Help for a newbie

Hi eveybody. I am a first year college student in Barrie, Ontario. I am doing a project comparing F1 to stock and I need some help! The idea is for me to research the two and take a stand on which is better. I know very, very little about F1 and only slightly more about stock. I have worked with a local television station for the past year broadcasting some of our local stock racing. I have definatly taken an interest in the racing, but I keep getting lost in the lingo. I am finding that it is more difficult to compare these two than I thought.
So far what I know is that..
1) stock is cheaper...one f1 team could support about three stock
2) f1 has more complexed track designs and more complexed cars - the f1 cars are more comparable to jets than cars.
3) as far as stock goes...I know the cars can't run well in rain, poor traction and no wippers. I there are different groups of stock -- Thunder car, Late model, and Pure stock.

I am still shakey on how either qualify for the races. I think that F1 is time trial and I know stock is heat placement, but I can't remember how many laps are needed for each division of stock.
I also need to compare car designs, which well I am finding little to no similarities, if there is anyone that can help me with this that would be great. It took me most of the afternoon just to find out what a tyre is. No laughing allowed!

Anyway if there is anyone out there that wants to take me under their wing and take this from the basics that would be amazing. I have gone to a few other boards and still got lost in the lingo. thanx to all who read and any that are willing to help.

T
:confused:

Welcome. :)

I am interested to know what you mean by 'stock'?
Do you mean Nascar, or something else?

As for your current differences, I am also interested as to how you came by them?

F1 cars are comparable to jets? In what way? The fact that they have aerodynamic wing elements?

By all your other comparisons, it sounds more like you're comparing F1 to oval dirt track racing, something which isn't even viable to compare considering how vastly different the two are.

Is this a self-chosen topic or an assigned topic?

Yes, I mean NASCAR
As far as comparing them to jets, the main design is aerodynamics for both. This is the info that I got from other boards and that I have made from visual deductions.
This topic was assigned based on interest and accessablity of information, which there is plenty of I just can't understand half of it

Start here:

http://www.nascar.com
http://www.fia.com
http://www.f1-live.com

Try reading up on the different racing series, compare the engines, tyres, tracks, aerodynamic properties of the cars, teams, race schedules, global interest vs USA only interest.

The comparisons are endless, you need only spend the time looking at the 2 series to determine that.

As for your visual deductions regarding an F1 car, I suggest you forget that one ;)

Also www.f1.com for some rules, technical articles and a glossary and of course www.google.com to search for notions you don't understand. www.howstuffworks.com might also be helpful. The topic is too broad and too weird, I'd be lost where to start.

Thanks everyone!!! :D

:uhoh: I just have a quick question about the Nextel points system. I know the leader starts with 5,050 points, but are more points added upon completion of the race or are mistakes deducted from that total.
I understand the basic points system of the winner be award 180 and so on, but I am confused about how the Nextel points work. If there is anyone that can help me that would great! :uhoh:

actually, NASCAR DOES have rain tires and wipers to use at Watkins Glen and Infineon Raceway if it does rain.

the leader does not start at 5050 pts, each driver accumulates points over the course of the season, all drivers start at 0, for the final 10 races of the season the top 10 drivers in the standings are brought to within 50 pts of the leader (5 pts apart). There are bonus points for leading a lap, leading the most laps, and winning the pole.

most NASCAR tracks are ovals, but NASCAR does race at 2 road courses which are very similar to any course that F1 races on.

NASCAR does NOT use heat placement, both F1 and NASCAR use individual time trials for qualification.

each race in each series has a different number of laps and a different distance, the length of the race is based on the anticipated time it will take to run that distance and how it fits into the TV schedule.

NASCAR cars depend on aero downforce on the superspeedways as much as F1 cars do, but F1 cars use both sides of the car to develop downforce, but NASCAR cars only use the top of the car.

both cars run on a similar grade of high octane gasoline.

NASCAR cars have to be shifted manually as a regular manual transmission car is, F1 cars use a paddle shifter that shifts for them when they pull the paddle towards them.

F1 allows traction control, traction control has been outlawed in NASCAR.

F1 cars are fuel injected, NASCARs are carbureted

NASCARs weigh roughly 800 lbs more than an formula 1 car.

Nascars weigh a lot more than 800lbs more than an F1 car....

Nascar uses a 4 speed manual, F1 uses 6 speed(or some teams 7) speed semi-automatic gearboxes.

Nascar uses a full slick tire, F1 uses a grooved slick, intermediate tire or full rain tire dependant on conditions.

I think we've done enough of your homework for you, perhaps research some of what we've told you and elaborate on it from there.

Correction NASCARs weigh about 4700 lbs and a F1 car about 1300lbs.NASCAR uses 6 spd trannys and F1 uses 6 spd tranny with auto clutch.

why do nascars wiegh 4700 pounds? i thought they were tube chassis lightened race cars? there are trucks that weigh less than that! are you sure?

Well thats what the commentators are saying I have no real personal experience to back that.

Nextel Cup Cars weigh 3400 lbs
http://www.goarmy.com/racing/nascar_01_car.jsp

Formula 1 cars have a minimum weight of 1322 lbs

http://www.indiacar.com/nfs/technical/wtdistinf1.htm

so ya, the difference is alot more than what I originally said, but at least I did the research so we can all actually know

Nextel Cup Cars weigh 3400 lbs
http://www.goarmy.com/racing/nascar_01_car.jsp

Formula 1 cars have a minimum weight of 1322 lbs

http://www.indiacar.com/nfs/technical/wtdistinf1.htm

so ya, the difference is alot more than what I originally said, but at least I did the research so we can all actually know

Also, in both cases those are minimum weights called out by the rules. In F1 ( I would assume the same in NASCAR) the cars are actually lighter than that and ballast (weight) is added to ensure the car meets the regulations. The advantage is that the ballast can be placed as low as possible and adjusted longitudinally to tune handling characteristics. I don’t know if it is still allowed but in F1 they could adjust the ballast location from a control in the cockpit. That way the driver could tune the handling to compensate for fuel and tire usage during a race.