# Bump Drafting in NASCAR.



## arnisador (Feb 17, 2006)

I see that there is much talk of banning or at least reducing bump drafting in NASCAR. What exactly _is_ this manuever? The descriptions I've seen say that it involves striking another car from behind in order to maintain momentum. Can anyone better describe this for me? Is it a good idea because the alternative would be to break and hence lose speed?


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## tshadowchaser (Feb 17, 2006)

basicly it involves getting behind the car in frount of you and carefuly going bumper o bumper then pushing the car in frount.  It gives you both a more speed.  On the stright a way its safe but near the coners its not
this is one of the more exsighting ways to get pass another car or to get to the lead


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## theletch1 (Feb 17, 2006)

The way I understand the potential ban is that it is only on the larger, faster tracks in the series.  I say the best solution is to get rid of the restrictor plates on the carbs and let 'em run in a more strung out manner instead of all bunched up in a pack.  Hell, if you're already running 190 with the plate another 15 or 20 mph is not gonna make a lot of difference and will allow the drivers to have the chance at getting a little more room on the track.


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## Gary Crawford (Feb 17, 2006)

They will never get rid of restricter plates( I wish they would),what they are talking about is trying to do something about some of the overly rough driving. The bunp draft is a good thing whe done the right way,in the right part of the track and NASCAR would be foolish to put a ban on it. If they did, they would have to acess penalties everytime a driver touches the car in front of him.  That would cause some ridiculas controversy. I have always wished they would find away to eliminate the restricter plates and it can be done without speeding up the cars. They could mandate a lower compression ratio engine for those peticular tracks(Daytona,Tahladega),they could also reduce the octain level in the racing fuels.  Point is,it could be done, but the France family(NASCAR) in it's infinate wisdom has yet to consider it.


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## Carol (Feb 19, 2006)

Drafting isn't limited to NASCAR.  The Olympic XC skiers do the same thing, when they race behind one anohter.

The bump drafting/aggressive driving that NASCAR is fretting about is when the rear car takes the air off the front car's spoiler enough to make a car go out of control.   I caught a little of the Daytona pre-race, they showed bump drafting causing a wreck when the two drafting cars got in to a third car and turned it sideways.

Don't get me started on restrictor plates.  From my eyes, they're just a liability gimmick.  If they did what NASCAR claims they did, we would not have lost Dale Earnhart 5 years ago.


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## Kreth (Feb 19, 2006)

Um... I thought what killed him was the fact that his seat came loose from the frame in a crash...?


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## Carol (Feb 19, 2006)

Was it?  

Maybe I should stick with Kenpo.  

Pay no attention to the lady behind the curtain.


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## Cryozombie (Feb 19, 2006)

From a non nascar fan I just have to ask...

Isn't watching racing kinda like watching traffic?


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## Carol (Feb 20, 2006)

Technopunk said:
			
		

> From a non nascar fan I just have to ask...
> 
> Isn't watching racing kinda like watching traffic?



It's more like an athletic event where there are over 40 teams competing in the same event.  There's a lot to the races.  The pit strategies, the styles of the drivers, the personalities of the drivers, the scoring system that rewards consistency just as much as it rewards victories...and the wrecks.  

The NASCAR season starts with their equivalent of the Superbowl.  That being said, I can't sit on my butt for four hours and watch a race (and do nothing else), even if it is the Daytona 500.


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## arnisador (Feb 20, 2006)

I understand drafting like driving behind a big truck on the freeway...it's the advantage of the 'bump' that's less clear to me. How does hitting it help?


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## Carol (Feb 20, 2006)

The bump gives the two cars an extra push, over and above what they would get from the draft.   It's most common at the restrictor-plate races.

The controversial part is what arises from the push. 

The late Dale Earnhardt's signature move was to draft behind another car to get near the lead, then bump the lead car hard enough to knock the car in to the grass or otherwise off pace.  It's not the cleanest way to race.

From what I gathered watching Daytona on Sunday, there are concerns that the "bump" has evolved in to more of a "slam"...thus creating a bigger push, but also bigger risk for a driver to go in to a wall, esp. head-on.


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## hemi (Feb 20, 2006)

Here is my take on the bump draft. With all things being equal all the cars will run near the same speed give or take a few MPH. By drafting the rear car reduces wind drag and in effect gains a few HP back that would be lost in fighting the wind drag alone. This allows them to ride up close to or even touch the rear bumper of the lead car in the draft. Two cars in a line will be more aerodynamic than a car outside that line that has to fight with wind drag on its own. This however is a double edged sword. The rear car removes some of the down force from the rear spoiler/wing of the car in front this allows the rear tires to lose some of the downward force or grip. At this point the lead car has lost some traction and a small bump will remove even more traction from the lead car. This is an effective way to pass a car but is inherently dangerous and will make the lead car lift off the throttle or even worse spin out.  If this car is in a tight formation with everyone close together and someone lifts off the throttle when everyone else is still in the throttle you end up with a multi car pile up.  

As for NASCAR being boring well you just need to get to know a little more about NASCAR. It is far from boring. There is so much more going on than a bunch of cars going in a circle. Drivers making deals on the track, Crew chiefs working out alliances to get in front, pit crews can make or break the race for the driver. Paint trading, the spotters looking at who is where. Worrying about how much gas to have left when you have to pit, how are the tires. Can the driver go easy on the car and stay in some kind of track position.


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## kid (Feb 20, 2006)

Rubbin is racing.  I agree there is a lot to racing and people who bash it most likely don't understand that.  It gets frustrating at times.


Mark


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