Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

hunter

(38,264 posts)
24. Not since the 'eighties, and even that's debatable.
Sun May 21, 2017, 01:45 PM
May 2017

Racing vehicles have diverged from ordinary passenger vehicles. Most every technology on modern high end race cars -- tires, brakes, entire engines -- are essentially throw-aways, definitely not designed to last 250,000 miles or more... (My wife and I both drive cars with this kind of mileage on them. I'm an indifferent mechanic, but we know some of the best mechanics in town; people who love cars. I don't like cars, but I can repair most things.)

Citing two of your examples, short-lived goopy race car tires are nothing you'd want on your own passenger car. DOT rated "competition" tires are derivative of passenger car designs, not the other way around, with mostly cosmetic changes like different sidewall decorations and a more aggressive looking tread design. Short-lived racing brake pads are similarly useless on passenger cars. DOT rated "competition" brake pads are derivative of ordinary passenger car designs. (The move away from asbestos brake pads was driven by health concerns, not competition. Asbestos is a carcinogen.)

Don't take my car skepticism personally. I have two brothers who are car and motorcycle enthusiasts and both did a lot of racing when they were young, with all the scars and permanent injuries that go along with that. They always had bikes like this:



and the occasional dangerously over-powered Lamborghini or Porsche.

Yeah, I've driven those, but I'd never buy anything like that. Hell, I'd be happy if I never bought a car again and my current car reaches 500,000 miles or beyond.

I seem to be missing whatever gene it is that makes people appreciate aggressive driving and fast cars and bikes, but my wife has it, and one of our kids has it. Our kid learned the hard way that owning a high performance car and driving it too fast attracts the attention of the Highway Patrol. He sold the fast car and bought a boring entirely nondescript car just one ticket away from license suspension.



The turns are not banked enough, right? Isn't that the problem? What do you mean by... brush May 2017 #1
Ridiculous analysis MichMan May 2017 #2
So What Is The Difference Between Formula 1 & Indianpolis Racers? TheMastersNemesis May 2017 #7
main difference is price bluecollar2 May 2017 #15
Formula 1 cars need to turn right... Wounded Bear May 2017 #16
To be fair. It really isn't the same track as the original. NWCorona May 2017 #19
Make no mistake HAB911 May 2017 #3
You don't explain your point about F1 (of which I am a fan). There are simply different levels of WinkyDink May 2017 #4
Indy Cars Are Much Much Safer Than Their Predecessors. TheMastersNemesis May 2017 #6
I Know About The Different Levels. Probably Unclear About Formula 1 & Where It Races. TheMastersNemesis May 2017 #13
F1 is the top of the racing world, re: technology. The racetracks aren't mere ovals! And NOTHING in WinkyDink May 2017 #23
Formula 1 cars don't race in the Indy 500 DefenseLawyer May 2017 #5
Explain Then What A Formula 1 Car Is & Where They Race. TheMastersNemesis May 2017 #8
I take it you have never been? Littlered9560 May 2017 #9
Only Race I Have Ever Been To Was Local Sprint Car/Stock Car In 1950's. TheMastersNemesis May 2017 #11
Talent Break time May 2017 #10
No Question Of The Super Skills It Takes To Race. TheMastersNemesis May 2017 #12
I agree Break time May 2017 #14
Car racing is obsolete. hunter May 2017 #17
As a class B license holder I'll have to disagree. NWCorona May 2017 #20
Not since the 'eighties, and even that's debatable. hunter May 2017 #24
Not since the 80's? We will have to disagree. NWCorona May 2017 #26
I'd argue the same about military technology, maybe all but trauma care. hunter May 2017 #27
micromilleseconds is not a thing- there are microseconds, and milliseconds snooper2 May 2017 #18
I don't think most people realize that there are multiple race tracks at Indy NWCorona May 2017 #21
For reference: the brickyard discntnt_irny_srcsm May 2017 #22
To help put this in perspective... flotsam May 2017 #25
Not just Dangerous on the Track... LessAspin May 2017 #28
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Indy Track Almost Too Dan...»Reply #24