The Dimensions Program - Asnuntuck Community College

Transcription

The Dimensions Program - Asnuntuck Community College
The
Dimensions Program
The NASCAR Project
Laboratory A
Car Technology
Figure 1 Talladega Superspeedway – Courtesy of Curtis Palmer
Project Grant Team
Prof. Jeanne Bowman
Project Designer
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Patricia L. Hirschy
Principal Investigator
Asnuntuck Community College
Enfield, Connecticut
John S. Pazdar
Program Director
Asnuntuck Community College
Enfield, Connecticut
Prof. Ebrahim Ahmadizadeh
Project Tester
Northampton Community College
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Dennis C. Ebersole
Principal Investigator
Northampton Community College
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Stock Car
NASCAR (the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is one of the most popular
spectator sports in the United States. Seventeen of the 20 sporting events with the highest
attendance are NASCAR races. There are 100 tracks in the United States, Canada and Mexico
that hold more than 1200 NASCAR races annually.1
NASCAR sponsors three national series. The Sprint Cup is the series that many people think of
when they talk about NASCAR since its 36 races include popular events like the Daytona 500.
The 35-race Nationwide Series can be considered a stepping-stone for drivers who want to move
up to the Sprint Cup Series. The Camping World Truck Series consists of 25 races for pickup
trucks. Changes in sponsorship over the years have lead to changes in the names of these series.2
NASCAR is both exciting and dangerous with cars circling the tracks at close to 200 miles per
hour. Teams are continually looking for ways to make the sport safer and competitive while
keeping costs manageable.
The death of Dale Earnhardt, Sr., during the 2001 Daytona 500 served as a catalyst for several
extensive changes in the design of the racecar. NASCAR continues to modify the car design.
This effort faces the double challenge of improving safety and increasing efficiency. Previously
it was common for teams to have several types of cars built specifically for different types of
racetracks. Cars now are designed to run on all tracks.3
Driver Protection
Many changes in the design of the car are
made to protect the driver. The car is now 2
inches higher, 4 inches wider in the
greenhouse (the area enclosed by the front,
side and rear windows and the roof of the car).
The driver’s seat has been moved 4 inches to
the right for more protection against side
impact. The roll cage (the cage of steel tubing
that surrounds the driver located inside the
car) was moved 3 inches to the rear.
Fig 2 Front View of Clint Bowyer’s Sprint Cup Car
Courtesy of Alex54
The body frame is constructed from 3 inches by 4 inches rectangular steel tubing 0.093 inch
thick that is doubled on the driver’s side. The main part of the roll cage is made from steel
tubing that is 0.093 inches thick and 1 inch in diameter.4
NASCAR – Lab A - 2
Car Dimensions
The wheelbase is 110 inches. The body width is
74 inches with a body length of 198.5 inches
and height of 53.5 inches.
The body panels are made from 24-gauge
(0.0247 inch thick) sheet metal.5 The cars
weigh at least 3,400 lb. with at least 1,625 lb. of
the weight on the right side.6
Fig 3 NASCAR’s Latest Car Design
Courtesy of Nascarfans
Fuel Cell
The fuel cell in the car is not like the gas tank in passenger cars. It was designed primarily to
lessen the chance of fire. It is placed in what would usually be the trunk area of a car. It consists
of a metal can. Inside the metal can is a bladder made of a rubber-like compound. This is filled
with foam.7 The fuel cell holds 17.75 gallons of racing fuel, compared to 22 gallons in previous
NASCAR vehicles.8
Engine
The engine in NASCAR’s current racecars is similar to previous versions. It is a 358 cu. in. V-8
engine [that] produces 850 horsepower at 9,000 rpm.9 This allows even one of the slowest
tracks, Martinsville, to have an average speed of over 80 mph.
Daytona International Speedway (2.5 miles long) and Talladega (2.66 miles long) are
superspeedways with high banking.10
This configuration
allows cars to travel
at very high speeds.
In 1987 Bill Elliott
reached speeds of
210.364 mph at
Daytona and
212.809 mph at
Talladega.11
In the interest of
safety, in 1989
NASCAR began
requiring restrictor
plates at these two
tracks.
Fig 4 NASCAR Motor
Courtesy of bdburton
NASCAR – Lab A - 3
Restrictor Plate
A restrictor plate is an aluminum plate 1/8 inch thick that fits between the carburetor and the
intake manifold.12 It has four holes [that] are designed to restrict the amount of air that goes into
the carburetor, reducing the horsepower to around 400 and slowing the cars down.
The four corresponding holes in the
carburetor that this plate fits over
have a diameter of 1 11/16 inches.
The diameter of the holes in the
restrictor plates can change from one
race to the next.
Since 1989 NASCAR has used
plates with 1 inch, 15/16 inch, 29/32
inch, 7/8 inch, 57/64 inch and 31/32
inch diameters, depending on race
conditions.13
Fig 5 Restrictor Plate Rendering
Courtesy of Jeanne Bowman
The restrictor plates at Daytona in July 2010 had holes with a diameter of 1 1/16 inches.14
NASCAR gives the racing teams the appropriate restrictor plates at the beginning of each day of
restrictor plate racing and retrieves them at the end of the session.15
1
http://www.nascar.com/guides/about/nascar/
http://www.nascar.com/news/features/nascar.series/index.html
http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/cup/01/23/car.of.tomorrow.begins.2007/index.html
4
NASCAR’s 'Car of Tomorrow', Not Much Wiggle Room By Pack Bryan | March 2008 Motor Magazine
5
http://www.nascar.com/news/features/nascar.racecar/index.html
6
NASCAR’s 'Car of Tomorrow', Not Much Wiggle Room By Pack Bryan | March 2008 Motor Magazine
7
http://www.nascar.com/kyn/101/video/
8
http://www.nascar.com/news/features/nascar.racecar/index.html
9
NASCAR’s 'Car of Tomorrow', Not Much Wiggle Room By Pack Bryan | March 2008 Motor Magazine
10
http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/
11
http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/dis/index.html, http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/tal/index.html
12
http://community.nascar.com/blogs/71704
13
http://www.jayski.com/stats/restrictor.htm
14
http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/headlines/cup/07/02/preview.daytona2/index.html
15
http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/cup/10/07/talladega.plates/index.html
2
3
NASCAR – Lab A - 4
The
Dimensions Program
NASCAR Project
Laboratory B
RFID Chip
Figure 1 Goodyear Year Eagle Tire – Goodyear Tire and Rubber, Co. Not for unauthorized copy, etc.
Project Grant Team
Prof. Jeanne Bowman
Project Designer
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Patricia L. Hirschy
Principal Investigator
Asnuntuck Community College
Enfield, Connecticut
John S. Pazdar
Program Director
Asnuntuck Community College
Enfield, Connecticut
Prof. Ebrahim Ahmadizadeh
Project Tester
Northampton Community College
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Dennis C. Ebersole
Principal Investigator
Northampton Community College
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Tires
Besides the construction of
the car itself, the racing tires
have a big effect on each
car’s performance during a
race.
Since 1997 Goodyear has
been the only supplier of tires
for NASCAR’s three top
series. The tires are actually
leased from Goodyear, not
bought. The price per tire is
around $400.1
Fig 2 Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company Trailer
Courtesy of Royalbroil
Goodyear makes different versions of its Eagle racing
tires, all produced in Akron, Ohio. The tires are made of
different compounds with different constructions suited
to particular tracks and racing conditions.
The tires have codes like D-4134 or D-4186 that further
identify the specific type.2 There are presently about 24
different codes. Deciding on the type of tire used in a
race is a complicated process that involves testing in a
laboratory and on the racetrack.3
Fig 3 Racing Tire
Goodyear Tire and Rubber, Co. Not for unauthorized copy. etc.
For most races the left side and right side tires are not the same. Usually the right side tires are
larger because the cars always turn in the same direction during the race, so the outside tires have
to travel farther around the track. For instance, at Pocono Raceway in 2009 the left side tires had
a circumference of 87.4 inches while the right side circumference was 88.6 inches. Special inner
liners are used on tires for races on tracks more than one mile long.
These liners allow the driver to stop the car if the outer tire is damaged.4 Unlike street tires,
which have a grooved tread pattern, the racing tires have a slick tread to maximize traction.
NASCAR – Lab B - 2
RFID Chip
Each race tire comes with a sticker containing an eight-digit bar code and information about the
tire such as tire diameter and tread width.5
Since 2006 each tire has also been
fitted with a Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) chip.
The RFID chip itself is about 1/4
inch wide and 1/2 inch long [and 1/8
inch thick].6
Since there can be as many as 5,000
tires delivered for a particular race,
this allows Goodyear to easily keep
track of each individual tire – what
team it was assigned to for what
race, and when it was returned to
Goodyear.
Fig 4 Goodyear Tires with RFID Chips
Courtesy of Brian Cantoni
Before a race, the tires are delivered to the racetrack where each RFID chip is scanned. The tires
are mounted on wheels, balanced, and stacked. Each race team picks up the tires assigned to
them and prepares the tires for the race.7 Many teams refill the tires with nitrogen to minimize
the buildup of tire pressure during the race.8 The teams organize the tires so that they will be
available during the race when they are needed.
Each race tire has an average life of 100 miles, compared to street tires with a life of 50,000
miles.9 Teams may use 9 to 14 sets of tires during a race. A hole is drilled into the sidewall of
each used tire. Every tire must be accounted for and returned to Goodyear before the teams
leave at the end of the race.10
Tire Size
The table on the next page shows data for the left side and right side tires used at the 2009
Daytona 500.11 The table gives the standard value for the measurement and shows the tolerance,
or acceptable variation, for that measurement. For instance, the right side tire diameter is given
as 28.2 inches with a tolerance of +/- 0.1inches, so the actual diameter could run from 28.1inches
to 28.3 inches.
NASCAR – Lab B - 3
Tire roll out is the circumference of the tire. It is the distance the tire travels in one revolution.
Inflation pressure is the value in pounds per square inch that is recommended by the
manufacturer. Goodyear only sets a minimum pressure. The racing team determines the actual
running pressure.
Spring rate is the tire stiffness. It is
measured in units called pounds
force (lbf) per inch.
Carcass ply width is the distance
across the tire if it could be
“unfolded” and measured from side
to side.
Bead is the edge of the tire that sits
on the wheel.
Fig 5 Race Tire Cutaway
Goodyear Tire and Rubber, Co. Not for unauthorized copy. etc.
Tire roll out
Tire diameter
Tire width
Tire weight
Inflation pressure
Spring rate
Tread width
Carcass ply width
Bead diameter
Left Side Tire
Measurement Tolerance
87.7"
+/- 0.1"
27.9"
+/- 0.1"
11.85"
+/- 0.05"
35.5 lbs
+/- .5 lbs
30.0 psi
+ 40 psi / - 0 psi
1,350 lbf/in
+/- 50 lbf/in
11.30"
+/- 0.05"
35.0"
+/- 0.1"
15.30"
+/- .05"
1
http://www.racegoodyear.com/innovation/
http://www.racegoodyear.com/news/
3
http://www.racegoodyear.com/pdf/2009GoodyearPress.pd
4
http://www.racegoodyear.com/news/
5
2009GoodyearPress
6
http://www.racegoodyear.com/innovation/rfid.html
7
http://www.racegoodyear.com/fanzone/videos.html
8
2009GoodyearPress
9
http://www.racegoodyear.com/innovation/track_street.html
10
2009GoodyearPress
11
Justin J. Fantozzi, Global Race Tires Marketing Manager
2
NASCAR – Lab B - 4
Right Side Tire
Measurement Tolerance
88.4"
+/- 0.1"
28.2"
+/- 0.1"
12.00"
+/- 0.05"
37.0 lbs
+/- .5 lbs
50.0 psi
+ 50 psi / - 0 psi
1,500 lbf/in
+/- 50 lbf/in
11.85"
+/- 0.05"
36.2"
+/- 0.1"
15.30"
+/- .05"
The
Dimensions Program
NASCAR Project
Laboratory C
Raceways
Figure 1 New Hampshire Speedway – Courtesy of SayCheeeeeese
Project Grant Team
Prof. Jeanne Bowman
Project Designer
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Patricia L. Hirschy
Principal Investigator
Asnuntuck Community College
Enfield, Connecticut
John S. Pazdar
Program Director
Asnuntuck Community College
Enfield, Connecticut
Prof. Ebrahim Ahmadizadeh
Project Tester
Northampton Community College
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Dennis C. Ebersole
Principal Investigator
Northampton Community College
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Raceways
Besides areas for the transporters, raceways also have areas for the fans, media and race officials,
parking, and garages for the crews.1
Fig 2 Daytona International Speedway
Courtesy of Imperial Assassin
The picture above is a positioning example of the areas necessary for a race to be successful.
Starting at the bottom is the track start/finish line, moving upward is the space between the track
and the pit road. Behind this area is pit road that is marked off with spaces for each racecar to be
serviced during the race.
Behind pit road is the marquee for celebrating the winning driver, team members, and car.
Directly behind the marquee are the garages, shown in white, and behind the garages is the area
for the transporters and support vehicles, and for the fans if room is available.
Depending on the size of the land available at each raceway, infield areas may be smaller or
larger than Daytona’s.
NASCAR – Lab C - 2
Transporters
After the racecars have been prepared for a race, they are loaded onto specially designed trailers
called transporters. The transporters are 53 ft long, 102 in wide and 13 ft 6 in high. Most of the
transporter is divided into two decks with space for two cars on the upper deck. The upper deck
is 61 inches high in transporters that haul both racecars and trucks, and 55 in high when built to
carry only cars.2 Once at the track, the transporter serves as a base for the race team. There is a
13 ft long lounge for the race crew at the front of the transporter.
Fig 4 Transporters at Track
Courtesy of H & K Meitzler Collection
Fig 3 Racecar Transporter Tailgates Opened
Courtesy of H & K Meitzler Collection
Garages
Talladega Superspeedway has a 32,400 sq ft garage for Sprint Cup racing, with 62 bays
measuring 14 ft by 24 ft, plus a 23,250 sq ft garage for Nationwide and Camping World races
with 68 bays measuring 12 ft by 21 ft.
Pit Roads
Every racetrack has a pit road (or in the case of
Bristol Motor Speedway, two pit roads, one 594 feet
long and one 567 feet long)3 where drivers refuel
and make adjustments to their cars during a race.
The stalls are assigned to the drivers based on their
qualifying results.4
Talladega’s pit road has a total length of 1,730 feet.
It has 47 stalls measuring 32 ft. by 18 ft. with areas
behind the walls of each stall measuring 30 ft. by 21
ft.5
Fig 5 Pit Road
Courtesy of U. S. Air Force
NASCAR – Lab C - 3
Capacities
The size of the infield and grandstand capacity differs from one track to the next. While
Talladega has an infield area of 212 acres, Bristol Motor Speedway has an infield area of only
around 10 acres with a seating capacity of 160,000. 6 The grandstands at Chicagoland
Speedway, while 2,480 feet long, only seat 75,000 compared to Talladega’s 143,231.7
Fans
One reason for NASCAR’s appeal is the variety in the tracks on which the races are held. The
thirty NASCAR race courses currently used for the Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Camping World
Truck Series have different shapes and are of different lengths. A few, like Watkins Glen
International in New York and Infineon Raceway in California, are road courses with irregular
shapes. Most of the other race courses are somewhat oval, although there is a lot of variation in
the shape. Pocono Raceway, for instance, is almost triangular.8
The big differences in track length make every race exciting for NASCAR fans.
A race team’s strategy will be different
for a short track (no more than one
mile in length) compared to an
intermediate track (between one and
two miles long) or a superspeedway
(over two miles long).
On short tracks the drivers can only
accelerate for a short time before
slowing for the turns. Brake
management is important; with
frequent changes in speed, it is easier
to burn up the brakes.
Fig 6 Martinsville Speedway
Courtesy of Art10
For longer tracks, the drivers can reach higher speeds. Fuel management is important. With
long straight stretches, the races can feature quick, exciting changes in race leaders. The
configuration of the tracks can also lead to bunched-up, side-by-side packs of cars trying to
maneuver into a better position. The degree to which the tracks are banked (sloped) is also
important since it allows the cars to travel at a higher speed more safely.
1
http://www.nascar.com/news/features/around.the.track/index.html
Mark Ackley, Specialty Sales Manager, Featherlite, Inc.
http://www.bristolmotorspeedway.com/track_info/track_dimensions/
4
http://www.nascar.com/news/features/around.the.track/index.html
5
http://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/track%5Finfo/about%5Ftalladega/
6
http://www.bristolmotorspeedway.com/track_info/track_dimensions/
7
http://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/track%5Finfo/about%5Ftalladega/
8
http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/
2
3
NASCAR – Lab C - 4
The
Dimensions Program
NASCAR Project
Laboratory D
X - Miles
Figure 2 NASCAR 2010 Sprint Cup Series Track Locations – Courtesy of Mustang6172
Project Grant Team
Prof. Jeanne Bowman
Project Designer
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Patricia L. Hirschy
Principal Investigator
Asnuntuck Community College
Enfield, Connecticut
John S. Pazdar
Program Director
Asnuntuck Community College
Enfield, Connecticut
Prof. Ebrahim Ahmadizadeh
Project Tester
Northampton Community College
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Dennis C. Ebersole
Principal Investigator
Northampton Community College
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Ovals
Martinsville Speedway, the shortest track at a length of 0.526 miles, has a
symmetric oval shape.
The track is 55 feet wide. The
frontstretch and backstretch are
800 feet long with no banking.
The turns measure 588 feet
with 12° banking.1
With such a small track it is
possible for drivers to complete
a lap in less than half a minute.
In fact, the record time for one
lap at Martinsville is Tony
Stewart’s 19.306 seconds.2
The small size also allows the
fans to be close to the all the
action on the track.3
Fig 2 Martinsville Speedway
Courtesy of Skinny Mike at flickr
Lowe’s Motor Speedway is an intermediate track 1.5 miles long. It has a frontstretch
measuring 1,980 feet and a backstretch measuring 1,500 feet. Turns 1 and 2 measure 2,400 feet
while Turns 3 and 4 are 2,040 feet long. The corners are banked at 24°.4
Talladega, currently the
longest track used for Sprint Cup racing
in 2011, is a 2.66 miles long
superspeedway. Its frontstretch is 4,300
feet long with a backstretch 4,000 feet in
length.
The track itself is 48 feet wide. With
33° banking in the turns and 16.5° in the
frontstretch, the racecars are able to
reach very high speeds.5
Fig 3 Talladega Superspeedway
Courtesy AuburnPilot
NASCAR – Lab D - 2
Road Courses
Since most tracks are ovals, cars turn in the same direction throughout the race. On a road
course like Watkins Glen, there are both right and left turns. The racetrack covers 2.45 miles for
the short course and 3.37 miles for the long course.
The drawing shows the lengths of the straight
sections of the course. As you can see, the shape
is very irregular, with sides of different lengths
and turns of different sizes. Most of the turns are
have 6° banking. The width of the track varies
from 36 feet to 48 feet with an average width of
38 feet.6
The size and configuration of a particular track
play a big part in racing strategy. Cars, tires and
even pit stops must be adjusted to maximize a
racing team’s chance of winning.
Fig 4 Watkins Glen Diagram
Courtesy of Arz
2010 Sprint Cup Series Races
Course Type (distance) and City, State
Short
(less than 1 mi)
Intermediate
(between 1 mi & 2 mi)
Superspeedway
(greater than 2 mi)
Road Course
Bristol, TN
Martinsville, VA
Richmond VA
Atlanta, GA
Charlotte, NC
Chicago, IL
Darlington, SC
Dover, DE
Homestead, FL
Kansas, KS
Las Vegas, NV
New Hampshire, NH
Phoenix, AZ
Texas, TX
Daytona, FL
Fontana, CA
Indianapolis, IN
Michigan, MI
Pocono, PA
Talladega, AL
Infineon, CA
Watkins Glen, NY
Laps
NASCAR races vary in the number of laps, total distance, speeds and strategies. The Daytona
500 really is a 500-mile race, with cars traveling 200 laps around the 2.5 miles track. But “500”
in the name of a race doesn’t always mean 500 miles. The Sharpie 500 at the 0.533 miles Bristol
Motor Speedway has a length of 500 laps, not 500 miles.7 And Phoenix International Raceway’s
Subway Fresh Fit 500 covers 312 laps on its one-mile course for a distance of approximately 500
km.8
NASCAR – Lab D - 3
Fig 5 Texas Motor Speedway
Courtesy Bo Nash
The Kobalt Tools 500 at the 1.54 mile Atlanta Motor Speedway and the Samsung 500 at 1.5 mile
Texas Motor Speedway both cover a distance of 500.5 miles but the number of laps driven is not
the same because of the lengths of the tracks.9
At Talladega, the Aaron’s 499 miles, runs for 188 laps on the 2.66 miles track. The actual race
distance is therefore more than 499 miles (and 187 laps would have been less than 499 miles).10
Race teams arrive well in advance of the race day. They have the chance to practice on the track
and use this experience to make appropriate adjustments to the car. This is followed by
qualifying, where the drivers each have two laps to establish the fastest time, follows this.
Results of qualifying determine each car’s position at the beginning of the race.11
Qualifying times can be much higher than the record average race speed. For instance, the
highest NASCAR qualifying speed at 1.5 mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway was Kasey Kahne’s
184.856 mph in 2007 while the race record was 146.554 mph, set in 1998 by Mark Martin.12
1
http://www.martinsvillespeedway.com/track%5Finfo/track%5Ffacts/
http://www.cbssports.com/autoracing/tracks/page/martinsville
http://www.martinsvillespeedway.com/About-The-Track/About-The-Track.aspx
4
http://www.lowesmotorspeedway.com/media/facts/
5
http://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/This-Is-Talladega/Track-Facts.aspx
6
http://www.theglen.com/
7
http://www.bristolmotorspeedway.com/track_info/race_distances/
8
http://sports.espn.go.com/travel/news/story?id=2346812
9
http://www.jayski.com/pages/2009cup_sched.htm
10
http://www.jayski.com/pages/2009cup_sched.htm
11
http://www.nascar.com/news/features/race.weekend/index.html
12
http://www.lvms.com/media/records/
2
3
NASCAR – Lab D - 4
The
Dimensions Program
NASCAR Project
Laboratory E
Flags
Figure 3 Opening Ceremonies, Navy Honor Guard – Courtesy of U. S. Air Force
Project Grant Team
Prof. Jeanne Bowman
Project Designer
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Patricia L. Hirschy
Principal Investigator
Asnuntuck Community College
Enfield, Connecticut
John S. Pazdar
Program Director
Asnuntuck Community College
Enfield, Connecticut
Prof. Ebrahim Ahmadizadeh
Project Tester
Northampton Community College
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Dennis C. Ebersole
Principal Investigator
Northampton Community College
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
“Start your engines!”
“Start your engines!” is one of the most famous commands in sports. It is heard at the beginning
of each of NASCAR’s 36 Sprint Cup races each year. At the beginning of the race the pace car
leads the racecars around the track at the speed set for pit road for that track. This is important
because the racecars do not have speedometers. During these pace laps each driver notes the
RPM reading on the car’s tachometer and the gear that the car is in1.
Fig 2 Pace Lap
Courtesy of Bo Nash
Green Flag
Once the actual race starts the drivers are continually in contact with members of their race
teams, who give the drivers information on race conditions and other competitors. Since drivers
need to refuel their cars during the race, determining when to call for a pit stop is very important
so that the cars don’t run out of gas.
Yellow Flag
The yellow flag is the signal to slow
down. An accident, debris on the
track, or weather conditions may
make it necessary for the pace car to
control the speed until the track is
safe again. There are NASCAR
rules that govern the positions and
speeds of the cars during these
caution periods.1 Under certain
conditions, this is a time when cars
can enter pit road for fuel and tires.
Fig 3 Minor Crashes Cause a Caution (Yellow) Flag
Courtesy of Jared Smith
NASCAR – Lab E - 2
Usually when a pit stop is called for, the car
is refueled and all four tires are replaced,
which takes around 13 or 14 seconds, but
sometimes race teams decide to make
adjustments to the car, or they may choose
to change only two tires or add less fuel (a
“splash n’ go”).
Normally the two tire carriers, two tire
changers and the jackman change the tires,
beginning with the right side of the car,
while the gas man fills the fuel cell using
two 12-gallon containers weighing around
81 lb. each.2 The gas man is assisted by the
catch can man who makes sure that the fuel
cell does not overflow.
Fig 4 Pit Stop
Courtesy of U.S. Army
Red Flag
If a crash is so serious that a section of the track cannot be used without other cars being
damaged or if there is heavy precipitation, a red flag will stop all cars on the track until that
section of the track has been deemed ready for racing.3
Fig 5 Bad Crashes Cause an Unsafe Track (Red) Flag
Courtesy of Bo Nash
NASCAR – Lab E - 3
Black Flag
The black flag is used when a specific car driver needs to be told that a rules violation has taken
place, or because of mechanical problems with the car. It is the signal that that car should go to
pit road immediately.4
White Flag
The white flag signals that there is one lap remaining in the race.5 The winning average speeds
for a race can vary considerably from year to year and from track to track. For instance, the
winning speed at Darlington Raceway was 140.350 mph in 2008 and 119.691 mph in 20096,
while Infineon Raceway, which is a road course, had speeds of 71.012 mph in 2005 and 76.445
mph in 2009.7
Checkered Flag
The checkered flag signals the end of the race.
Fig 6 Race Car Crosses the Checkered Strip
Courtesy of Walt Sokalski, USASOC PAO
At the conclusion of the race, the race teams must return all tires to Goodyear before being
allowed to leave the track.8 The teams load up the transporters and head out, already considering
adjustments to the car and racing strategy to prepare for the next race.
1
http://www.nascar.com/kyn/101/flags/index.html
http://www.nascar.com/news/features/anatomy.pit.stop/index.html
3
http://www.nascar.com/kyn/101/flags/index.html
4
http://www.nascar.com/kyn/101/flags/index.html
5
http://www.nascar.com/kyn/101/flags/index.html
6
http://www.cbssports.com/autoracing/tracks/page/darlington
7
http://www.cbssports.com/autoracing/tracks/page/searspoint
8
http://www.racegoodyear.com/innovation/rfid.html
2
NASCAR – Lab E - 4