I already corrected it. See my previous post (and try to understand it).
You're correct, Car 2 isn't using full power while in the draft. But he will be unable to accelerate once he exits the draft, so he MUST accelerate while in the draft. The acceleration he needs to pass the lead car has to come while he's in the draft -- outside the draft, he can't accelerate, he'll only lose speed.
Because the low pressure area behind Car A is relatively small in modern NASCARs, this limits Car B's ability to accelerate within the draft.
Anybody who says that it's a lack of power is dead wrong, because in NASCAR, Car A and Car B always had roughly equivalent power. Yet in the 60's and 70's, cars with less power than 2010 restrictor-plate NASCARs were passing each other constantly -- because they could get a run on the lead car in the draft. During the 60's and 70's they had between 450 and 600 horsepower, yet they could pass in a draft all day long. There was clearly no 'lack of horsepower'.
This thing about lack of power preventing passing has been bogus from day 1. Whoever wrote the wiki for that doesn't know any better. To pass, Car B must accelerate. It's not enough to be going the same speed while using less power. Car B can't pull out of the draft at the same speed as Car A, then accelerate -- because then he's experiencing the same wind resistance as Car A now, and is therefore equally unable to pick up speed just the way Car A can't go any faster. He has to apply that available extra power at a time when that power isn't eaten up by wind resistance -- and that has to happen while in the draft. If the draft from the lead car only extends 25 feet behind, and Car B is 16 feet long, then Car B has to get all the acceleration it needs in less than 25 feet, and that's not much room to accelerate. If the draft, however, extends 250 feet behind Car A, then Car B can get the acceleration it needs before pulling out into the wind. And since acceleration is a function of time squared, the time spent accelerating while in the draft is ultra-important.
I'll say it again, the part that's modeled incorrectly is that PD made the assumption that every car punches an equal hole in the air at a given speed. The hole is essentially correct for cars like vintage NASCARs, because in the game we see the effect for hundreds of yards behind the lead car at 200 mph. But it doesn't apply the same way behind all cars, and modern NASCARs and F1 cars are two good examples of cars that actively close the air behind the car as it passes.
What you are saying is true for modern NASCAR, but what I said is true of other motor sports like the Le Mans Series. Thus, why I gave you two answers to your question.
A modern NASCAR or Indy Car (which your example is correct about) for example are all so very similar that the slight differences between them
normally negates 'power available' being different between them. Indy cars all use the exact same engine for example. In both of those series the bodies have also become so similar so that it effectively attempts to create a 'level playing field' and a focus on driving skill.
The Le Mans series is not like that. Yes they have restrictions, but you are talking about motors that are all different as manufactures have more freedom than in NASCAR/Indy. Not only do they have all kinds of motors, but each cars shape and because of that aerodynamics is completely different. Tell me, does a LMGT1 Vette, Ford GT, Murcielago or Aston look damn near identical? What about the Porsche, BMW, F430 of the LMGT2 class? Again, these are all completely different cars with different shapes, not exactly the same air resistance then is it? You know, since cars of different shapes have different aerodynamics. In a series such as this, 'power available' when exiting a draft is true.
Since you mention them, Formula One it's all about which manufacture can build a better car within the specifications, even with the cars being very similar. Don't you remember when the Red F was introducing a new car all the time and F1 had to put a stop to it? F1 is a money sport period, which they have actively been trying to correct in recent time.
The following video was posted earlier in this thread. Car B was not coming up on Car A with enough space to exactly accelerate in the draft as you say. So why, was Car B able to exit the draft and begin passing?
Because in you are clearly ignoring one important factor, car setup. In a series like this, a small differfence can really alter the wind resistance characteristic between two cars and simply can't be ignored.
If power available is untrue, explain cyclists and runners when using draft?
I was speaking of drafting as a whole (this started over a Le Mans video, am I wrong?), you seemed to be only speaking of drafting in super restricted series. Therefore, I don't believe we were seeing eye-to-eye from the get go.
