While the Next Gen car can be criticised for many flaws, none can contest that it has made giant leaps in certain aspects of aerodynamics and safety. One of those engineering marvels can be seen when drivers take the high line on tracks like the Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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The drivers can drive extremely close to the wall to manage a higher speed while remaining confident that their car won’t get out of their control and crash. Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson manages this brilliantly.
In a 2023 interview, Larson was asked to assess the risk vs reward of taking the high line. “Well, with the Next Gen car, it’s much tougher. At least the body is,” began Larson.
“So to me, there’s a little less risk running the wall nowadays. It’s a little bit easier to run the wall for whatever reason. The aerodynamics, I think, just pack. It’s easier to pack air between the car and the wall and get a better grip,” he added.
Larson believes that the car is why more drivers are confident to ride the wall at tracks like the Kansas Speedway, which have good grip. Of course, Larson and a few others, like 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, have an innate ability to ride the wall.
Larson added that this ability enables them to excel beyond the rest when doing so. “We’re just comfortable carrying speed up there, and it’s been something that clicked with me early on in my career,” he said.
“I try to use it to my advantage at the few racetracks that you can. So, it’s just an area to stand out above the others and gain some lap time on them,” added Larson.
What happens when a driver rides the wall
O’Reilly Auto Parts series star Anthony Alfredo explained the science behind riding the wall in a video he posted on X last year. The scientific phenomenon that lets a driver ride so close to the wall is called wall proximity.
When they run so high up the track, little air pockets are created between the car and the wall. These pockets generate a side force that, in turn, generates a strong grip to keep the car stable and in position.
The Homestead-Miami Speedway, for instance, is a low-grip track. It is one of those on the schedule where racing on the high line is a lot more beneficial than racing on the lower ones. Drivers prefer the high line to generate more speed. Just that it is a game of precision and courage.
