The Physics of NASCAR: How to Make Steel + Gas + Rubber = SPEED

List Price: $25.95 Our Price: $18.22 You Save: $7.73 (30%)

Item # PB-50530  ISBN: 9780525950530




Availability: Usually ships the next business day.

Every NASCAR fan—at one time or another—asks the same question: Why isn't my favorite driver winning? This is your chance to discover how much more there is to NASCAR than "go fast, turn left, and don't crash." If you've ever wondered why race cars don't have mufflers, how "bump drafting" works, or what in the world "let's go up a pound on the right rear and add half a round wedge" means, The Physics of NASCAR is for you.

In this fast-paced investigation into the adrenaline-pumping world of NASCAR, a physicist with a passion uncovers what happens when the rubber hits the road and 800-horsepower vehicles compete at 190 miles per hour only inches from one another.

Diandra Leslie-Pelecky reveals how and why drivers trust the engineering and science their teams literally build around them not only to get them across the finish line in first place, but also to keep them alive. Professor Leslie-Pelecky is a physicist in love with the sport's beauty and power and is uniquely qualified to explain exactly how physics translates into winning races.

Based on the author's extensive access to race shops, pit crews, crew chiefs, and mechanics, this book traces the life cycle of a race car from behind the scenes at top race shops to the track. The Physics of NASCAR takes readers right into the ultracompetitive world of NASCAR, from the champion driver's hot seat behind the detachable steering wheel to the New Zealander nicknamed Kiwi in charge of shocks for the No. 19 car.

Diandra Leslie-pelecky tells her story in terms anyone who drives a car—and maybe occasionally looks under the hood—can understand. How do drivers walk away from serious crashes? How can two cars travel faster together than either can on its own? How do you dress for an 1800°F gasoline fire? In simple yet detailed, high-octane prose, this is the ultimate thrill ride for armchair speed demons, auto-science buffs, and NASCAR fans at every level of interest.

Readers, start your engines.

Table of Contents

• Foreword by Ray Evernham
• Preface — The Physics of What...?
• Bones of Contention
• Skin Care
• Makeup
• Combustion
• Power Play
• The Wizard and the Flying Car Problem
• Running with the Pack
• Texas Motor Speedway at 150 mph
• Sound Thinking
• The Rubber Hits the Road
• Shock Therapy
• The Two-Lap Dash: A Qualified Success
• Keeping Drivers (and Fans) Alive
• Making Racing SAFER
• Practice Doesn't Always Make Perfect
• Elliott is Hot
• The Locusts in the Pit Box
• The Checkered Flag
• Notes
• Acknowledgments
• Index

About the Author

Diandra Leslie-Pelecky is a professor of physics at the University of Texas at Dallas, where she researches bio-medical nanomaterials. Dr. Leslie-Pelecky has published widely on her academic research and improving science education at all levels. This is her first book.

The Physics of NASCAR: How to Make Steel + Gas + Rubber = SPEED