Anyone else notice that the Daytona Prototypes are laping Watkins Glen faster than the Cup cars?

Question

Why? The D.P.'s have smaller motors.

Answer 1

The prototypes are lighter with bigger tires and way more downforce. Add in engines with electronic fuel injection and maybe a turbocharger and boom, the lap times just drop. I can't remember for sure if the prototypes are allowed turbos or not, but I think they are. Either way, they are high tech purpose bult race cars. Cup cars are kinda like the dinosaurs of the motorsports world. Heavy, crude, and unrefined.

Answer 2

Sometimes less horsepower is faster around a road course. They are specifically built for road courses. They are geared for road courses. With less horse power (torque), better handling, and better gearing, they can get through the turns much quicker without slowing down as much as the Cup cars. They are road course cars with road course drivers. I'm sure they handle better than the bigger, heavier cars that Nascar drives now (COT)

Answer 3

but there ment for higher speeds. daytona is a tri ovaal track and a big one at that... so the cars are ment to reach higher speeds. watkins glen is a road coarse. it has a lot of turns so the cars ment for it r suposed to accelerate fast and have good handling. but the thing is that with the gears... u can either have really good top speed and somewhat good acceleration or really good accelleration and some what good top speed or both. i think u could figure it out from there.

Answer 4

And remember the prototypes are using the entire road course,. NASCAR doesn't use the section called the boot, which is used by all the other series there.

Answer 5

Cause they weigh like 1000 pounds less and have things like independent rear suspension and shorter wheelbases?

Answer 6

No chit Dick Tracy.
They are smaller,lighter and made for the road courses.