The Physics of NASCAR
Centripetal Force
Tire Pressure
Safety Improvements
Drafting
Safety Improvements
Careers
Other Information
Future
Downforce/Drag
Works Cited
Brief History
Physics Related Records
Correlation Between NASCARs and YOUR Cars
Wedge Adjustments
Hans Device
Safer Barrier
Fastest Average Speed (one lap)
The Hans Device is a head and neck restraint that reduces the likelihood of head or neck injury during a crash.
With the Gen6 just being released at the beginning of this season, it will most likely be a few years until the Gen7 car is released. However, in the mean time, NASCAR will undoubtedly continue researching ways to improve the safety of the sport, and the current Gen6 model.
Roof flaps
A SAFER barrier is a "soft wall", constructed of steel and foam. The point of the SAFER barrier is to absorb and reduce kinetic energy upon impact.
Centripetal Force is a center-directed force that causes an object to move in a curved, (sometimes circular) path.
This relates to NASCAR because while racing, the cars are pulled toward the inside while running around the circular track.
Bill Elliott: 212.809 MPH lap at Talladega- 1987
Bill Elliott: 210.364 MPH lap at Daytona- 1987
Geoff Bodine: 197.478 MPH lap at Atlanta- 1997
With the creation and induction of the Gen6 cars in 2013, NASCAR went back to making the new NASCARs look like the dealership cars. Unlike the Gen5 car, which featured a common template that was used by all manufacturers, the Gen-6 car was developed with the manufacturers to design race cars that match their brands. The new design also features a longer nose (by 2 inches) and shorter tail (by 6 inches), which was also done to make the Gen6 NASCAR more closely resemble modern production cars.
Tire Pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (PSI) found within a tire. The more inflated the tire, the higher the PSI.
PSI is directly quarilated to NASCAR because at each tire change, the crew adjusts the PSI according to how the car is handling.
Higher PSI results in a greater top speed and less tire wear, but also lowers acceleration rates, and lowers handling.
Nascar Driver
Crew Chief
Car Owner
Spotter
Tire Changers
Mechanics
Fuelers
Decaling
Engineers
Engine Builders
Chassis Builders
Procuring Sponsers
Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of the NASCAR. The purpose of downforce is to allow the car to travel faster through the corners by pulling the car to the track.
Roof flaps are small flaps located at the top of the car that open and close to help prevent the car from becoming airborne during an accident.
Wedge adjustments make a car looser or tighter. To make a wedge adjustment, a tire carrier cranks a wrench in a hole in the rear window to add to or decrease the weight pressing on the spring, which affects the crossweight of the NASCAR. The more rounds that are needed, the worse the car is handling.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centripetal_force
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_(physics)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASCAR
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Physics-of-NASCAR&id=903596
http://www.rir.com/Fan-Corner/~/media/a03d0c953a514813968d61ce40c5aca9.ashx
http://www.buildingspeed.org/blog/2013/05/keeping-racecars-on-the-racetrack/
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/2013-car.html
http://jacksonville.com/autos/2013-02-22/story/area-dealerships-excited-nascar-designed-generation-6-cars-consumers-mind
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2011/02/16/nascar-safety-history.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrictor_plate
Roll Cage
In 1947, 35 drivers, producers and mechanics met at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida. The meeting was lead by William France Sr., and the men spent three days creating the rules and governing body for the sport they called NASCAR.
In 1959, France opened Daytona International Speedway. The inaugural race run there was called the Daytona 500, which is now NASCAR's biggest race, and is known as "The Great American Race".
Restrictor Plates
Drafting is a technique where cars align in close groups to reduce drag and travel faster. Along with moving faster, the cars farther back need to use less energy (gas) to travel the same speed.
Hardest Crashes
NASCAR began with illegal backwoods races with the law to run moonshine. After World War II, moonshine runners decided that they wanted to run their suped up cars against better competition, and stock car racing was born.
Drivers feel about 2 gs just driving on a straight away, and feel 4-5 gs through the corners of a track.
The temperature in the cockpit can easily exceed 120 degrees, which lasts the entire race, which in some races are 600 miles (Coca Cola 600, 400 laps).
Many former football and hockey players are now pitting for NASCAR teams.
The Roll Cage is a cage made out of steel tubing, built inside the car to protect the driver from being crushed in the event of the car flipping and landing on its roof.
A restrictor plate is a metal device that is installed at an engine's intake to restrict air flow and reduce power. The result of this is lower speeds and safer racing conditions.
Elliot Sadler: Pocono- 2010 (over 100g?)
Kyle Petty: 80g at Bristol-2003
Fire Retardant Suit
Drag, or air resistance, refers to the forces that resist the forward movement of an object.
Drivers wear several layers of fire-retardant clothing, including underwear and gloves made from Nomex, allowing them to withstand flames until safety crews can arrive on the scene.
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