Why Do NASCAR drivers swerve before the race? Reason behind move explained

Before the start of a NASCAR race, one can see drivers swerving their cars in a zig-zag motion while waiting for the green flag. This random weaving may seem completely unnecessary to many but is an important start procedure that most driver follows.

There are a few reasons behind this routine but it is mainly aimed at preparing and heating up the tires before the race start. Tires used in NASCAR are made up of a specialized rubber compound that provides maximum grip when they are at an ideal temperature.

Drivers swerve around to heat up the tires as the zig-zag motion creates friction between the asphalt and the tire. This friction heats the tire surface and increases the grip. Cold tires have lesser grip and a driver can lose track position during restarts.

NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220

The other safety reason why drivers swerve their cars is to get rid of the marbles on the tire surface. Marbles are small rubber pieces that are worn out of the tires and are usually collected on both edges of the track. These shards of rubber can create dangerous conditions and sometimes cause an accident.

Drivers take precautionary measures as they weave side to side to get rid of these marble from their tires. During restarts, weaving along a track also helps them burn extra fuel they are carrying in the tank, hence reducing weight and increasing speed.

The restart procedure involves intensive techniques to bring up the temperature in the brakes also. This puts the machinery in an optimal working window and ensures that the tires and brakes work efficiently.

This is not unique to NASCAR as drivers in other racing series can also be seen swerving before taking the green flag.

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Exploring NASCAR tire composition, costs, and more

Goodyear tires

Tires are an important component of any racing car as they are the only point of contact between a car and the asphalt. Hence tires have a significant influence on the performance of a driver and a car.

Goodyear is the sole tire supplier for the Cup, Xfinity, and the Truck Series. The Akron, Ohio-based company, has held the rights as the sole tire supplier since 1997 and is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

Tires used in NASCAR are made up of a composition of more than 40 elements, including wax, antioxidants, accelerants, sulfur, resin, and of course the main ingredient rubber. These tires are designed to endure huge amounts of load with each tire lasting for 100 miles, before a drastic drop in performance.

Each tire costs $350-$500 with teams using up to 16 sets during a race weekend. For a weekend, teams would spend $20,000, and over a season consisting of 36 races, an estimated cost is $720,000 for tires only. Teams dilute this cost by leasing tires from the supplier.