Q&A: Jason Shapiro (brake specialist).

Even without any contact, 500 laps of hard acceleration followed by equally hard braking takes a toll on a driver's equipment at Martinsville Speedway, putting a premium on brake technology.

Drivers must balance their need for speed by conserving their brakes for 263 miles. If they can't slow themselves down enough to drive through the corner, then their exit off the corner suffers, and their overall lap is drastically slower. It's a vicious cycle that's typical Martinsville. But, after 55 years of NASCAR visiting the southern Virginia track, teams are quite used to it.

Q:
Heat seems to be a brake system's worst enemy. What do you do to combat the heat?

Jason Shapiro:
That's a never-ending process. When we really started hammering these brakes about ten or twelve years ago, the fluid was a problem because it would actually boil. Eventually, the manufacturers got the fluid up to snuff. Then it evolved to where the brake seals were burning out. Well, we got that fixed. Then it came down to caliper stiffness, and we got that worked out. Now we've got a pretty solid package - most all brake manufacturers do. AP, the manufacturer we use, is, in our opinion, a little bit more solid in the short track area. Today, we're just refining what we've got, trying to figure out ways to run even cooler here or there. It's a constant evolution.

Q:
Is Martinsville the race venue where you work closer with the driver when compared to other race venues?

JS:
Yes, I'll work really close with him, for two reasons. First, you've got to stop - plain and simple. The other thing is that how you set your brake bias can affect your handling. Brakes and chassis work hand-in-hand at Martinsville. One won't work well enough without the other to be competitive.

Q:
How does a driver conserve his brakes for 500 laps around Martinsville?

JS:
I think it's important to slow down before you get to the corner and not charge the corner. That's key to a good lap time. There are times, however, when you've got to do what the other guy in front of you is doing in order to pass him, and that's when you abuse your brakes. You end up running into the corner harder because you've got to out-brake him going down the straightaway to get next to him. But the way you conserve your brakes is by slowing down in a straight line, getting off the brake, coasting through the centre of the corner and then getting back on the gas. That's going to be better on the brakes and you're generally going to have a better lap time.

Q:
When the team travels to restrictor plate venues, the #20 team's engine specialist - Roger Purcell - is usually seen pacing the pit-area. With brakes being such an issue at Martinsville, is that your time to pace the pits?

JS:
Yeah, it is. Every time we go to Martinsville, I take five years off my life. It's difficult, but you've got to do it. It's like going to the doctor to get a shot. You know you don't want to, but you know you need to.

Q:
Do you look forward to Martinsville because it's such a challenge to the brake system?

JS:
I do, because I think our team uses tracks like that as one of our strengths. Every one of us works hard in our specific areas. The engine room makes good power that'll last all day long. Our chassis development is excellent on short tracks. And our brakes have to be top-notch, or else all that work goes for naught.

Q:
On the Mondays after Martinsville, when you're back at the race shop and you take the wheel off, have you ever been shocked at what your brakes look like after 500 laps?

JS:
We try to end the race with a half a brake pad left. If we ever get into an issue where we knock part of the nose off and we lose some of our cooling, there is a cushion in place. But, when I open up that wheel and there's not a half a pad, I get a little scared.