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The Physics of NASCAR: How to Make Steel + Gas + Rubber = Speed | 
 enlarge | Author: Diandra Leslie-pelecky
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
Buy New: $12.45
You Save: $13.50 (52%)
New (28) Used (8) from $12.45
Avg. Customer Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 6426
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 286
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.8
ISBN: 0525950532
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.720153
EAN: 9780525950530
ASIN: 0525950532
Publication Date: February 14, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Mint condition. Expedited shipping available.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Every NASCAR fan at one time or another asks the same question: Why isnt my favorite driver winning? This is your chance to discover how much more there is to NASCAR than Go fast, turn left and dont crash. If youve ever wondered why racecars dont have mufflers, how bump drafting works, or what in the world Lets go up a pound on the right rear and add half a round of 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 sports beauty and power and is uniquely qualified to explain exactly how physics translates into winning races.
Based on the authors 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 ultra competitive world of NASCAR, from the champion drivers 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 car can on its own? How do you dress for a 1800F 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.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
Supercars May 9, 2008
The author gets into details regarding how to build
a supercar. In doing so, many scientific explanations
are set forth in easy-to-understand language.
For instance, engineering slip involves defects or
missing atoms which can be corrected by placing more
counterbalancing defects. Mild steels promote
magnetism. The use of iron increases the melting point.
Cross-linking of materials; such as, polymers can increase
strength overall. Tighter tolerances provide for more
precise measures. Adding small metallic flakes to paint
allows for added coloration.
The idea of engineering torque and power are dependent
upon the structure of the engine. The Nascar engine
gets 850 horsepower. Both beryllium and copper valves
dissipate heat better than steel by the author.
The author presents a study of wind tunnel airflow.
Slower moving area exerts greater pressure on machinery
wings aerodynamically. Airlift can be best achieved
when the top of the wing is more curved than the bottom.
Lastly, the author extols the advantage of good welding
in the manufacture process.
The book provides an excellent perspective on how to
build a virtually indestructible Nascar !
It should be read widely by race car enthusiasts and
auto buffs in general.
GREAT READING April 6, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I found the book very informative. I know the sport well but found the book going into details that I never
considered. It is easy reading and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in NASCAR!!
The best ride I've had all year April 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm a forty-something, female, liberal arts graduate who works in healthcare marketing, but I felt like the book was written just for me. It was entertaining and educational; and now I have a new appreciation for a sport I've barely noticed. But my new heros aren't Jeff Gordon or Dale Jr....it's the hundreds of men (and the occasional woman) to design, build, and manage the cars.
The Racing of Automobiles - From Inside Out April 4, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I'm not a NASCAR fan by any stretch of the imagination. But this book's title intrigued me. Browsing through it and seeing all the interesting diagrams convinced me that I should buy it and read it. I did and I was not disappointed. The author, a physicist, is a gifted expositor of scientific principles at a level ideal for the general reader. She explains, using many useful analogies (and no mathematics), the finer points involved in building an automobile suitable for racing the NASCAR circuits. The book could just as easily have been entitled "The Science of NASCAR" since sciences other than physics are also involved and explained, e.g., chemistry, metallurgy, aerodynamics, engineering, biology, etc. In addition to the science, the author gives a fascinating overview of some of the dedicated people who are involved in building and racing a potentially winning car as they do their work before, during and after a race. The writing style is clear, authoritative, very accessible and quite engaging. Based on the way this book is written, it can be enjoyed by absolutely anyone, not only science buffs or NASCAR fans.
Entertaining and informative April 1, 2008
This is an entertaining, informative, and very unusual book. The author has actually written two books, one about NASCAR technology and one about elementary physics; however, she has melded them seamlessly into something rare: a serious academic book that is so entertaining that you forget it's serious.
On one level, the book is about how NASCAR race cars are engineered, constructed, and adjusted to enable them to achieve two often contradictory goals: safety and high performance. On another level, the book is about the basic principles of physics and chemistry, including motion, fluid dynamics, combustion, materials science, etc. The uniqueness of the book derives from the way she combines the two, using car racing to illustrate the scientific principles.
I'm a NASCAR fan, and I have a pretty good background in science. I found this book engaging on both of those levels. At the same time, I think it would be a very valuable book for a casual fan-- or even a non-fan-- to read. It makes the sport come alive as something much, much more than just a bunch of guys who stomp on the gas and turn left.
I thought this was a valuable, enjoyable book, and I recommend it most highly.
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