Power of Caring
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Outwitting Mother Nature

NASCAR Know-How CLICK THE IMAGE TO LAUNCH CLIP Weather's effect on engines Start (546K .mov) Archives • Click here for past editions of Rusty Wallace's NASCAR Know-How

Weather always has an effect on sporting events. And NASCAR racing is no different. Obviously we don't race in the rain, but temperature and humidity can play a big role in how you set up your car.

Temperature changes not only have an impact on the Chassis, but they also affect the engine and how efficiently it runs. When the weather is hot, oils and grease come out of the asphalt, which makes the track slippery and usually causes cars to get loose.

Conversely, cold weather usually tightens up the track and the race car.

Cold weather for an engine is actually good. It helps the power plant work more efficiently and create more horsepower.

When the air is hotter and more humid, the engine can't create as much horsepower.

Fuel mileage also is affected by the weather. If the engine produces more horsepower when it's cold, it also uses more fuel, and, of course, doesn't get as good fuel mileage

In fact, weather planning has become so specific that most teams have invested in a weather system that tells everything from temperature to air pressure.