Draft Track-See the Air

[CO ZX2]

TODAY, Sunday July 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on ESPN.

I was watching NASCAR qualifying awhile ago and ESPN2 announced they will be using Draft Track(described below). SEE the AIR.

They showed a sample and it depicted the airflow around and behind the race cars as they were racing. Very interesting to me. I will be watching tomorrow. CO ZX2

By Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/25/2007 5:19:00 PM

ESPN will introduce a new production enhancement for NASCAR coverage during its telecast of the Allstate 400 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this Sunday that displays the aerodynamic benefit of "drafting" behind another race car.
The new graphic effect, called "Draft Track," was developed in collaboration with Sportvision, a longtime supplier of production effects and enhancements to ESPN and other major sports programmers. The concept of Draft Track is to allow viewers to "see the air" with a graphic effect that depicts the airflow created by a NASCAR race car.
The new effect will initially be used on replays. Draft Track will let viewers see the air flowing over and behind race cars as they circle the track, whether there is one car or a multi-car pack, and the airflow visualization will change in real time as the cars jockey for position.
"We continue to be fascinated with showing viewers things that you cannot see ? the line of scrimmage in football, the strike zone in baseball, and the airflow in motorsports, especially relevant to NASCAR, known as drafting," said Jed Drake, ESPN senior vice president and executive producer, in a statement. "Draft Track brings to life for the viewer an element of NASCAR racing that has been a much-discussed but unseen part of the sport for decades."
The Draft Track system, which pulls positioning data from SportVision?s patented RACEf/x car tracking system, is based on computational fluid dynamics information and wind tunnel data that SportVision used to build a comprehensive model of the airflow as it affects cars in relation to each other. The system and the Draft Track computers calculate and determine the profile of the airflow many times per second on cars traveling at over 200 mph. Once the calculations are done, the airflow effect is the linked to the highlighted cars using SportVision's optical tracking technology, and a graphic depicting the airflow is inserted into the video.
The Indianapolis race is ESPN?s first NASCAR Cup race since 2000, but ESPN and ABC will have live coverage of the final 17 races of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season, including all 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup on ABC. ESPN2 is also the regular home of the NASCAR Busch Series.

[Mentalic]

I'll be watching as well, I always watch anyway.

Last year they tried a HP gain calculation display for cars in the draft. It really did not work very well although they hyped it up a ton. Hope the visual flow display works better.

[skewbe]

NASCAR ,
if you're gonna waste gas at least make it interesting, al la rally
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_6Ay...elated&search=
(and put it within reach of more crazy drivers

[CO ZX2]

Originally Posted by skewbe

NASCAR ,
if you're gonna waste gas at least make it interesting, al la rally
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_6Ay...elated&search=
(and put it within reach of more crazy drivers

Don't be so closed-minded. You might learn something.

About aerodynamics to benefit FE for us that are not racing. They will show it tomorrow whether any one of us watches it or not.

[rh77]

I have to agree with Nascar vs. Rally. I was instantly mesmerized by the ability of WRC drivers, or even local Pro-Rally participants. Compare the 2 side-by-side and you'll see what I mean...

But yes, I do have to give some credit to the aero engineers of the NASCAR circuit -- they're given a brick to smooth-out, and speeds are constant and much higher. Downforce and reasonable Cd are considered. But I can't sit through anything but the first and last lap.

Aside: I'm bitter that the "Speed" channel has sold out to Nascar. A few years ago, they carried the WRC (World Rally Championship), but now, 15-minutes of each race is given time on ESPN2. Honestly, it's my favorite sport. It involves a multitude of surfaces from snow to gravel to tarmac. The skill of the Driver and Co-Driver is mind-blowing. I've personally taken part in the operation of a course -- I have to say: watching these participants is truly amazing.

I guess there's always Bittorrent...

RH77

[Mentalic]

Originally Posted by rh77

I guess there's always Bittorrent...

RH77

Shhhhh! Its about the only way to see some TV programs though.

[Mentalic]

Originally Posted by CO ZX2

Don't be so closed-minded. You might learn something.

About aerodynamics to benefit FE for us that are not racing. They will show it tomorrow whether any one of us watches it or not.

Yep, think they had something like 250,000 spectators at the track today, millions on TV.. Its bigger than football.

I used to watch the rallys as well, but a good sprint car race is better. Same sliding on dirt only there is somebody to actually race against on the track.

Anyway, the Draft Track gimmic was about as lame as I expected.

[MnFocus]

Originally Posted by skewbe

(and put it within reach of more crazy drivers

D'jou say "crazy drivers" and "rally" ?


Sorry CO ZX2 - been waiting for a spot for this
have to admit that seeing the way air flows over the car does give a person to pause for ideas to make it better . No t.v. here - I'll have to wait for the play by play at GS to 'see' the DraftTrack .

[GasSavers_Graeme]

Well, I wasn't very impressed. The colors and flow sometimes seemed out of sync with the moves the cars made. And it's not evident the flow lines represent reality. It was useful for their verbal explanations.

[skewbe]

Originally Posted by Graeme

Well, I wasn't very impressed. The colors and flow sometimes seemed out of sync with the moves the cars made. And it's not evident the flow lines represent reality. It was useful for their verbal explanations.

It was less than what I expected, and I wasn't expecting much. I think the pixie dust coming off tinkerbell is more telling

those announcers sure hyped it up though.