Transcript Automobile Racing from A to Z

Instructor: Dan Metz
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Week 1 : physics concepts
Week 2 : engines, transmissions, clutches, axles, fuels
Week 3 : suspensions, chassis & tires
Week 4 : construction and materials
Week 5 : safety, costs and governing bodies
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Week 6: straight line racing
Week 7: circuit racing
Week 8: data acquisition, reading lists, places to visit,
the racing line, human control performance,
unanswered questions
mass
friction
force
horsepower
centrifugal force
the car as a balance beam
coastdown testing
energy conversion
acceleration
moment of inertia
torque
aerodynamic drag
track banking
understeer and oversteer
braking
Engines:
4-cycle piston engine basics
gas turbine engines
Transmissions:
manual transmissions & clutches
automatic transmissions
continuously-variable (CVT) transmissions
Axles:
spool “differentials”
limited slip differentials
Tire characteristics:
friction
cornering force
camber
Suspension components:
torsion, leaf, coil & air springs
shock absorbers
kinematic linkages and arrangements
Chassis designs
body-on-frame
monocoque or unibody
torsional and bending stiffness
Basic materials and properties:
steel
aluminum
composites
Basic joining techniques:
bolting
welding
glueing
baking
Drag racing:
car characteristics and classes
sanctioning body (NHRA, local)
track properties
Land speed racing:
car characteristics and classes
sanctioning body (SCTA)
track properties
Autocrossing:
local, use your own car, very safe,
CCSCS, PCA, etc.
Karting:
various classes, relatively safe, local to national, inexpen$ive
IKA, local karting organizations, etc.
Dirt-track racing:
varous classes, requires race car, fairly safe, local to national
NASCAR, etc.
Oval track racing:
various classes, requires race car, pretty safe, local to national
NASCAR, etc.
Road racing:
various classes, requires race car, more dangerous, local to
national
NASCAR, USAC, IMSA, etc.
Components of safety:
car safety performance
driver safety equipment
track safety performance
Costs:
personnel
equipment & cars
travel
Sanctioning bodies:
certification, inspection, rules enforcement
FIA, ACCUS, IndyCar, NHRA, NASCAR, etc.
Limits on human control performance
Identifying the racing line
Data acquisition
Reading list
Places to visit
Unanswered questions