Sheena Talks About....Torque Vectoring and other racing stuff?

So, yesterday I decided that I was going to start doing posts about things I really have very little knowledge of but most certainly have opinions about. It's gonna be crazy, but perhaps we'll all learn a little something here. Today it's racing stuff.

It started with Precious talking about how the new Ford Focus has torque vectoring (which according to Precious is impressive because that's typically only found in expensive sports cars). I know. I know. You're thinking, "What the crap is that and why do I care?" Here's the scoop in Sheena speak: Torque Vectoring allows different amounts of power to be sent to each wheel - one wheel can practically stop turning while the others keep turning - it helps with the control of the vehicle in tight corners. A downhill skier shifts his weight through turns to help with balance and stability. Torque vectoring allows one wheel to get a little brakage (yep, that's my word) and keeps it from slipping in corners. Here's why you care: oh, who are we kidding? You don't care and neither do I except for the fact that my car doesn't have it and I NEED IT on the days that I want to pretend to be a race car driver! Hello.

So, the torque vectoring conversation led to him telling me that torque vectoring has been banned in Formula 1 racing...for very ridiculously stupid reasons....mostly Ferrari is a whiny, cry-baby racing team (my opinion after the conversation). The people who were complaining were the ones who were losing. Boo freakin' hoo! Get a better team. Build a better car.

So, there was this other thingy - looks like a HUGH snow blower fan on the back of a car.

This one actually makes me laugh a little. The car was designed by Gordon Murray (some important racing guy on McLaren's team - all unimportant information when Sheena talks...). It was a like a vacuum, sucking the car close to the track and making it faster than everyone else. Other teams whined that they were getting pelted with crap from the track blowing out of the ginormous fan on the back of this car. Result: BANNED.

I personally think that these teams should be rewarded rather than punished - like if they beat everyone else by a landslide, they should get a bonus or something. If they're smart enough to come up with a way to  make their car faster than everyone else's - good for them! They're gonna win...DUH! And I personally don't think that banning their ingenuity and creativity is just wrong!

Nascar - your "car of tomorrow" sucks! For the love of all things racing (which I really care nothing about), you have taken all of the artistry out of Nascar. Stop punishing smart people for being smart and creative. Let them make better cars and win and let everyone else suck it up!

Ok, Sheena's done talking now. Tune in next time. Crystal's hubby wants me to talk about astroid mining. We'll see.