NASCAR: Jeff Gordon And Racing

Even if you’re not a NASCAR fan, this is must see TV.

It starts out with 3 laps to go on one of the circuits fastest track; Daytona.  The drivers are going about 200 miler per hour.  The thing is, the way these cars are built, when going that fast and that close, the driver in back has to, HAS to drift up on the right side of the bumper in front of him.  In other words, if you are not going to be directly behind the car in front of you, make sure you stay to his right side.

If you fail to follow this simple rule, the car if front of you will see the air pressure taken off his fender and he’ll enter into a “counter-clockwise” spin; his car will lurch left.

Now, in the middle of a race with dozens of cars around you, this is a good rule to follow.  Never break it.  However, racing for the win with 3 laps to go, this is less a rule than it is a tool.  Jeff Gordon is behind the M&M car and needs to be in FRONT of the M&M car.  So, Gordon “breaks” the one rule, slides to the man’s left, the car lurches left and Gordon gets by.  But.

Then he gets tangled with the driver above him and wrecks.

And boy does he wreck.

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