It’s a bright and sunny day after a rainy evening and now, you and the rest of the team is all set for the race. You made the tuning to the car and the engine and what you are waiting is to be on the race track. But that is only the primer because with the weather the night before, it could make the race track feels slicker than usual.
A Tad bit of Science
If you think that your faith and belief in your angel number 222 would keep you safe and win the competition, you might want to apply science and physics in it too. Keep this in mind, for any unprepared track surface, the traction lies between the surface and tire patch. Any oil, dirt or even humidity is limiting the traction.
Surface treatments are pretty common alternative to no-prep tracks. As for treated surfaces, it is usually applied with coating to make the track, race ready. Loss traction could lie between the coating and the tire or the track and the coating.
How the Sun changes the Track’s Condition?
On a sunny day, the temperature normally runs around at 60-degrees Fahrenheit. But as for the track, the temperature could be 10 degrees hotter. And here’s the thing, the reasonable traction threshold for race cars is just at low 60s. Anything above it can make it a challenge not only for the cars but for the entire team to work around.
For instance, in some raceways, it was reported that the surface treatments typically used for drag racing become gooey at surface temperatures higher than 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Humidity Impacts the Track
By the time when dew points are closer to the outside temperature, it is when humidity in air condenses to the surface. Dew point is basically the temperature in which the moisture is saturating the atmosphere and eventually, liquid occurs in a form of rain, fog or dew. And for any experienced race teams, any liquids that occurred would eventually coat the track and make it harder to have traction. Thus, requiring tune-ups and quick decision-making for the car to compensate the track.