As the 2025 NASCAR season inches closer, the fraternity seems to be preparing to see racing action resume in the new year. Anticipating the same, a recent post from the sport’s official X handle stirred up emotions amongst the fanbase. The post included a clip of Xfinity Series drivers running the top line at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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The post’s caption read, “If you think you can run the wall closer than our guys … No, you can’t.” While the same might be true for the top three nationwide series in NASCAR, fans of stock car racing in general were quick to point out the discrepancies. The post appreciated the ability of the drivers only from the top three series while leaving out everyone from the grassroots and dirt racing scene.
“Nascar intern gonna get cooked for this once the dirt crowd sees it. Maybe one day they will hire people that actually know racing,” wrote one fan, implying how someone new to racing would have been responsible for the post, possibly an intern who’s still learning the tricks of the trade.
Photo by @HeathLawsonPhto pic.twitter.com/G7J11s2TsQ
— Cliff Brown (@thereal99bfan) December 27, 2024
“You’re wrong…. Dirt cars do it every week,” wrote another fan, mincing no words as he compared the racing from the three nationwide series to that seen on dirt in the lower ranks.
“Tell me you haven’t watched short track dirt racing without telling me you haven’t watched short track dirt racing lol,” joked another fan, again hinting towards the person who curated the post’s probable inexperience of racing.
“Most of us dirt racers out here.. ‘Hold my beer,'” the fraternity rounded out, with one comment highlighting the probable feelings of dirt-track racers if they were to see the post.
How is ‘ripping the fence’ different in NASCAR and dirt track racing?
While the practice of drivers taking their cars to the absolute edge of the track to gain an advantage over their rivals remains the same, ‘ripping the fence’ or ‘riding the wall’ on asphalt versus on the loose stuff is worlds apart.
Drivers in the top three nationwide series get up close and personal with the barriers to make use of an aerodynamic phenomenon called wall proximity. What this does is it creates an air pocket between the car and the wall. This generates side force, which in turn increases the grip, making the car a lot more stable, and allowing the driver to go faster still.
On the other hand, ripping the fence in dirt track racing means drivers use what is known as ‘the cushion’ of the track to a similar effect just as the drivers on asphalt do. The cushion refers to the accumulation of extra dirt on the topmost lanes of a dirt track.
This ‘cushion’ essentially acts in the same way on a dirt car that side force works on say an Xfinity Series or Cup Series machine, allowing drivers more stability and, thus more speed.
Fans can witness this phenomenon for themselves as the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals are currently in the process of building up to their main event, with racing scheduled throughout the coming week.
