Rev Your Engines

The Physics of NASCAR: Exploring Innovation and Standardization in Motorsports

StarTalk Sports Edition features Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, and former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dr. Deandra Leslie-Pelecky, a physicist and author of "The Physics of NASCAR," joins the conversation.
Dr. Leslie-Pelecky explains how she transitioned from studying magnetic nanoparticles for medical diagnosis to NASCAR physics.
Standardization in NASCAR is necessary to prevent the wealthiest teams from dominating the sport.
NASCAR's Next Gen car allows for innovation in certain areas, such as suspension geometry.
The manufacturers of NASCAR cars differentiate themselves through Liberty in certain body components and piston design.
Innovations in NASCAR have influenced features in modern cars, such as fuel injection, safety features, and durable suspension components.
NASCAR's focus on popularizing cars has limited the level of innovation compared to other motorsports.
Time in a wind tunnel, which costs around $1000 per hour, limits the amount of innovation that teams can pursue.
The electrification of the economy has led to a greater need for lightweight, durable materials, such as carbon fiber.
Lubricants, particularly those using nanoparticles, are an area of potential innovation in NASCAR.
Cool engines produce more horsepower because cooler air is denser and contains more air molecules.The Physics of NASCAR with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Dr. Deandra Leslie-Pelecky
Nitrogen is used instead of air to inflate tires in NASCAR to minimize changes in tire size caused by heat and pressure.
The target pressure for maximum grip and performance in tires is provided by Goodyear, and teams have to adjust their tire pressure accordingly during the race.
The use of nitrogen in tires makes the build more predictable, as it has no water or oxygen content.
Overinflating tires can cause the tire to rise up on a centerline, which affects the weight of the car.
Lateral grip is more important than speed in NASCAR.
The right side of the car in NASCAR is designed to perform like a wing on an airplane, and controlling yaw movement is critical.
The movement of the car into yaw into the corner causes the right side of the car to become a wing, with the air pushing on the right side trying to straighten the car out.
The amount of air pushing on the right side of the car creates side force, which helps the car turn.
The mechanical grip of the car is the weight of the car, and increasing aerodynamic grip gives more speed.
The driver's temperature in the car can reach up to 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit, and keeping the driver cool is critical for their ability to think and perform.
Cool shirts with capillary tubes sewn onto them are used to cool drivers, but the tubes tend to clog.
There is a need for a more sophisticated way of cooling drivers, such as force-cooled fluid through a shard.The Physics and Safety of NASCAR
Drafting, the technique of racing close behind another car, can cause a driver to spin out if they move to one side and change the air flow.
Running the outer wall of the track can provide a slight advantage due to the cushion of air between the car and the wall, but it requires precision and has less tolerance for error.
Efficient drafting can potentially lead to one fewer pit stop to refuel, but it depends on the number of caution laps and green laps in a race.
Not all fans of NASCAR are interested in the technical details, but some want to understand why their favorite driver is not winning or why they crashed in a certain spot.
The purpose of manufacturers being in NASCAR is to sell automobiles, and if they are producing hybrids and electric cars, NASCAR needs to adapt to showcase that technology.
The sound of the combustion engine in NASCAR is characteristic of the sport and provides important audible clues to drivers, but electric cars will have a different technique for drivers to make them fast.
Drivers rely on their eyes, ears, and feeling the balance of the car through their seat to determine their speed and grip on the track.
Safety in NASCAR is an ongoing process, and there is always room for improvement.
Safety features in NASCAR have evolved over time, including wheel tethers, the Hans device, and padding around the helmet to prevent concussions.
Studying NASCAR safety is challenging due to the limited number of serious accidents each year, which makes it difficult to predict and prevent them.
The stiffness of a car is a factor in safety, but it is important to find a balance between stiffness and flexibility.
NASCAR is in a position to change people's minds about electric cars, and their adoption of this technology could influence public opinion.Dale Earnhardt Jr's Contribution to Motorsports Safety
Dale Earnhardt Jr, a retired professional stock car racing driver, is donating his brain to science due to his experience with concussions.
He has also been advocating for safety in motorsports by speaking out against driving with a concussion.
The potential danger of the sport attracts some fans, but there is also a group of people who follow sports car racing, which rarely has accidents.
Spectacular crashes can be enjoyable to watch, but the ultimate goal is for the driver to walk away unharmed.
Data points for motorsports safety will come from a variety of sources, not just the cars themselves.
Dale Earnhardt Jr's decision to donate his brain to science came after the awareness raised by studies on NFL football players and other athletes.
He met with doctors he respected and wanted to help them by providing anything for research.
Dale Earnhardt Jr is considered an ambassador of the sport and has contributed to changing attitudes towards safety.
Drivers have a unique experience of physics due to the g-forces and sensations of driving a car.
Dr. Deandra, an expert in motorsports safety, enjoys hearing drivers talk about physics and merging the worlds of physics and racing.
Dr. Deandra can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @DrDeandra and her website building speed.org.
She also writes two columns a week for NASCAR talk for NBC Sports.