RACE CAR
ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS

by Paul VanValkenburgh
including expanded CONTENTS, ORDERING INFO,
ADDENDA TO COMPUTER CHAPTER

-- since it's impossible to keep a book up to date.
DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS
ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEMS
FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
PERFORMANCE SIMULATIONS
ELECTRONIC TEST TOOLS
.... updated 5 Sept 2005

This is a synopsis of a single book that should answer all your technical questions about auto racing -- whether you're a full-time racing designer, developer, mechanic, or driver, or simply a TV racing fan with a lot of questions about the technical "what and why" of what you're seeing. It includes original information not available anywhere else, easy-to-find and easy-to-read, with inexpensive practical suggestions for specific applications. The value of knowledge makes a book like this the most important "tool" in your box. It's also used as the textbook in a number of vehicle engineering schools.

"For anyone remotely interested in race car engineering -- serious fans among them -- this book is a must. ... its longevity underlines the book's true value ... a veritable classic." Autoweek

"This is not a difficult book to read. If you can't afford to hire an engineer for your racing ... this is a good substitute. Read it slowly, underline the important parts and take notes." Road & Track

"This is the book you'd take ... if you had to choose only one about race car design and technology. He has the engineering credentials ... and a superior conversational writing style to explain it so you'll understand it." Circle Track magazine

"Unquestionably the most current, factual, and detailed expose of present-day race car engineering available. Definitely required reading for both serious and casual race engineers." Tony Cicale, winning Indy car engineer

"An excellent book, one of the few with real engineering credibility." Lee Dykstra, winning professional sports car engineer

"I wish I had this book 15 years ago." Trevor Harris, winning IMSA GTP engineer

CONTENTS

1 HOW TO WIN -- PEOPLE; KNOWLEDGE; PREPARATION

2 TIRES AND WHEELS

• THEORY: temperature, slip, camber, pressures, loading
• TIRE DESIGN: sizes, treads, wheel size
• DEVELOPMENT; PREPARATION; DRIVING CARE

3 SUSPENSION GEOMETRY AND ALIGNMENT

• THEORY: force and deflection; torques and rotations; compliance
• HARDWARE: types of suspensions, miscellaneous components
• MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE: balance, alignment
• DEVELOPMENT: static in-shop, dynamic on-track

4 SPRINGS, ANTI-ROLL BARS, SHOCKS

• THEORY: springs, anti-roll bars, shock absorbers
• HARDWARE: springs, anti-roll bars, shock absorbers
• DEVELOPMENT: springs, anti-roll bars, shock absorbers

5 BRAKES

• THEORY: requirements, heat absorption, forces, balance, fade
• HARDWARE: discs, calipers, master cylinder, fluid, pads, valves
• DEVELOPMENT: proportioning, cooling
• ASSEMBLY AND RACING; CARBON BRAKES; ANTI-LOCK

6 AERODYNAMICS

• THEORY: drag, downforce, ground effects, balance, stability
• HARDWARE: spoilers, wings, ducts
• DEVELOPMENT: measurement, balance, pressures
• RACING: drafting, stability and pitch interference

7 HANDLING

• STABILITY; CONTROL; OVER/UNDERSTEER; DEVELOPMENT

8 ENGINE SUPPORT SYSTEMS

• FUEL; OIL; WATER; ELECTRICS; EXHAUST

9 GEARING AND DIFFERENTIALS

• RATIO THEORY; HARDWARE; TRANSVERSE LAYOUTS
• DEVELOPMENT; RACING AND MAINTENANCE
• DIFFERENTIAL THEORY AND HARDWARE; AUTOMATICS

10 FRAME AND BODY

• TRADITIONAL MATERIALS: alloys and fiberglass
• AEROSPACE COMPOSITES: fibers, resins, pre-pregs, how-to
• TYPES OF FRAMES; STRENGTH VERSUS STIFFNESS

11 SAFETY

• ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE: fasteners, inspection
• DRIVER PROTECTION: deceleration, retention, protection, fire

12 THE DRIVER

• FITTING/COMFORT; LEARNING; EMOTIONS/ATTITUDES

13 TESTING

• TOOLS: facilities, electronic/pressure instruments, wind tunnel
• PROCEDURES: acceleration, brakes, aerodynamics, handling
• TRACK TESTING; STATIC TESTING

14 THE PITS

• RECORDS; TIMING AND SCORING; PITSTOPS

15 COMPUTERS IN RACING

• PERFORMANCE SIMULATION: suspension, dynamics, course
• DESIGN: theory, requirements, who does what, how-to
• DATA RECORDING: pros/cons, hardware, how-to
• ENGINE CONTROLS: production equipment, tricks, tools
• TIMING AND SCORING: official systems, input, fail-safety

16 FRONT WHEEL DRIVE RACING

• DRIVING STYLE; DIFFERENTIAL CHOICE; WEIGHT BALANCE
• BRAKE BALANCE; LIFT/DRAG; DOWNFORCE DISTRIBUTION
• SUSPENSION GEOMETRY; STIFFNESS; TIRE TRANSIENTS

17 RACE CAR OF THE FUTURE

• AERO: movable surfaces, pressure/suction/ toroidal flow
• FRAMES: the right choice in the right place
• WHEEL CONTROL: rising rate, electro-mechanical, computers
• IMPACT PROTECTION: driver cells, fire control
• ENGINES: structural plastics, ceramics, electronics, turbos
• TRANSMISSIONS: automatics, continuously-variable
• TIRES: temperature feedback and external control
• WHEELS/BRAKES: plastics, filament winding, carbon
• ELECTRONICS: computers, feedbacks, expert systems
• CONTROL: suspension, brakes, steering

ADDENDA: Material not included in the current edition:

DRAG RACING: unique applications, from magazine articles for Drag Racing Illustrated (coming)

• Aerodynamics
• Suspensions
• Tires
• Dynamics
• Computer simulations

HOW TO BECOME A RACECAR ENGINEER

Interviews with the world's best (coming)

HOW AND WHY TO PROTECT YOUR EARS

read "Real Racers Wear Protection"

OTHER SOURCES: & books that expand on each of my chapters. (coming)

MOTORSPORTS IN GENERAL: Racing Information Services

MORE ....

It wouldn't be any favor to you if the whole book was online.
Its 176 pages (8 1/2 by 11) plus 200 photos and illustrations,
would be a half-meg file plus gif's to download, print and bind.

To order the book, autographed if you like, just send $24.00 (ppd. in US) to:

Paul VanValkenburgh, Box 3611, Seal Beach, CA 90740

If you want to pay a little more (with VISA) to order it right now,
goto www.sae.org/bookstore, and mention you saw it here.

FEEDBACK:
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