Richard Buck, managing director of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, and The Weather Channel’s Kait Parker break down how and why cloud coverage affects racing.
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“When you’re dealing with hundreds of thousands of seconds separating a few positions every little bit counts,” Buck explained. ” … You’ll hear the crew chief and spotters and drivers sit on the end of pit road during the qualifying session to catch a glimpse of the cloud coverage to put down their best lap.”
Clouds can change the temperature by nearly 20 degrees, and according to Parker, a car will perform much better with under cloudy conditions rather than direct sunlight.