Ford Focus Hybrid Pace Car at the final NASCAR race today...

[XOKCowboy]

A Hybrid leading the Nextel Cup cars to the Start line. Now that's pretty cool!

I will now sit back and let the NASCAR bashing begin. :popcorn:

[KittyWampus]

1. like the horse that leads thoroughbreds to their post position?

[Kutjara]

2. I'm amazed it's fast enough.

In Formula One, they use a supercharged AMG Mercedes SLR as the "safety car", driven flat-out by a racing driver, and it's still too slow for many Formula One cars. Their tires start to lose temperature and engines start to overheat and they can't generate sufficient downforce to keep from sliding in the corners. A modern F1 car pretty much has to be driven at 150MPH+ just to stay on the track, and the SLR can barely do it.

I'm surprised the NASCAR pack doesn't just slide to the bottom of the track in a big heap on the first corner, trying to go slow enough to stay behind a hybrid.

[XOKCowboy]

3. I'm sure it was pretty wound up..

and it did seem a little slow compared to some pace cars. I do think it was a major coup (or should I say coupe) for Ford to spotlight it's new hybrid at the last NASCAR race of the year. Plus the fact that 2 "Ford Focus" are leading right now....

[Kutjara]

6. Definitely. It's a great piece of PR for hybrids in general, and Ford in particular.

I'd love to see an all electric pace car one day. Electric motors put out some hellish torque and, in the right chassis, could easily stay out in front of a NASCAR pack. The only problem is they'd do it for about half a lap before they needed recharging, so I think that dream is still a ways off.

[ColoradoMagician]

4. Nah, we will give them a little credit

Slowly, very slowly they are coming around.

At least the dialogue with them is open now.

[proud patriot]

5. that's very cool