When most of us think of new technology related to race car dynamics, we may immediately think of the major innovations coming from IndyCars and Formula 1. This is a natural conclusion, but because of recent developments, the true story is very interesting. In that particular field of science, stock car racing today may well be at the head of the class.
The evolution of the knowledge of vehicle dynamics and its history runs directly parallel to the development of passenger cars and trucks for several understandable reasons. First and foremost, the big automakers had the funds to finance extensive and expensive research. Also, the need existed to develop better suspension systems for ride comfort as well as drivability. Along with these two driving forces, there also existed the element of competition to develop more advanced cars than did other automakers in order to enhance sales.
The "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" attitude has not been restricted to American automakers. Companies such as Ferrari, BMW, Toyota, Honda, and others hold the same to be true. Racing provides a unique venue to show the superior quality and advanced mechanical systems automakers have developed. Some consumers relate to and buy the cars associated with winning automakers.
Early pioneers of stock car dynamic research include individuals such as Maurice Olley and his group whose work represented much of the early progress that had been made in vehicle dynamic research. Among many other notable accomplishments, his work in the early '30s led the industry to adopt the double A-arm suspension system, or SLA (Short Long Arm) suspensions.
In 1952, Bob Schilling, head of the mechanical engineering department in the General Motors Research Laboratory Division, and his group met with a group of aircraft engineers, including Bill and Doug Milliken. The aero engineers were then contracted by GM to attempt to apply techniques that had been used in aircraft design to the study of land vehicle dynamics.
A compilation of that work, as well as other research, is contained in a book written by the Millikens and published by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) titled Race Car Vehicle Dynamics.
Stock car dynamics Competitive stock cars have usually been thought to be the "soap box derby" in all of auto racing. In several leading books on the subject of race car dynamics, stock cars are often referred to as a "particular case" and referenced by their unpredictable nature associated with handling.
It is fairly easy to adjust the handling on an open-wheel formula car with wings in the front and rear. A little more downforce at one end will effectively cure a tight ("understeer") or loose ("oversteer") condition. With the stock car, we do not have such options. The limitations and restrictions imposed by the "stock" chassis have, by their own admissions, confused many race engineers.
As the designs of exotic race cars developed, the engineers began to incorporate aero downforce into the structures of the cars. They added airfoils (wings) to the front and rear of the cars to enhance traction and to facilitate adjustments to the handling balance of the car.
Development related to chassis setup balance tended to get lost in the process. As stock car racing grew in numbers and the designs became less "stock" and more complex, racers renewed the quest for more complete information related to chassis dynamics.
During the period between the late '40s and the early '90s, no one had completely developed a way to predict how a stock car would handle. Consequently, no one was able to adjust the suspension components to attain that perfectly balanced setup. We basically knew that if we could ultimately predict the distribution of weight on the tires when the car was executing the turn, we would know how the car would handle. Historically, the predominant method used by teams to develop their setups was trial and error.