achiever . take the next pageboy to see how they check each car at the rails before every race .
Initial Inspection
Before the throngs of race fans show up at thetrack , NASCAR official are meddlesome attend over each entranceway with a mulct - toothed combing . in reality , they use a set of extremely technical templates to find out whether the cars are within bias specifications .
Now that thecarof tomorrow ( COT ) is used solely in NASCAR contention , the inspectors apply just one template to audit the cars at the track . As mentioned earlier in this clause , NASCAR formerly used several templates to measure the cars . With the COT , NASCAR expend a single template which is actually 19 individual templates welded together into one with child guide that go over the entire car . love by those close to the diligence as " the claw , " the large template fits over the auto and measures everything at once . Like any car that roam off an assembly line , each farm animal cable car that pass through the review post must fit within the tolerances of the template . NASCAR official check out each specific point and face for any discrepancies . If they find that a motorcar is not within the claw ’s clutches , so to speak , they allow the team to take the railroad car back to the service department area and rework the sheet metal on the body until it fits the guide . That does n’t entail the teams do n’t get punish . NASCAR reserves the right to penalize a team if it finds the cable car to be out of specification . Those penalties commonly do n’t come down until the following week , after the race . In some example , NASCAR will impound a car and force the team to use its championship or 2d car .
NASCAR looks for area where teams may have manipulated the rag metal or ride summit in parliamentary law to advance an aerodynamic advantage . The claw guide is designed to discover those areas . As far as mechanical inspections , official check the fuel tank , engine and suspension for search for any areas where the car may be out of specification . NASCAR rules are very clear regarding locomotive and fuel cooler supplanting or size . interruption options are no different – NASCAR set what ’s let and what is not .
Also new with the COT is the presence of a rear fender . If you ’ve ever watched a Sprint Cup wash , you may have noticed all the wings are black despite the brilliant colors each car adorns . That ’s because NASCAR does n’t allow team to paint or place decals on the rear annex . In fact , NASCAR is very rigorous regarding the wing ’s height and sizing . In fact , before every racing weekend , NASCAR supply each team a backstage to be used during the race . That does n’t mean that teams do n’t attempt to manipulate the rear wing on the car . The brackets that hold the annexe in place are instal by each team at its own circumspection so there ’s still great deal of elbow room for error regarding offstage acme .
Restrictor plates – metal plates placed over the air intake to restrict air current – are used only at Talladega and Daytona superspeedways and these are also distributed by NASCAR . Officials actually locate the plates on top of the manifold paper and observe the squad as they bolt the carburetor on top of the engine . To engagement , no team has been accused or found hangdog of monkey with a restrictor plate . Doing so would sure enough bring with it a dangerous penalisation .
With the initial review summons complete , team are cleared to practice and restrict . But the inspection summons does n’t break here . In fact , it ’s just begun . NASCAR official still have two days of work ahead , and team still have plenitude of prison term to mess around around with their cars , if they so opt .
have ’s move to race Clarence Day and find out what goes on before and during the backwash . This is where you ’ll see that an inspector ’s job does n’t end until the last car hauler psyche back to the store .
Pre-race Inspection and Officials During the Race
After each team dispose , NASCAR conducts a post - qualifying inspection to look at areas such as the fuel armored combat vehicle and thesuspension . NASCAR teams have engineers that are smart enough to develop shock that can actually adjust during a qualifying run . At time , carshave been found to be either too low in the front , or too high in the rear end . A motorcar that is too scurvy in the front permit for more downforce on the nose of the car . In the turns , this machine characteristic provides good hold . Cars found to be too eminent in the rearward provide drivers with more rearward tyre grip . This is a result of the rear flank sticking up higher into the oncoming atmosphere . Fuel armoured combat vehicle are always inspected to verify squad abide by with the denominate fuel cell capacity . Even an additional congius of gasoline can be the difference between winning a slipstream and fetch up one lap down as a result of running out of fuel . Fuel strategy dally a major function on race day . If you ’d like to learn more about NASCAR fuel strategy and a technique scream hypermiling , then readthisarticle .
On race morning , squad are once again required to flap through the inspection process . As you interpret earlier , every team shuffle their machine ( or cars ) through the last pre - race inspection station for one last check of everything . The process is n’t quite as detailed as the initial inspection ; however , officials are still paying careful tending to every detail , especially the rear offstage . Inspectors slide standard of measurement between the template and the lens hood to check out tolerances . If the gauge does n’t slide freely , the strong-armer is too high and must be desex . That ’s why squad fetch rubber mallets to the inspection region .
After the car exit through the review line , they go back to the front of the service department and into the jolt place . There , squad charge their shocks with the required amount of press . Under the sleepless oculus of NASCAR inspector , squad install their shocks and are quick to go .
Now , you may think an examiner ’s chore is done once the cars make it through the review lines . It ’s meter to go watch the race , good ? That sound like a jolly good caper fringe benefit . While they do get to watch the airstream , it ’s from the squad ’s pit box . That ’s because an inspector does n’t actually get to rest during the four to six hours of a typical race . On the contrary , inspectors are NASCAR officials first and foremost . That means they have to serve as referee during the race . Each examiner is assigned a driver and it ’s their responsibility to check that the teams are adhering to NASCAR rules throughout the total race . Part of that responsibility is watching closely as crew change tires and fuel the car during pit diaphragm . For instance , it ’s the NASCAR official ' line to make certain all the lug nuts are on the wheel rivet after each pit stop as well supervise the activity of the crew members . official make judgment call every single race that can penalise a driver with a time penalisation , or worse . It all depends on the rigour of the infraction .
After the subspecies is make out , NASCAR functionary still have work to do . It ’s up to them to direct the post - race review . Typically the top five cars are bring through this final inspection and checked for measurements one more clip . It ’s here where some bragging - time infringement are often discover . have ’s go to the next incision and learn about this final art object to the review puzzle . We ’ll also throw off some light on how penalty can affect a squad ’s position in the item standing .
Post-race Inspection and Penalties
When conducting a post - race review , NASCAR investigates several things . First and foremost , inspectors evaluate the height of the rear wing . NASCAR present teams the benefit of the dubiety during these inspections . In other words , it takes in account race harm as possible reasons for a car not coming in at the mandate measurements . In fact , there ’s usually a range the railroad car must fall into . Officials measure the tallness of the rearward wing and front divider from the priming coat . If the car is alfresco of the permissiveness area , the car is subject to an misdemeanour .
From time to time , NASCAR randomly selects race engine to run through a dynamometer for review purposes . This process happens in Concord at the Research and Development Center . Usually , squad do n’t sudate these inspections , but on juncture , red flags have been raise . NASCAR is mainly interest with horsepower outturn during these dyno inspections .
Every so often , inspectors do get infraction during a post - race inspection . Sometimes these usurpation are attributed to racing harm while other times , NASCAR deems them as intentional attempts to fudge the rules . One of the frustrative aspects of the NASCAR formula is the opinion of spirit . NASCAR must make a judgment and handle each situation allot to what it find . By building the machine of tomorrow ( COT ) and revamp the review mental process , NASCAR was able to switch its lookout on infractions and subsequent penalty .
NASCAR typically waits until the Tuesday after race day to issue penalties . And as you read originally , Hendrick Motorsports learn first hired hand that NASCAR would be fast when it come to penalizing teams that are found shamed of crack the rule with the COT . NASCAR continues to have as close to a no - tolerance policy as it ever has . Penalties are hard-and-fast and crowd foreman and other squad member have lost job in the viewing of them . In 2007 , Michael Waltrip Racing fired the crew foreman of the # 55 Toyota drive by Waltrip himself after NASCAR feel an illegal substance in the fuel system . More of late , Red Bull Racing fired the squad member responsible for the illegal mainsheet alloy found on the # 83 Toyota drive by Brian Vickers .
Since the COT ’s launching , the penalties have been very costly , both for the driver who hurt point loss , and the squad which give fines – in some fount , up to $ 150,000 .
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