What is brake bias? The problem that plagued NASCAR star Bubba Wallace in New Hampshire

Drivers and teams across the world of motorsport face the mammoth task of finding the right settings to extract the maximum potential from their machines. From tuning the engine to getting the sweet spot when tuning the suspension, every aspect of the car is fine-tuned to gain an edge over the competition.

The heart of the operation is the engine, developing hundreds of horsepower, followed by the suspension which determines the behavior of the car. So what are the brakes for? Although many may respond that their only function is to control speed, this is only partially true. Intriguing, right? For the uninitiated, in the world of auto racing, brakes not only reduce speed, but also help tackle corners using brake bias.

What is brake bias?

Sometimes called brake balance, brake bias determines the braking force delivered to the front and rear wheels. A common ratio often discussed is 60-40 brake bias, which indicates that 60% of the brake pressure is applied to the front wheels and the remaining 40% to the rear. But this universal figure does not apply to the world of motorsport and even varies from one driver to another. When approaching a corner, brake bias also determines how a car will handle corners.

Although the car’s steering is the primary source of steering, the brakes play an important role. If the car’s braking is more forward-biased, there will be a transfer of weight to the front tires, increasing grip and cornering stability. A more forward bias also increases understeer in corners and eats up the front tire more quickly. Although a rear brake bias improves straight-line braking, it has many disadvantages when cornering. With more braking force on the rear brakes, the car tends to oversteer in corners, which racing drivers don’t like too much. Although understeer can be easily countered, oversteer is difficult to correct and often leads to skidding. Cars used in NASCAR are equipped with built-in brake bias adjustment knobs, allowing drivers to adjust the brake bias to their liking.

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socks

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But we don’t live in a perfect world, and at some point, dysfunction is inevitable. One of these victims was that of 23XI Racing. Bubba Wallacewho suffered from a brake bias dial malfunction during the 2023 Crayon 301 Series of cuts race.

Bubba Wallace victim of braking bias

Suffering from underperformance throughout the 2023 season, Bubba Wallace has constantly faced braking issues. The Crayon 301 Cup Series race was no different, as Wallace was once again plagued by poor braking. To add more to the 23XI Race Unfortunately for the driver, the brake bias adjuster malfunctioned in the No. 23 Toyota.

Unable to keep the car within pit limits entering Pit Road, Wallace slid through his pit box twice. When asking the team to give him extra distance during the pits, Bubba Wallace even complained about the brake bias button malfunctioning. Speaking to his team leader, Wallace said: “You want to know something. Brake dial not working. I don’t know where I am.

Finishing in 8th place at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, can Bubba Wallace and his 23XI Racing team overcome their challenges and secure a playoff spot?

Minutes after asking Joe Gibbs to punish his teammate, Martin Truex Jr contradicted himself in 1 word with a strange statement of nervousness