NASCAR Nation (11 page)

If that accident happened today instead of over a decade ago, it may have happened differently. People would have demanded more information and more information would have been available faster. There would have been cameras in the car and recorded radio transmissions between Earnhardt and the crew chief. “Was there something wrong with the car?” people would wonder, listening to the radio conversations. We live in an information age, and when there's a tragedy, we want that information. Even then, there were journalists who were at our doors
to get access to more information. They wanted photos of the car and medical reports. At the time, that was all kept very private, maybe according to the family's wishes or for the sake of good taste.

New helmet regulations are just one example of NASCAR bringing its safety regulations up to speed. The advancements are numerous and growing. Now there's the HANS device that carefully cushions the driver's head and neck from impact. The windows in NASCAR cars have been changed to polycarbonate – a material originally used in fighter planes – to prevent shattering. All drivers wear fireproof uniforms, another important safety measure.

Even the way the seating is placed in the car has changed. Now, if a driver hits a wall from particular angles, he remains protected; the driver's seat has been moved toward the center of the car and further back to reduce impact on the driver if the car is hit from the front or the side. Since 1988 restrictor plates have been used at Daytona and Talladega. Plates are installed in the race car's engines to cut back on the amount of air traveling from the carburetor to the engine thus restricting the horsepower the engine can produce and decreasing the speed of the vehicles. Marshalls and safety teams exercise more caution; they're more alert and are watching for danger.

Safety has become a priority for NASCAR, and the technological advancements in the sport have made
the act of driving safer. NASCAR has a lot to offer in technological advancement, not only for its fans and drivers, but for the country. Perhaps if these innovations were used off the race track, they could make for safer cars on our highways as well.

Advancement hasn't only come in the form of newer and more effective safety technology. In fact, the worry that many people have now is that there has been too
much
advancement in technology. The sport is becoming so advanced that NASCAR has to work to keep things from going on autopilot. We want drivers to have an influence and an impact. If there are too many high-tech tools and gadgets, it becomes more about the cars and technology a team can afford and less about the driver. There has to be that human element.

NASCAR also wants to keep the races fair. If it becomes too much about technology and who can afford it, then the races lose their human element. Sure, some teams can afford better cars – but NASCAR doesn't want it to be about who has more money. They're working hard to balance the sport competitively, allowing teams to compete and win based on more than the technology they have and the car they can afford to engineer. That's one of the reasons NASCAR uses the restrictor plate. By placing the device in NASCAR engines, they can keep the speeds at Daytona and Talladega down.

Speed isn't the only thing that NASCAR limits using technology. The engineers and mechanics working for these teams are some of the most creative and talented staff America's body shops have ever seen. They're constantly inventing new ways to make cars run faster, smoother, safer, and more efficiently. That's why NASCAR officials have to keep a close eye on all technological advancements in the sport to make sure that the competition is fair and balanced, and that the human element doesn't get lost. So NASCAR limits testing. They also regulate what type of fuel can be used in the cars. While this may seem trivial, fuel can make a big difference – especially when teams start using propylene oxide, which is a gel-like substance used in rocket fuel to help send their vehicles blasting to the finish line.

NASCAR is on top of all the latest technology – they have to be. Teams are working around the clock to get that competitive edge. They're constantly creating new ways to get to the finish line faster, like tinkering with aerodynamics: the way in which air flows around the car. Getting good aerodynamics is essential for a winning race car. By creating a vehicle that is smooth and streamline, engineers and mechanics are able to avoid the friction that occurs when air flow is disturbed – something as small as a candy wrapper can slow a car down by disturbing the air around it. When a car isn't
streamline, air doesn't flow past it easily and it moves slower. These cars must be fine-tuned.

Nothing can get in the way of NASCAR's fastest automobiles, not even air. Sometimes, though, cars become too aerodynamic. In 1994, roof flaps had to be placed on cars to help prevent them from becoming airborne. Technology and expert engineering have made these cars go so fast that now we're just trying to keep them on the ground. In 2012, NASCAR went to fuel-injected engines, for a variety of reasons. First, they're more like the engines in the cars you and I drive, which is one of NASCAR's key attractions. (Okay, we don't have one seat and a roll bar in our cars, but you get the point.) Yes, it was easier for NASCAR crew members to work on vehicles with carburetors, and the traditionalists no doubt squawked when NASCAR mandated the change. But the new fuel-injected engines are more efficient, and efficiency is crucial in NASCAR.

In 2013, NASCAR car manufacturers are bringing their car models back to their roots. The new NASCAR vehicles that will be unveiled over the next year will look similar to the cars that fans can view and purchase off car dealership showroom floors. Each of the car makers that compete in NASCAR will now be distinguishable from each other, and this is one step closer to allowing auto manufacturer branding. This is something important for the
re-engagement of fans and for continued fan loyalty – to see cars that resemble the ones they themselves could drive, have in their garages, or buy will create natural support for the fans of NASCAR.

The track design also affects the car's aerodynamics and how engineers approach the build of the vehicle. If a team is racing at Tennessee's popular Bristol Motor Speedway, they're going to have to prepare themselves for a short track and hard concrete. In Daytona or Talladega, the tracks are bigger and getting around them quickly is everything. In those situations, teams need good aerodynamics so they can move more quickly – every second counts. When teams prepare their cars, they design them with specific race tracks in mind.

Technology has taken the sport to the point where preparation, research, and good engineering are essential for a driver to be successful. It cuts time. Technology is used to get things done faster, just as it is in everyday America – we drink our coffee from the automatic espresso machine, make breakfast in two minutes in the microwave, multi-task by using an electric toothbrush while we dry our hair, and drive too fast to get to work on time. As a culture, we like to move fast, and technology saves valuable time.

That's why America is one of the most technologically advanced societies in the world. And that's why NASCAR is constantly advancing – we want to do
things faster, and we're always trying to move ahead. We're racing into the future. The technology displayed in NASCAR is cutting-edge. That's what many fans love about NASCAR: the speed and the technology. They love learning about engineering innovations. That's what the gearhead is: a NASCAR fan with mechanical know-how and a passion for cars.

My brothers were the gearheads of the family. They knew cars and engines. They were mechanically minded and kept track of up-and-coming automotive technology. I wasn't a car guy in the same sense, and I'm still not. I know how to turn it off and turn it on. Yet, there are a lot of fans that live for this. For them, NASCAR offers a delectable smorgasbord of things to look at. These are people who take their lawnmowers and motorcycles and pull apart the engines – just for fun. They know the names of all the different parts, and they can tell you what they do and why they're important. They look at how things are fixed during the race and how teams make adjustments. They're like crew chiefs watching a race.

That's what separates NASCAR from all other sports. There's this technological element in it – it's where science and sportsmanship meet. It's America's most technologically advanced and scientific sport. Technology has a lot to do with the final result, and that's what fascinates gearheads.

However, the sport isn't just for the mechanically minded. Even people who just like speed and competition or fans who enjoy the human element of the race can appreciate the skill it takes for a driver to win. They can enjoy the ambience that the races offer, the spectacle, the sounds of engines purring, and the people around them. Every fan is a part of the sport. Our broadcasting team has made sure that all fans have an opportunity to learn what's going on and enjoy the races – even if they have no idea what's under the hood of their car.

Our broadcasting coverage of the sport has really helped NASCAR grow. Our approach keeps it simple: we ask the questions with everyone in mind. If our fans know about the engines and the cars, they won't find themselves bored or alienated, but at the same time we try to keep our fans well-informed. We use diagrams and real-life vehicles to explain what's going on and what technology is being used in the race. On top of that, we have a crew chief and driver on our team to give us the inside scoop.

Between Jeff Hammond, Larry McReynolds, and me, we make sure that NASCAR fans know what's going on. Our team will physically go in and show the engine, point out the parts, and explain what they are. We keep the less-knowledgeable fan on top of what's going on, yet manage to keep everyone entertained and engaged. Even people who know a lot often want
more information, and this is where they get it. Fans want to learn. We've been working at this for twelve years, and by now we've become a part of the race.

To take one example: fans listening in on a crew chief and driver talking might hear the driver say the car is “pushing” or “loose.” We have to translate. We'll explain that pushing is when the car is tight and isn't moving smoothly, and that loose is when the car slides too much and the driver feels he has less control over the vehicle. On the race track, the computers aren't there to diagnose the problem. The driver has to explain vehicle malfunctions to his crew chief. Sometimes the problem is difficult to communicate. It's like a doctor and a patient: the crew chief listens as the driver describes the symptoms. Then the crew chief prescribes a solution.

Meanwhile, the fans try to figure out what's up and why the driver is headed to pit road. We explain what's going on so that fans will understand. Then the fan knows why the team had to go in for a pit stop to adjust the car. Sometimes it can get complicated. We know a big portion of our fans aren't gearheads, so we try to make our explanations simple. That way fans don't have to be engineers or know about the latest technology to enjoy NASCAR. As a result, we've drawn a lot of fans to the sport.

We've gotten a good deal of positive feedback from fans about our broadcast's display of technology. We
have loyal viewers, not only because they like what we're doing, but because they like us. Being a good broadcaster and attracting fans is all about having a personality that will draw them in. You're sitting in their living room and talking for hours on end – if they don't like you, you don't have a show. We have Darrell Waltrip, the former driver, who is NASCAR's Terry Bradshaw. We have Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds. In addition, our team employs a great staff of pit-crew reporters. We've been successful because our staff is deeply involved in the sport, well-informed, and also because we like to have fun with each other. We each know how to play our roles well. Fans are going to get their questions asked and answered in a fun way. They're going to enjoy watching, and that's what NASCAR is all about.

Whether they're into the details of it or not, fans love the technology. It's just plain fun. You go to a race and you hear the sounds of the engines roaring and you get that feeling. The audio transmissions come buzzing on, and we get fans listening in on the driver's conversations with the crew chief, as if they're in the cars with the driver themselves. They may overhear a driver asking for a banana or some chips at the next pit stop. It's funny to think of Stewart or Earnhardt Jr. munching on chips at 180 miles per hour, but sometimes that's the way it goes. Fans are right
there on the track, in the car – even if they're at home. They love it. It puts them closer to their drivers.

Few sports translate as well to the screen. Some don't translate to TV successfully at all. Hockey is a sport I always prefer to see in person; the television broadcast just isn't the same for me. Football does a good job of being entertaining on the set, but baseball is somehow better in the stadium. With NASCAR, there isn't a place we can't put a camera. Whether you're reclining lazily in your easy chair or gripping the edge of your seat, you're on the track with the drivers. You're right there.

That's why our fans love the way we broadcast. We put the race track in your living room. One of the most popular parts of our broadcast is “Crank It Up”: we broadcasters close our mouths and let the cars do the talking. It's the natural sound of the track. People at home with surround sound can crank up the volume and experience the races. They can really get the feel of the race. Using every camera angle possible and our carefully placed microphones, we're able to put our fans everywhere on the track. They see every angle, watch the cars whiz by, and hear them roaring down the track.

NASCAR knows that many of its fans can't always make it out to the races, and they've been very cooperative with FOX in that regard. We've seen a good deal of evolution in broadcasting coverage as a result.
NASCAR let FOX put cameras onto the tracks so viewers can see the cars rolling, crashing, and crossing the finish line from every perspective. There are cameras inside the cars, so the race can be seen and heard from the viewpoint of the driver. You hear the crash and the sound of the tires screeching. You hear the radio transmissions. That's the kind of broadcasting technology on which the fans depend. It's all about getting them as close to the action as possible.