January 18, 2006

By Rebecca Gladden

Rebecca Gladden

Throughout the 2006 season, NASCAR fans will be hearing a lot about the "Car of Tomorrow," NASCAR's next-generation vehicle currently under development. The car is expected to be phased in to competition as early as 2007.

But in many respects, the future is already here. A number of technological innovations originally designed for use in the space program are being used to help NASCAR drivers deal with the physical and environmental challenges of racing.

Fans who were not familiar with the Dupont brand names Kevlar and Nomex may have heard them for the first time in July, 2004. That is when NASCAR's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., was involved in a fiery collision during practice for an American Le Mans race at California's Infineon Raceway. Earnhardt was surrounded by flames in the cockpit for several seconds before escaping, and received painful second-degree burns to his leg and his neck; his torso, however, was not burned. "I never wore underwear - as far as fire-retardant underwear - before underneath my driver's uniform," Earnhardt explained a few weeks after the accident. "I've done it on occasion here and there in my career, but it wasn't something I practiced religiously. That weekend, I took Steve Crisp with me and he brought along my suit. He had all that prepared. There happened to be some underwear in the bag. I didn't have a t-shirt to wear underneath my uniform like I usually do. I just usually only wore a t-shirt. And so I put that on my upper body, but I just wore my boxers. So my legs got burned and nothing else did - except I've got a little spot on my neck. It shows me I need to be wearing everything I can wear and utilize as much precaution as possible."

The fire-resistant shirt worn by Earnhardt that day and by most NASCAR drivers is made of Nomex. Both Kevlar and Nomex were originally developed for use by astronauts during space walks. The 'Ove' Glove, an all-purpose oven mitt now being marketed to consumers, is made of both Kevlar and Nomex fibers. Nomex is not only used in the undergarments worn by NASCAR drivers, but in their head socks, gloves and footwear as well.

Even in the absence of fire, NASCAR drivers regularly deal with issues of extreme heat. Temperatures in the cockpit of a racecar can reach 140° or more, and parts of a driver's body are often very close to red-hot engine components. Overheating of the body as a whole can cause fatigue, dehydration, rapid pulse and breathing, confusion, and even heat exhaustion; exposure of the skin to hot surfaces can cause burns and tissue damage. Along with their protective Nomex gear, NASCAR drivers' uniforms are designed with air vents placed in strategic locations to dissipate as much heat as possible, and vulnerable body parts are protected from hot vehicle parts with thermal-protection blankets. The material used in the blankets is the same as that used on the outside of NASA's space shuttle to keep the shuttle's exterior cool during reentry. Various sizes of thermal-protection blankets can also be found in the floor, seat, and driver's-side door of a NASCAR car, as well as around parts of the exhaust system, the rocker arms and the oil tank. The thermal protection not only helps the driver, but keeps critical engine parts cooler, improving performance. Additionally, special foam is used in the collar of a NASCAR driver's uniform to help protect the neck in case of fire; this foam was also originally developed for NASA.

Depending on the location of a track and the start time of a race, NASCAR drivers often contend with sunlight and glare, conditions which can adversely affect the safety of all the competitors. Drivers may use polarized material in the lenses of specially-designed sunglasses, on the faces of their helmets, or in helmet tear-offs. Polarized lenses are another innovation originally created for use by astronauts in their space helmets.

Other NASA developments being used by NASCAR include fuel cell baffles, fire-resistant foam surrounding various car parts, protective arm restraints on the drivers' seats, and a non-toxic, biodegradable lubricant originally designed for the space shuttle transport vehicle known as the Crawler.

Competition in NASCAR has never been more fierce, and the introduction of the Car of Tomorrow will place an even greater burden on team owners and engineers to seek out the latest technological advances. Meanwhile, scientists will continue to develop new equipment and materials for use in space exploration. The auto racing industry will always find new ways to incorporate cutting edge technology and space-age innovations to improve driver safety and vehicle performance.

(Some information in this article courtesy of NASA.gov)

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN. Although we may not always agree with what is said, we do feel it's our duty to give a voice to those who have something relevant to say about the sport of auto racing.