Question on driving method.
 

When I watch formula races, while the drivers aren't racing, they keep swerving back and forth. Then I saw maybe two out of ten drivers doing the same thing at the dirt track races this last saturday night. And my question is..why? I can't figure out how it would help.

Warm up the tires.

^^^yup. The warmer the tires the more grip you have earlier in the race.

Alonso seems to be the master of the tire warmer.

Durh. Feel stupid now, thanks!

I call those Brain farts. Now my question is: How does this apply to dirt racing? The friction won't be as prominent on the dirt tracks, right?

On dirt watch when they do it. Racers that actually know what they're doing hit the gas at the apex of the swerve and you'll see a bunch of rocks, mud, and sand com off of the tire. Dirt racers do that to clean the tires off. Running air pressures in the 6-18psi range on big soft tires, they can feel if a stone is caught in one.

And yes, asphalt/concrete drivers do it to warm up the tires.

AH! very cool, I didn't know that.

For asphalt racers on their recon/warm up laps you will also see drivers come to a stop then peel out for a short run and slam the brakes. Research has shown that this is actually a more effective method of warming up the tires than swerving. The down side of this is if you need to stretch the life of the tires than doing burnouts isn't always the smartest thing to do.

good to know too. I never heard about that method outside drag racing (minus the braking).