A group of racecars piloted by the best drivers in NASCAR are turning a corner.  Without warning, one of the cars suddenly hits the outside wall.  None of the cars touched, there were no engine failures or flat tires… so what happened?

This is the question that sparked physics professor Diandra Leslie-Pelecky’s interest in the science of NASCAR.  What she thought would be ten-minute search of the web turned into a book, The Physics of NASCAR, that takes NASCAR (and science) fans behind the scenes at top race shops, onto the asphalt at Texas Motor Speedway and into the garage with the Gillett Evernham Motorsports’ No. 19 car.  Her popular website, www.stockcarscience.com includes a blog with weekly entries about topical science-related happenings in NASCAR.

About the Author

• Diandra Leslie-Pelecky earned undergraduate degrees in physics and philosophy from the University of North Texas and a Ph.D. in condensed matter physics from Michigan State University.  She joined the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1994, and moved to The University of Texas at Dallas as Professor of Physics in May 2008.
• Professor Leslie-Pelecky is a nationally recognized researcher in magnetic nanomaterials.  Her work, which is funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, focuses on fundamental understanding of magnetic materials and application of those materials to medical diagnosis and treatment processes such as magnetic resonance imaging and chemotherapy.
• Professor Leslie-Pelecky is also nationally recognized for her work in science education for K-12 schools, future science teachers, and the public.  She has directed projects aimed at improving science education at all levels, supported primarily by the National Science Foundation.  Educational materials on the science of motorsports are being developed for middle and high schools (www.buildingspeed.org).
• Professor Leslie-Pelecky has given numerous presentations for technical and non-technical audiences, including addresses for the public sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Physical Society. Her book, The Physics of NASCAR, was excerpted by TIME magazine and has been featured in Sporting News magazine. She appears periodically on the Sirius Speedway satellite radio program to update listeners on the scientific principles that affect their favorite drivers.

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