NASCAR as an organization has an incredibly impressive safety record. With over 90 races per year with a variety of tracks and vehicles, and drivers from a mix of different teams competing at speeds that can exceed 200 mph, there have been fewer than 100 deaths after over 2800 drivers since its start in 1949. In recent years the organization has renewed its focus on safety leveraging newer technologies to maintain its impeccable record. This has led to innovations such as the roof flaps, new driver shielding panels, the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) Barrier, the HANS device, the ‘Car of tomorrow’, and many others. J.FELTRIC Metals LLC would like to partner with NASCAR to contribute to its mission of safer, better racing for drivers and fans alike.

J. FELTRIC Metals, LLC, begins every relationship by working directly with the client to better understand their mission and vision in order to develop pair our capabilities with their needs to achieve strategic and tactical goals, with effective action plans. What follows is a description of how our fiber metal laminate(FML) can contribute to NASCAR and is a direct result of our first exchange of information with NASCAR at the R&D facility in Concord, NC. It will provide an overview of our initial assessment of FML for use in NASCAR, provide some further education on our material, and invite further inquiry for NASCAR and J. FELTRIC to explore together.

PROPOSED USE OF J.FELTRIC FML

The unique properties of the J. FELTRIC fiber metal laminate make it an idea candidate for inclusion into the vehicles used in NASCAR racing. The specific uses for NASCAR and placement of the different FML configurations will become evident as the needs of the organization are understood and matched with the fiber metal laminate capabilities and utility.

The general characteristics of the material which make it advantageous, for racing in particular, are lighter weight compared to other metals, structural integrity under sudden impact situations, and the ability to be tailored for use in areas of specialized need.

The racing speeds in NASCAR require a low vehicular center of gravity and controlled airflow to fight lift and maintain ground contact even under non-ideal conditions. Taking advantage of the lightweight properties inherent to the fiber metal laminate and replacing the upper components of vehicles will shift the bulk of the car weight downward, lowering the center of mass with minimal, if any, disruption to manufacturing or construction.

As previously stated, the high speeds in NASCAR racing also introduce the need for extensive safety measures not typically needed in other racing venues and the use of J. FELTRIC’s fiber metal laminate will further enhance safety. The structural integrity of the material does not allow it to shatter therefore during a collision there will be less debris from the vehicle and therefore on the track. This is one of the key advantages over carbon fiber of the same weight.

For external application the material can be manufactured into large sheets, such as the front and rear hoods, again lowering the center of gravity. Other areas of consideration for smaller sheets are parts such as the roof flaps where the lighter weight of FML will mean faster deployment in the critical moments when air flow needs to be managed, and because it can be tethered in the same way as the current flaps there would be no impact to manufacturing.

The malleability of the FML allows it to be bent to features as small as a .25” radius. This opens the opportunity for use in spoilers and even the struts in the driver cockpit itself. For these applications stronger versions of fiber metal laminate can be used to trump steel, aluminum or carbon fiber in strength and durability.

Another ideal option is for use in the gas tank, where the material’s impressive cohesion under explosive conditions with no heat transference, offer unrealized enhancement over the protections in current use. The properties that make it uniquely suited to handle explosions have already made it the material of choice for the only blast-resistant Unit Load Device, the ECOS3, which has been proven by the FAA to completely contain the explosion and fire resulting from a bomb.

An ancillary benefit of using FML is that for all the applications it will be used in it will also enhance durability and lower lifetime maintenance costs.​

In order to design J.FELTRIC’s fiber metal laminate for its best uses the technical limitations must be acknowledged.

Technical Considerations

While the fiber metal laminate can be made stronger than steel it cannot be welded, in order to build with it, it must be riveted. This means that in those areas where FML will replace an existing material, attention must be paid to potentially new assembly methods being required. This is not a concern for parts that would be tethered, such as the roof flaps or riveted like the spoiler.

Another item of note for the fiber metal laminate are the multiple configurations possible. Because the material can be tailored for greater strength as required, there is no standard configuration. To maximize the effectiveness of the material it is best if the strength needs can be estimated in order for the best material configuration to be selected.

J.FELTRIC looks forward to additional contact with NASCAR. Please forward any and all questions or areas of interest.