RSA333

For me, even after visiting the big NASCAR engineering shops in NC, the series is not the same as it used to be (maybe you could say the same about F1). When I was a kid, they raced souped-up versions of actual Dodge, Chevy and Ford cars that you could buy at a dealership. Lots of wrecks and fun, like the lower tier stock car racing that is still popular in the U.S. today. They do some great engineering, but they are essentially a 'spec' series.

USF1 is probably doing the right thing IMHO, especially if Cosworth is having troubles with engine development or manufacture. Keeping "in stealth mode" under these circumstances is probably the correct approach. But who are their drivers?

dp35

Peter Windsor makes some good points about the advantages of a US/Charlotte F1 HQ in this blog. He also points out how the NASCAR industry helps USF1, and perhaps more importantly, how the US military aerospace industry contributes (which I hadn't thought of).

brendo

USF1 Site is up and running http://www.usgpe.com/index.html

and autosport says peter windsor pretty much didn't have much to talk about but that they were very busy....

Scootin159

For those who haven't seen it yet: http://www.youtube.com/user/USF1Team

Bryan Watts

On any given forum, it's always the same folks showing their ***** and ignorance with regards to the level of innovation and engineering behind building a car for NASCAR isn't it? Meanwhile, the folks actually involved in the industry or who actually work as engineers continue to patiently disagree.

Will USF1 do things just like Toyota or a European team? Nope. Then again, look at the $$ Toyota threw down the drain for their level of results. I look forward to seeing what a non-traditional effort can turn out. It's only fitting that a US based F1 team would attempt to upset the apple cart and go about things in a way that everyone says can't be done. Will they be successful? Who knows. But I'm enjoying the effort regardless.

Bryan Watts

http://www.usgpe.com/motorland.html

ltc

I'll try and hide my **** and ignorance from now on...especially when it comes to the engineering stuff.

Bryan Watts

Since I didn't call out anyone in particular, I can only assume that you are admitting to not really knowing anything about NASCAR or the level of innovation involved.

Whether building a 9000 RPM push rod V8 that turns at near maximum RPM for hours on end, or building a 20,000 RPM F1 motor that runs up and down through nearly the entire rev range multiple times per lap, the same basic principles and laws apply. It seems so silly to suggest that the people applying those principles to the two different questions would be incapable of switching their focus from one question to the other. Whether F1 or NASCAR, the same tools and technologies are being used. The only thing that changes is the parameters and rules within which the engineers have to work.

The comparison you made between a WWII plane and a F-22 raptor doesn't really work. For that example to work, you would be saying that with modern tools and technology, engineers couldn't make any improvements to the WWII plane. For that matter, the F-22 is an "old" design. Both of them could be vastly improved using current tools and technology within the specific limits and parameters of each plane. The same aerodynamicist could apply modern technology to make improvements to both planes. Just because the pushrod motor is a "less modern" starting point doesn't mean that modern tools, technologies, and processes can't be and aren't applied to improving it. The laws of physics don't change depending on whether the motor is being placed into a CF monocoque or a tube frame chassis.

F1 and NASCAR both use rubber tires. Would the tire engineer who designs the tire for a Winston Cup car be completely unqualified to design a tire for a F1 car? Someone who designs dampers for NASCAR...are they unqualified to design dampers for F1? Etc, etc. The engineer who designs the aero for a Winston Cup car studied from the same text book as the engineer who designs aero for a F1 car. Different questions, but the same principles apply.

Potomac-Greg

Racing success at a high level is based on: (1) brains, (2) engineering, and (3) technology. NASCAR certainly competes with F1.

I'm curious. Would most here think that an ALMS P1 team operates at, near or below the level of an F1 team? How about DTM?

ltc

You're right.

multi21

You forgot Cash Money.

Lighten up an ALMS P1 car could be characterized as an F1 car with fenders.

NaroEscape

Just fyi guys, there is a lot of other racing stuff going on in Charlotte than just NASCAR.
-Brumos has a facility here for the DP cars
-Penske's IRL team
-Crawford chassis
-I know there are a few ALMS teams, another IRL team, that are here (can't remember names)
...then theres all the costs that USF1 can save by having equipment close by:
wind tunnel, shaker rigs, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) super-computers, Industrial autoclaves, and other big ticket items that teams starting up spend hundreds of millions on. All of these exist in within a short distance of USF1 base in Charlotte.

In reality, a lot of what they need to get this running is right here. (oh, and they have a built in network in SPEED that HOPEFULLY will work closely with them and maybe give us more than just NASCAR)

A.Wayne

Shhhhhhh...dats 2 much info for the Amigos .....

Pierre Martins

You're scared of a 917 and you wanna get in an F1??

kfyork

I'm with Bryan on this point.

Every time I've concluded reading yet another ignorant-appearing post on this thread (or forum for that matter), I've come away babbling 'blithering idiot' or the like.

Even if some of USF1's hard-working staff weren't mates, I'd be supporting an effort such as theirs.

USF1 are doing what they said they would be doing from the very beginning.

As for the recurring NASCAR is for rednecks thing... It is so old. Stop already.

Charlotte - as has been said - is a large motorsport industry area. Not just defined by stock car racing. Of course NASCAR has a large influence - and that is not all bad.

As one (of many) example of the type of people attracted to this region and the industry here one need only look to Steve Hallam, Competition Director for Michael Waltrip Racing. He spent twenty-seven years in Formula One - last with McLaren F1 in the position of head of race operations.

Cheers and Happy New Year.

Note to Bryan: let's meet up at TastyYo or VLK sometime soon!