A National
Association for Stock Car Auto Racing
(NASCAR) car is an
amazing machine that pushes the physical limitations of
automotive engineering. Crafting one
of these cars is a meticulous task that takes dozens of
designers, engineers and mechanics who put in hundreds of
hours to perfect the car before it ever rolls onto a race
track. On the track, the driver shows off his professional
skills by directing this 3,400-pound (1,542-kg) machine around
an oval track at speeds that would terrify most people.
Click the buttons on the left to view safety
features built into NASCAR race cars (Needs Flash version 5).
For many, sitting at the helm of one of these custom-made
dream machines is an appealing notion. With 750
horsepower
under the hood, the cars have the ability to reach speeds of
more than 200 mph (321 kph). But being behind the wheel of
this car as it is spinning out of control on a high-banked
super-speedway at 180 mph (289 kph), heading directly into a
concrete retaining wall -- this is the sober reality that
professional drivers must face. Certainly, the tragic death of
seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt at the 2001 Daytona
500 race increased everyone's awareness of the dangers of
professional car racing.
In an average street car equipped with
air bags
and seatbelts, occupants are protected during 35-mph crashes
into a concrete barrier. But at 180 mph, both the car and the
driver have more than 25 times more energy. All of this energy
has to be absorbed in order to bring the car to a stop. This
is an incredible challenge, but the cars usually handle it
surprisingly well.
