The name Tazwell Speedway comes from a former NASCAR crew chief and current racing team owner’s nickname – Taz. Does that mean that his speedway is bigger, better, and more popular than that of another famous NASCAR driver? We will compare the specs and statistics of the two speedways to find out.
General Performance
To start, let’s take a quick look at how fast the cars are going around each track. Below are some general track speed comparison tables that give you an idea of the relative performance of the two tracks. For each track, we will show you the top speed achieved by each NASCAR driver in the 2018 season along with their average speed.
You will notice that there is quite a bit of variance in the speeds. Some of the speeds are significantly faster than the average while others fall significantly short. That is largely due to the fact that different races have different levels of competition, making some faster than others. However, one thing is for sure – the overall average speed of a NASCAR driver on a Tazwell Speedway is going to be faster than that of a driver on a normal NASCAR track.
Now, how about the braking performance of these race cars? We will get into that in a bit, but first let’s look at the acceleration performance of these vehicles. Below are some acceleration comparison tables for you to check out. As you can see, although acceleration is not always the key factor in a race, it can make a significant difference in terms of who wins and who loses. As a general rule of thumb, a car with more acceleration will beat out one with less acceleration. This is especially true when it comes to NASCAR where sometimes the cars reach speeds close to 200 miles per hour (mph) during acceleration – meaning there is a lot of room for improvement!
Differences In Layout
A NASCAR track is simply made up of a series of turns and straightaways. The layout of a track can greatly affect the overall performance of a car. A straighter, longer track with little change in elevation will typically mean that the cars will go faster. There is no real “best” or “worst” track layout, as it all depends on the personal preferences of the track’s owner.
Tazwell Speedway is a bit different. The track is actually split into two separate loops – an upper and lower loop. The lower loop is essentially a flat, two-mile-long straighter that connects the backstretch to the frontstretch. The track then makes a 180-degree turn in the middle of the frontstretch to head back towards the track’s starting line. This is where things get really interesting – the upper loop. The upper loop is a long, winding road that leads to the backstretch and then turns into a long, downhill straightaway before coming back towards the starting line.
The difference in elevation between the two loops makes a huge difference in how fast the cars will go. Since the start of the 2018 season, the lower loop has an elevation change of less than 10 feet, while the upper loop has an elevation change of nearly 60 feet. This alone should tell you that the cars are going to be going faster on the upper loop. However, the difference in elevation is not the only factor at play here. The length of the straights also play a significant role in car performance, as does the amount of turns the driver manages to take while on the track. Since the elevation change and straightaway length are largely the same on the lower loop, it is not necessarily a better or worse track. However, the turns are certainly more significant on the upper loop.
The difference in elevation and length of the straights mean that the cars are going to go faster on Tazwell. As a general rule, we would recommend that you try to stay on the lower loop, as it is generally faster and more efficient to run there. Even though the upper loop is longer, it is very likely that you will be able to maintain your pace during the entire race – especially if you race on the lower horsepower engine. However, if you are looking for a change of pace or a new challenge, then by all means, go for it! Just keep in mind that the upper loop is going to be more tiring for your car and for you as a driver.
The Biggest Difference – The Different Engines
One of the largest differences between Tazwell and other NASCAR tracks is in the power the cars are able to pull. As stated before, sometimes it simply comes down to the engine’s horsepower. Some high-powered engines can only take the bends so well and will quickly lose speed, regardless of the track. Other engines can handle the elevation changes better and will give the car a boost in speed – at least for the duration of the time they are able to rev the engine.
Since we are comparing relative performances of the two tracks, it is important to take note of the fact that some cars are simply faster than others. It is also important to keep in mind that sometimes the handling characteristics of a vehicle can be significantly affected by the gear it is in when it jumps the starting line. That is why even though we have not seen any statistics yet, we would not be surprised to see some cars pulling away ahead of the pack early on.
When we compare the average speeds of all the drivers that competed on both tracks this year, we can see a clear advantage to Tazwell – at least as of now. The average speed of a NASCAR driver on the upper loop of Tazwell was 44.62 mph while the average speed of a driver on a standard track was 39.89 mph. That is a difference of approximately four to five miles per hour (mph). Keep in mind that these are only averages and that some cars will go faster and some cars will go slower than that. However, if we compare that to the 2018 season overall, we can see that on average, NASCAR drivers are going slightly faster on Tazwell than they are on a normal track. That is probably a combination of the fact that the average elevation change on Tazwell is lower and the straights are longer.