Okay, so let’s talk about NASCAR fuel economy. This is something I’ve been messing with for a while now, and I’ve got some notes to share.
First off, I started by looking into how these guys even save fuel. I mean, it’s not like they have a fuel gauge, right? Turns out, it’s all about technique. I read somewhere that drivers like Chase Briscoe are all about “early lifts” before those braking zones. Makes sense, you’re not stepping on the gas as much.
Then I started playing around with this myself. Tried lifting my foot off the gas a bit earlier than usual and guess what? It kinda worked! I could feel the car coasting more, which I guess means it’s not burning as much fuel. Also tried “short shifting”, which is shifting gears earlier than you normally would. Again, not pushing the engine as hard, so less fuel used. Smoother on the throttle – that’s another thing I picked up. Just easing into it instead of stomping on it. Every little bit helps, I guess.
Now, refueling. That’s a whole other beast. These NASCAR guys, they can refuel mid-race during a pit stop. I watched a bunch of videos, and it’s crazy fast. They have these special gas cans, and it’s all about how the can connects to the car’s fuel tank. The air has to escape from the tank for the fuel to flow in, and it looked really technical.
- Tried lifting early before braking
- Tried short shifting
- Worked on being smoother with the throttle
- Watched videos on NASCAR pit stops and refueling
I dug around a bit more and found out that fuel injection has been a thing in NASCAR since way back in 1949. I didn’t get too deep into the technical side of things, but it’s interesting to know that it has that long of a history in the sport.
So yeah, that’s where I’m at with this whole NASCAR fuel economy thing. It’s definitely not as simple as just watching your fuel gauge. There’s a lot of skill and strategy involved. I’m still experimenting, but it’s been a fun little project so far. If you want to win these races, you need to save fuel.
