Automobile Racing from A to Z

Instructor: Dan Metz

Course Outline:• 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

• 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

Week 1: physics concepts

mass acceleration

friction moment of inertia

force torque

horsepower aerodynamic drag

centrifugal force track banking

the car as a balance beam understeer and oversteer

coastdown testing braking

energy conversion

Week 2: Engines, transmissions, clutches and axles

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

Week 3: tires, suspension systems and chassis design

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

Week 4: construction and materials

Basic materials and properties:

steel

aluminum

composites

Basic joining techniques:

bolting

welding

glueing

baking

Week 5: straight-line racing

Drag racing:

car characteristics and classes

sanctioning body (NHRA, local)

track properties

Land speed racing:

car characteristics and classes

sanctioning body (SCTA)

track properties

Week 6: circuit racingAutocrossing:

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.

Week 7: safety, costs, sanctioning bodies

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.

Week 8: miscellaneous topics

Limits on human control performance

Identifying the racing line

Data acquisition

Reading list

Places to visit

Unanswered questions