The question of "how many wheels on the ground" has been discussed
before and I'm not sure I ever saw a definitive answer.
If a car is presented with 4 wheels but one (or even 2) of them happens
to lift off the ground during a record run, is the record invalidated?
It might be seen as somewhat like outrigger (training?) wheels on a bike
liner. Some may start with 3 or 4 wheels, but at speed only 2 are in
contact with the ground at speed.
Just for the sake of argument, let's say that a car like the Bloodhound
which has 2 front wheels with a much narrower track than the rear, finds
itself in a state where the front wheels are off the ground for a period
of time...maybe 100 yards, maybe a mile...??? Would this then
invalidate an FIA record? Or could someone protest a record if they
could show that only the rear wheels we in contact with the ground? I
think that's what Mayf's alluded to in the last sentence of his post,
and it sure seems like a questionable area to me.
RtR
(gonna be on the salt early for SW to photograph course setup)
On 7/21/2010 3:52 PM, drmayf wrote:
> I am sure that their superior British engineering can come up with
> power to over come nearly double the drag to go from 762 to 1000 mph
> ( caveat...area needs to be considered). Transonic drag is gonna bee
> a bugger to overcome. Ever see a transonic drag vs speed curve? Now
> if drag is nearly double and it is likely to be way way more then
> increased thrust needs will be significant. I am sure they can do it,
> however. I wonder how they are going to over coming rolling
> resistance? That also goes up as some power function of speed. Going
> to be interesting for sure. I hope they can keep all the tires on the
> ground as they set the record. Some manner of objective evidence for
> that needs to be developed as the shock wave is going to in all
> likely obliterate the track marks from the wheels.
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