How many of you out there found the INDY Car 105% rule confusing? Am I the only one?
We were all taught in grade school that 100% is all there is. You can have a glass of milk that is anywhere from 1% to 99% full and still have room for more. But once it reaches 100% full there is no more you can add. I eat 100% of a raspberry pie, guess what you aren’t getting any. There is none left.
Because the 105% mostly applies to the slower cars in the race, one would have to assume the slowest cars on the track would have to run 105%, of the lead car. Example say the leader has a lap speed of 220 mph. This would mean the slowest car, in order to maintain the 105% rule would have to be traveling a speed of 231 mph. (220=100%) (22o x .05 [ 5%] = 231.) That would be 5% faster than the leader. WAIT A MINUTE !!!! If the slowest car is running 11 mph faster than the leader then the leader can not be leading, at least not for long. Now I realize we aren’t all engineers, Thus the 105% rule was not meant to be understood by us mere mortals.
Now, let me put it this way. And I think this really makes more sense, as the apparent reason behind the rule is to keep the slower cars in a safer operating range with the average race speed. So would it not make more sense to say…call it a 95% RULE.
Again let us use the 220 mph model as before. 220 x .95 (95%) = 209. An 11 mph difference. Slower still but you must admit more obtainable for the LOTUS than 231 mph.
Like I have said before I am no mathematician. But 105% can’t make sense in any ones mind when it comes to racing speed (except an engineer). Especially when you are talking of slower cars. But a 95% rule holds water.
Is there anyone out there who can explain a car going 105% faster that the fastest car (let alone the average speed) can be the slowest car.
I can see the government taxing us 105% by the time all taxes are applied to my dollar. Perhaps this is how INDY Racing came up with that percentage.
That Is How I See It
