NASCAR EXPLAINS WHY THE PAINTED START/FINISH LINE ISN'T ACCURATE
NASCAR had their closest finish in history via Kansas Speedway with just a 0.001 interval
On Sunday, NASCAR raced on the 1.5-mile of Kansas Speedway. It was a thrilling race from start and it ended with a photo finish in NASCAR Overtime.
Kyle Larson and Chris Buescher battled side by side to the finish line. It resulted in the closest finish in NASCAR history with a gap of just 0.001 seconds.
However, a close finish doesn’t come without a little bit of drama.
Initially, Chris Buescher was shown as the race winner. Timing and scoring put him at the top of the pylon as the drivers crossed the finish line.
NASCAR stated the finish was under review. Following the review of a camera system, Larson was declared the race winner.
So, how did that happen?
NASCAR explained today that transponders on cars are accurate but they’re not as accurate as a camera system that’s setup on the start/finish line at every track.
The line painted on the track wasn’t straight. Yet, in this case, it doesn’t matter. A straight digital line on the camera system is used to determine who crossed the line first, not the one painted on the racetrack itself.
Closest finish in NASCAR history: Kansas Speedway (May 5, 2024)
NASCAR uses cameras to determine a winner in close finishes
“They’re very close to the same. But, we don’t go off the accuracy of a painter that paints a line on the racetrack,” Brad Moran stated via Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
“It’s a visual for a fan. But, when we get talking, this close, we make sure the finishes are right. Like many other sports, we have a laser line that is pencil thin.”
“This camera takes anywhere from 4,000 to 20,000 frames, per second. That’s how close that we see, at the start/finish line.”
“That line, not that it was out by a lot or anything like that. We obviously have a much tighter tolerance as to who wins a Cup race or any race for that matter.”
Transponders
“We do not use them for anything at the start/finish line or anything at pit out,” he added.
“They’re accurate to 0.0015 +/-. Basically, in layman’s terms, they could be out 0.003 of a second. They’re very accurate. But, they’re not as accurate as the cameras used.”
“They’re a transponder. They shot a signal and the signal strength could come into play. The ride heights on the cars could be slightly different.”
“Our cameras are calibrated, every week.”
Kansas Results: May 5, 2024 (NASCAR Cup Series)
Links
The post NASCAR explains why the painted start/finish line isn’t accurate appeared first on Racing News.
2024-05-07T21:40:41Z dg43tfdfdgfd