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The name of the game at Dover Motor Speedway was “Aero blocking”, and Denny Hamlin put it to good use in the closing laps. What does this actually mean, and how does it actually work?
Aero blocking comes down to one simple racing concept, dirty air. In short, dirty air is the turbulent air that follows behind a race car. The turbulent air makes it difficult for the aerodynamic properties of the race car to work properly, giving the car lower downforce and less grip.
The concept of dirty air is very complicated. For the full explanation, read the article below.
The important thing to note is that dirty air makes it difficult to follow the leading car, particularly on high-speed race tracks. This is where aero-blocking comes into play.
The leading car can defend its position by occupying the racing line the following car is trying to race in. This is what crew chiefs and commentators mean when they say, “Take their air away” or “Take their line away”. They’re trying to manipulate the air behind the car to keep the trailing car from getting closer. The finish to the Las Vegas race is an example of this.
Aero blocking has become more prevalent in the Next-Gen era. This is primarily due to the reduced horsepower, as the cars are more dependent on aerodynamics and downforce to create speed instead of using mechanical means like horsepower.
Another factor that Kyle Larson discussed after the race was the rear-view cameras installed in the Next-Gen car. With the cameras, the leading car can easily change lanes and see where the car behind is going.
Aero blocking is annoying the following car, but, it’s great for the leading car. The car ahead has something to defend against a faster car. If it’s harder to pass, that means battles tend to elongate instead of being over as soon as the faster car reaches the slower one.
However, it can be annoying to watch as a fan as well. A car that clearly seems to be faster cannot pass the car in front of it due to aerodynamics. The dirty air also prevents the following car from moving the car in front out of the way. The 2020 fall race at Kansas is one example of extreme aero blocking.
It’s a tough balance, and it can create some elements fans do not love. However, aero blocking will likely stay in NASCAR for the foreseeable future.
