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Diandra Leslie-Pelecky's office in the Engineering and Computer Science building looks like that of most new professors still getting their things in order: stacks of boxes teeter against the wall, papers are strewn about the desk, and there is a general sense of controlled chaos. Except in the middle of the room there is a 25-inch diameter regulation NASCAR racing tire.
For most nanophysicists, such decorative flair might seem eccentric, but for Leslie-Pelecky it is par for the course. The UTD physics professor has been studying NASCAR since 2005 and earlier this year published "The Physics of NASCAR: How to Make Steel + Gas + Rubber = Speed."
The book explores the basic science of the sport, from the chemical process of combustion to the visual and aerodynamic properties of the paint job. Through conversations with NASCAR mechanics, drivers and engineers, she explains how the cars are built, why the drivers drive the way they do and why millions of people find the sport so interesting.
Most people do not appreciate the depth of scientific understanding needed to compete in NASCAR, Leslie-Pelecky said. A driver's skill is only a small part of what goes into winning a race. NASCAR is a team sport, and just as important is designing and building the car to be as fast as possible.
"Most people don't see all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes, but there's a lot of people working really hard," she said. "It's slightly less complicated than putting something into space."
To build a car it costs about $150,000 in parts and labor alone, Leslie-Pelecky said. Each team builds eight to 10 cars for a driver per season, but the real cost, the reason cars resemble "flying billboards," is in research and development, she said.
Millions of dollars are spent each year by teams in tweaking and perfecting every detail to maximize performance, Leslie-Pelecky said. Since NASCAR has stringent regulations on nearly every component, teams have a very narrow window for improvement.
"The rules establish a sort of box, and you have that box to work within," she said. "Whoever is smartest at optimizing things within that box is going to have the fastest car. After that, it's all luck."
Despite an extensive knowledge and thorough enjoyment of the sport, Leslie-Pelecky has not always been a fan of NASCAR.
"I have to admit, I was always one of those people who never understood why anyone would want to watch cars going around in circles for hours," she said. "It utterly baffled me."
Three years ago, flipping through television channels on Memorial Day weekend, she happened upon a NASCAR race just in time to see a car lose control and careen into the wall. She was immediately hooked.
But it was not just morbid curiosity that grabbed her attention. At a loss to explain the crash, her scientific interest was piqued.
"This (wreck) really bugged me, because there was no obvious reason why a car would all of a sudden go into the wall like that," she said. "I just couldn't figure it out."
One of the primary reasons for writing the book, Leslie-Pelecky said, was that she began to realize that if science could get a physicist interested in NASCAR, then NASCAR might get non-physicists interested in science.
In the spring semester, Leslie-Pelecky will teach "The Science of Cars," a course for non-science majors that will explore physics and chemistry in terms of cars.
"The basic things are the exact same things you find in every introductory level physics class," she said. "You're worried about position, speed and acceleration. You're worried about force and energy. Why not teach those things in terms of something people actually encounter every day."
Leslie-Pelecky's work at UTD focuses on how nanomagnetic particles can be used to treat disease. Her research into biology and medicine broadens the scope of research at UTD, said Myron Salamon, physics dean, who recruited her from the University of Nebraska.
"I had my eye on her since before I came down here (to UTD)," he said. "I thought she would fit in well."
