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NASCAR Racing/tire clearance

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Expert: Stooge - 1/13/2009


Question
Howdy, I'm wondering what the minimum tire clearance needs to be to prevent rubbing on the fenders, and what that equates to when the car is on the jack with the suspension at full droop?  Seems like you wouldn't want to be sticking your arm in there like I see some of the mechanics do in the pits.  Thanks.

Answer
There is no set minimum tire clearance, the teams set it to keep tire rub to a minimum. When the car is up on the jack there is no a lot of drop on the suspension due to a limiting chain placed from the frame to the lower A frame. This assists in the lifting the tire from the ground faster when jacking. As for sticking an arm in there...well during a pit stop you do what you have to do as fast as possible and don't think about the rest. If they did do you think that "overflow" gas man would stand there with cars coming at 50-60 MPH behind him?

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Stooge

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8 year crew member, 25 year NASCAR historian with VAST collection of NASCAR data (stats, photos, old magazines, books, programs). I know all or can find all about NASCAR Winston Cup trivia, including stats, driver facts, race records, pit & inspection info, pics of old cars and drivers, etc.

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Almost 40 year fan, 8 years on pit crew, high traffic NASCAR website, hundreds of old info sources including pics

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Life: lived it for 8 years, been following it for almost 40 years, been to more than 200 races, worked shoulder to shoulder with many of the drivers and crewmen of the present and past, been quoted in magazines and newspapers, website listed in a book, had picture published in Nextel Cup Scene (was Grand National Scene back then). *Just quoted in a Las Vegas magazine last month (Feb/March '07) about the Vegas race*

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