Nitrogen and Tires
Since it's ramping-up time for the new semester, a bit of recycling is in order. The Science of Speed is a video series the National Science Foundation made to explain some of the science of...
View ArticleWhy Drying Tracks Takes So Long
Why does it takes so long for a track to dry? Why does humid weather make track drying take even longer? Air is a mix of gas molecules: mostly (78%) nitrogen, about 21% oxygen, the rest misc. gases....
View ArticleIn the Zone: Goodyear’s New Tire Design
Kansas marks the second appearance of Goodyear’s “Multi-Zone Tread Tire”, which was first used at Atlanta Motor Speedway over Labor Day weekend. Stop for a moment to appreciate the challenge Goodyear...
View ArticleThe Risks of Cooling Down
Engineering is a constant battle of risk versus reward. How much are you willing to challenge your equipment in order to gain speed?
View ArticleA Band Aid for NASCAR’s Tire Bleeding Problem
There are three things you don't mess with in NASCAR: engines, fuel and tires. Tuesday, NASCAR handed down a P5 penalty - the penultimate penalty on the books - to Ryan Newman's 31 team. Crew Chief...
View ArticleCooling Fuel: Safety or Performance Issue?
Temperatures at the Dover race were unseasonably high. Kurt Busch’s Stewart-Haas 41 team was told by NASCAR officials to remove “heat shields” from their fuel cans. The cans (shown at right) have an...
View ArticleEstimating Fuel Mileage
Last week at New Hampshire, Kevin Harvick easily had the most dominant car, but failed to win the race. They ran out of fuel with three laps to go and finished 21st. The #4 team wasn’t the only team...
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The Secrets of PJ1 TrackBite
That sounds like the title for a Young Adult book, doesn’t it? What the Heck IS PJ1 TrackBite? NASCAR announced that they are again going to treat the corners of the track at New Hampshire...
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Thermography: A New Weapon in the NASCAR Arsenal
What’s Wrong With this Cow? Can you tell? If you said the cow is the wrong color, you’re close. But there’s more to the story. And What’s That Got to Do with NASCAR? Competition in NASCAR is getting...
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How to Make Grippier Racetracks Using Spy Technology
If PJ1 TrackBite isn’t the Solution, What is? Dale Earnhardt, Jr. suggested tracks stop using PJ1 Trackbite because it didn’t work well in Charlotte last weekend. He called for additional research to...
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