re: 2024 NASCAR Season Thread

quote:

---

According to Pockrass, two cameras are cordoned off on pit road (one sitting lower and one higher), with both focused down the lead edge of the start/finish line.

---

But how do we KNOW that other than just taking Nascar's word?

quote:

---

Were the cars not going similar speeds when going for a race win?

---

No, Larson was moving faster and overtook the 17 just before or right at the start finish line.

quote:

---

What is your and Edwin's suggestion if this technology is unacceptable?

---

Flatland is a book about a fictional 2 dimensional universe. I had to read it in grad school when studying N (multi)-dimensional hyperspaces that related to ecological niches. I gives you a way to visualize other dimensions when you are limited by your own universe. There is a part in the book where a 3 dimensional creature interfaces with the 2 dimensional universe. To the creatures in the 2d world the creature appears like a MRI would to us. As a series of changing images. Think of slicing an apple a bunch of times and then laying each slice down sequentially on a sheet of paper. This is what our 2d creature would see.

How does this relate to a high speed finish line camera? Because that's exactly how the camera images the finish line. One pixel or one row of pixels at a time. My issue isn't as much with the technique as it is with the images it produces. By the nature of the camera, there are no external reference marks for the viewer. That's because, as has already been pointed out, the entire photo is the finish line. Right, so what's the problem? So we know it's percise.

My problem is exactly where is the camera aimed? In other words how accurate is it? Is it aimed at the front of the line? The back of the line? One, five or 10 feet before or after? We can't tell as viewers and fans. All we know is that there is some arbitrary and imaginary line than nascar picks as "the finish". But if we can't see that exact line before, during or after the race, or see it in the final photo how do we know that Nascar is being honest with us? We don't. Now, I'm not that Nascar is being dishonest. Not at all. What I'm saying is there is no way to independently verify their final "call", and to me, that's a problem.

Accuracy vs Precision.