into the turn too widely veering off to the track's outer edge The second place driver takes his chance He knows that hugging the inside of the track will help him close the gap His car has been specially designed for just this move Its tires grip the road with just enough friction to stop him from losing control but not so much as to slow him down As he presses down the accelerator pedal the car's engine takes in more fuel to give him a boost of power at just the right moment to speed past the leader He takes the lead at the home stretch racing down the last straightaway to beat every other car to the finish line The driver's skill was a crucial component in this race But it was not the only factor The winning team took science technology engineering and math STEM into account to achieve a first place finish RACING CARS Auto racing is one of the most popular sports in the world For many decades fans have come to tracks to
Team engineers and technicians make careful adjustments to cars with STEM principles in mind cheer on drivers who have the skills to go fast while staying in control The first auto race took place in 1894 The top speeds in that first race were only 10 2 miles per hour 16 4 km h Now some cars can go more than 20 times as fast Around the world races continue to showcase speed and skills Auto racing comes in many forms Each type of race requires specially built cars that can handle different demands Formula 1 F1 cars have to handle twisty curvy tracks These low sleek vehicles look
Most NASCAR tracks including Homestead Miami Speedway in Florida have oval shapes very different from ordinary cars NASCAR vehicles do not face many twists and turns Instead they usually drive in oval shapes However they reach incredible sustained speeds IndyCar races happen on a mix of oval tracks and more complicated road circuits F1 NASCAR and IndyCar races are considered sprints Races last approximately two hours Endurance races are a different type of competition Cars in these races have to be sturdy enough to withstand up to 24 hours of racing STEM IN ACTION At every turn STEM fields play key roles in auto racing Race cars do all the things a normal car does They accelerate make turns brake and are designed to
protect their drivers in the event of a crash However competitive racing cars are lighter and more powerful They need responsive steering and a suspension tuned to the specific race conditions and track Science helps auto racing specialists understand the conditions of the road They study how at high speeds even something as thin as air can slow down a car The cars are built to be extremely aerodynamic This means they are designed so that air resistance slows them down as little as possible Scientists also use chemistry to create better racing fuel A driver has a huge amount of technology at her fingertips An F1 steering wheel looks like a video game controller Buttons and knobs dictate everything from switching gears to injecting fuel into the engine With so much technology a driver can make quick adjustments with a flick of the wrist Engineering helps race car designers in their quest to create the perfect car Fuel tanks are extra strong to help
