TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Rusty Wallace gave a new meaning to the term "high speed communication" on Wednesday afternoon when he piloted his Miller Lite Dodge at speeds up to 228 mph at Talladega Superspeedway.
Rusty Wallace, "We hit 228 (mph) at the end of the straightaway and averaged 221 (mph) for that overall lap segment," an excited Wallace said late Wednesday as he prepared to head back home to North Carolina. "It was a helluva deal that I certainly will remember for the rest of my life. We'd all been wondering what it would feel like to run at Talladega again without the (restrictor-) plates and now I know. I'll bet we could be running speeds up to 235 (mph) without the plates if we spent time doing some tweaking.
"But I'll tell you this -- there's no way we could be out there racing at those speeds," Wallace offered. "It was neat to be out there running that fast by myself, but it would be insane to think we could have a pack of cars out there doing that."
Wallace's high-speed opportunity came at the request of NASCAR officials on behalf of series sponsor Nextel and Racing Radios, the Hampton, Ga.,-based company that serves as the "Official 2-Way Radio provider" for all three of the major NASCAR racing series.
"I've enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Racing Radios and I jumped at the opportunity to assist them with their 'Communication of the Future' program for NASCAR," Wallace said. "We were invited to bring our Miller Lite Dodge superspeedway car down for the test to assure quality audio at high rates of speed. The NASCAR, Nextel and Racing Radios officials were all extremely pleased at the end of the day, so I'd say that we did a good job for them."
Wallace's speed far exceeded the official track qualifying record of 212.809 mph (44.998 seconds), set by Bill Elliott on April 30, 1987.
"I guess it was about as official as you could get as we were operating under the watchful eyes of NASCAR," chuckled crew chief Larry Carter, who flew to Talladega with Wallace after testing at Sonoma, Calif., on Tuesday. "John Darby (NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Director) and Buster Auton (long-time series official who has served as the pace car driver since 1997) were in charge, along with officials from Racing Radios and Nextel. So, there were plenty of witnesses on hand.
"They were timing lap segments and straightaway speeds and Rusty's fastest lap had him running an average 221 mph in that segment and 228 mph at the end of the straightaway," Carter offered. "The overall lap time was a 44.27 (-second, 216.309 mph) and that beat Elliott's old record by more than seven-tenths (of a second). It was some sight to see, I'll tell you that."
"It was one of the most exciting experiences I've had in a long time," said Earl Barban, spotter for Wallace's team who was on the other end of the communications link with Wallace during his fast laps around the Talladega track. "One of the things that impressed me most was the sound of the engine screaming down the straightaways and into the turns. It's totally different than what we're accustomed to hearing with the (restrictor-) plate motors. As for the actual audio test, Rusty was out there barreling into the corner at 228 (mph) and I could here him crystal clear. So, I'd say that it was a successful test for our friends at Racing Radios."
Wallace and his Miller Lite Dodge team head to Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania this weekend for Sunday's running of the Pocono 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race
This was just to show what manipulating the air and a few hp can do.
I'm just not impressed by some good old boy running some spec racer to 228mph on a track all by himself under ideal conditions. The boys at lemans run 200+ in a shorter distance at night WITH traffic/rain/fog etc... 228mph on an oval is fast, but hardly impressive.
what race? If you're talking about IRL/Cart rubbing will put you out the race instantly. In neckcar it's encouraged and cheered on by a bunch of drunken yehaws out to watch races based on V-6 family sedans
Well from what one of the F1 announcers were saying, Shumacher went into a turn at 213 mph at the Canadian GP. I'm gonna have to agree with Craig here, 228 in perfect conditions and alone on the track is hardly inpressive compared to what other racers are doing. Not to mention the Neckcar took 30 laps to get up to speed while Shumy was at that speed in about 8 seconds. Rule of thumb Jerome: Don't argue "incredible feats" when dealing with cars that run on the same technology as my weedeater.
Well from what one of the F1 announcers were saying, Shumacher went into a turn at 213 mph at the Canadian GP. I'm gonna have to agree with Craig here, 228 in perfect conditions and alone on the track is hardly inpressive compared to what other racers are doing. Not to mention the Neckcar took 30 laps to get up to speed while Shumy was at that speed in about 8 seconds. Rule of thumb Jerome: Don't argue "incredible feats" when dealing with cars that run on the same technology as my weedeater.
Craig is and was the one to always throw the "Nascar sucks" shit out there as he always does.
30 laps to get to that speed? Where does it state that?
Shoemaker getting to 213 in 8 seconds? [img]/images/graemlins/laughing.gif[/img]
And if you think the Nascar cars use Weedeater technology, you really need to read up on them. 10,000 rpm and the use of exotic materials such as Beryllium among others, is what makes those big old hunks of iron go.
Seeing how the topic went from one thing to another we might as well say that F1 can't hold a candle to a Top Fuel car. Seeing as the F1 car accelerates like my Toro compared a Fuel car.
So back to the topic, a car that weighs twice as much as an F1 car and is twice the size went that fast is amazing.
So maybe those who have no clue as to what Nascar is about, or what is involved in the making of those hunks of shit should not talk about them. [img]/images/graemlins/smiles[/img]
Craig is and was the one to always throw the "Nascar sucks" shit out there as he always does.
30 laps to get to that speed? Where does it state that?
Shoemaker getting to 213 in 8 seconds? [img]/images/graemlins/laughing.gif[/img]
And if you think the Nascar cars use Weedeater technology, you really need to read up on them. 10,000 rpm and the use of exotic materials such as Beryllium among others, is what makes those big old hunks of iron go.
Seeing how the topic went from one thing to another we might as well say that F1 can't hold a candle to a Top Fuel car. Seeing as the F1 car accelerates like my Toro compared a Fuel car.
So back to the topic, a car that weighs twice as much as an F1 car and is twice the size went that fast is amazing.
So maybe those who have no clue as to what Nascar is about, or what is involved in the making of those hunks of shit should not talk about them. [img]/images/graemlins/smiles[/img]
Obviously my sarcasm didnt drip out of the screen like I thought it would. The 30 lap statement was an exaggeration, as was the 8 seconds. But, it does take a Nascar a couple of laps to get up to speed, especially with restrictor plates. Now about the technology, do you really want to argue the technology in a Nascar with the technology in an F1 car? Do you really think dropping the word Berrylium is going to give you any points in this department? F1 technology is easily a few decades ahead of "Jack some wedge in 'er" technology your spouting off.
Sure I'll put an F1 car against a Top Fuel car on a roadcourse. Not only would the F1 car smoke it after turn 1, it also won't break halfway down the first straight.
Sorry dude, 228 is not impressive to me.
As for your last paragraph, don't even throw the "I don't know what Nascar is all about" speech at me. As if there is some Zen-like mentality along with some complicated infrastructure that only a select few 'necks out there "get." Puuuulease!
Dude, I am probably the biggest 'neck that posts here, but even I can give into the fact that F1 cars are so far superior to Nascars in EVERY aspect.
I am just fuck'n around and trying to get some excitement around here. All I see lately is either deaths, divorces, or just people crying about stuff in general.
BTW, the use of beryllium was just one example. They can't really use any exotic materials as they are all outlawed.
Let's see... in 1987, Peugot set the Le Mans speed record at 258 MPH, I believe it was. Right before they added the chicanes, there were magazine articles discussing who would be the first to break 300 MPH. On a road course.
