Instructor: Dan Metz

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

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

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