G force calculator how to#
G force calculator driver#

The downforce keeps the car glued to the track with a downward pressure provided by the front and rear wings, as well as by the body itself. A Champ Car has spoilers that are like upside-down wings, providing the opposite of lift: downforce. The car's aerodynamics also create significant downforce at 230 mph. Together, 2.84 Gs (or 2.84 times the weight of the car) push down on the car during the turn, helping it stick to the track. In addition, a portion of the 1 G from Earth's gravity also puts some weight on the tires: 1 G x cos24° = 0.91 Gs. So with a 24-degree banking, 1.93 Gs adds weight to the wheels. To figure out what portion of the Gs gets adds weight to the tires, you multiply the G-forces by the sine of the banking degree. Banking a turn allows some of the G-forces created in the turn to increase the weight on the tires, increasing the traction. Traction is proportional to how much weight is on the tires (the more weight, the more traction). If a Champ Car tried to make a flat turn at 230 mph, it would slide right off the track because it doesn't have enough traction. The banking doesn't really affect how we calculate the G-forces on the driver, but without the banking the cars could never go around such a tight turn at 230 mph. The Texas Motor Speedway has 24-degree banking in the turns. How can the car stay on the track under this kind of force? It's because of the banked turns.

151 / 32 = 4.74 Gs experienced by the drivers.

The acceleration due to gravity (1 G) is 32 f/s 2.

During practice, the cars were turning laps at around 230 miles per hour (370 kph). According to Texas Motor Speedway's Track Facts, the turns on the track have a radius of 750 feet (229 meters). We just need to know the radius of the turns and the speed of the cars.

G force calculator how to#

Let's see how to calculate how many Gs a car pulls in a turn and how these Champ cars can stay on the track under so much force.Ĭalculating the G-forces on the drivers is actually quite simple. For instance, during a 5-G turn, there are 60 to 70 pounds of force pulling his head to the side.

G force calculator driver#

At 5 Gs, a driver experiences a force equal to five times his weight. One G is the force of Earth's gravity - it is this force that determines how much we weigh. The combination of high speeds and tight turns at Texas Motor Speedway produces forces of almost 5 Gs in the turns.

On April 29, 2001, CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) officials cancelled a race at the Texas Motor Speedway because the drivers experienced dizziness after as few as 10 laps.