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NASCAR: Great Moves Adopting Tech, Now Lets Go Crazy

By Martin Feigen

Nov 14, 2015; Avondale, AZ, USA; A general view of the digital dash inside the car of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (not pictured) during practice for the Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2015; Avondale, AZ, USA; A general view of the digital dash inside the car of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (not pictured) during practice for the Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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NASCAR, once the dinosaur of Motorsports, has done a great job introducing fuel injection and the digital dash in smart ways. Now lets let the engineers go nuts and provide the teams and fans more information than they ever knew they wanted.

Most NASCAR fans will be very excited to see pictures of the new digital dash being used in Sprint Cup this year. It finally looks like what you hope to see in a modern race car. This after the introduction of fuel injection that went so much smoother that I think anyone expected. NASCAR has to be credited in they way they handled both, like the restrictor plate, they pass out the parts that can be manipulated to prevent cheating. While still allowing teams to make adjustments allowing for teams to have individual fuel or power strategies.

If you have ever had the opportunity to see a NASCAR test, there is so much more in the way of sensors and recording devices for the teams to analyze data. There are laser height sensors all over the car for ride height, suspension travel and g-loads. Internal pressure and exterior heat sensors for the tires to completely map out what happens to a tire during a run in real-time. All this data helps teams prep and plan for race day.

How cool would it be if we had all that data as fans in real-time? Instead of just the throttle, brake and speed graphic on the tv, be able to follow any drivers situation in real-time on your phone or computer. To see how the adjustments impact tire wear, create heat and its impact on lap times. To be able to see the fuel consumption during the run with the throttle usage right next to it. To be a true crew chief on the couch.

Todays sports fans have shown an insatiable appetite for information. The younger car guy uses his computer as much as a wrench to get every bit of horsepower out of their car. To attract the younger car crowd, a problem NASCAR is struggling with, you have to relate to them. Watch Street Outlaws once and you will see laptops everywhere mapping out computers in their cars. That’s what todays car builder uses, NASCAR should embrace this and open the flood gates. By opening all the data to the public you also make cheating near impossible with millions of eyes watching.

All of what has been discussed is just data retrieval, the adjustments still have to be determined by a crew chief and executed by a crew. It also levels the playing field with the smaller teams, the information they can glean from the data of of others to compare to their own. It gives the fans more information to discuss, things to question and debate. It is not unlike allowing fans to listen in on the radios, it allows your fans to feel like insiders.

More racing: Five Reasons Jimmie Johnson Will Not Win Eight Championships

NASCAR has taken two bold steps forward. Now lets take the leap and provide the fans a truly immersive experience while relating to the new generation of car guys.

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