rfn026

I think we're going to have to get used to the new sound of electric racing. Formula E races at 80 dB. Putting that into perspective Lime Rock allow 105 dB for Porsche Club races. The average street car is roughly 70 dB.

Here's an early test session in Europe.

Right now the cars have about 270 horsepower, or the equivalent. They have a deal with Fox Sports. Interesting that Formula E has a TV deal that Indy Car and IMSA can only dream about.



Richard Newton

mgarfias

I guess it beats standing on the sidelines with a transmitter in my hand.

hklvette

The first race was a bit "meh", but I agree that electric is coming one way or another. That being said, horse racing is still fairly popular so not all is lost for racing the internal combustion engine.

parkerracing

I thought it would be cool if the pit crews changed the battery packs instead of the whole car.

rfn026

This is even wilder. F1 teams now run predictive analysis software during the race. They're running thousands of simulations as the race progresses.

I'm sure the folks in NASCR are doing the same thing. Here all along we thought it was just a crew chief on the box. It turns out that Chad is getting information from the computers back in Charlotte. And I mean a lot of information.

Richard

mgarfias

I wonder if I should hang a keyboard around my neck and go start knocking on doors in Charlotte.

rfn026

NASCAR used to hire the data geeks from F1. NASCAR teams were paying them better than F1. It's my understanding now that most of the geeks are American.

Keep in mind that the Hendrick organization has over 40 Ph.D. holders on the staff. They have their degrees in engineering. I think Childress has at least a dozen Ph.Ds.

You just know that some of them are software engineers.

Richard