On the Draft and Dirty Air

Okay, you're aware that there are two tracks on the circuit - Daytona and Talladega - where drivers use the draft to help them race and pass other cars. You've seen and heard numerous explanations from broadcast analysts attempting to explain just why and how the draft works, but to this day, do you understand any of it? Probably not, and that's where I come in with a simple scenario that will leave you an all knowing expert.

Imagine you're at a small social gathering. You've mingled a little, and are now in an interesting conversation with a few of the other guests when suddenly, the bean burrito you had for dinner makes a return visit in the form of gas, and is being pretty persistent about using the back exit. Realizing that you need to do something to avoid this becoming an embarrassing situation, you politely excuse yourself from the others and head off in search of the nearest bathroom.

Once safely inside the bathroom and behind a locked door, you let loose with something sounding like a fog horn on a docking ship and smelling like last week's garbage, dutifully turn on the room's overhead exhaust fan to help clear the air and nonchalantly return to your previous conversation. But to your shock, dismay and horror, you realize that the smell from hell has followed you and is now threatening the air supply of everyone in the room.

How did this happen? Well, on your walk back, your body basically cut a path through the air, and left a smooth slipstream in its wake. Being a die hard racer, the noxious brown cloud used that slipstream to not only follow you, but to catch up to you and say hi to the others. In a nutshell, it used the draft.

We all know how this is going to end: Everyone will be aware of the new presence in the room and will awkwardly try to carry on the conversation. You'll feel safe in the knowledge that no one knows you were the source of the offending fumes until some loud mouthed guy who has had a beer or two asks, "Shoooooooooooo! WHO FARTED???", at which point you'll find yourself involuntarily red faced, which will expose you as the one who introduced the new visitor to the room.

So, the next time this happens to you (and don't even try to tell me it hasn't ever happened to you), instead of feeling embarrassed and wishing you had never been born, take the opportunity to explain to the group how the draft works in NASCAR racing. Or, the next time you hear someone who has a question about how the draft works, just invite him or her to pull your finger and give a first hand demonstration. After all, you are the resident expert on the topic.