Monday I was driving a Formula Atlantic under full throttle accelerating rapidly at 110+ mph when a end link broke allowing the right rear tire to turn to the right about 30 degrees. Needless to say the ensuing spin was quite a ride. I managed to get the car to a full stop in just a tick or so under 3 seconds. Can anyone figure the G forces of a stop from 110 to 0 in 3 seconds. I was also lucky, I missed the pit wall by less than 6 inches.

 

110 mph is 161.3 ft/sec; call it 162 to make it easy. Going from 162 ft/sec to 0 ft/sec in 3 sec (assuming constant deceleration) is 162/3 = 54 ft/sec/sec. One g is 32 ft/sec/sec. So you were decelerating at 54/32 = 1.69 g.

Simple.

Glad to hear that you missed the wall.

 

Thanks Bill. Heck the car should pull almost that much in lateral G's. Believe me I was damned happy to miss the wall. When the car first came around I didn't think there was any way I could miss the wall.

 

Whats the story behind your ride in the Formula Atlantic?

 

The car belongs to a friend of mine who has been racing open wheel cars and flying jets most of my life. He invited me to drive his car in a test & tune day in Talladega. The car is not a true legal Formula Atlantic because of the modifications that have been made to the car, but it comes closest to that class in it

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by CG
[B]The car belongs to a friend of mine who has been racing open wheel cars and flying jets most of my life. He invited me to drive his car in a test & tune day in Talladega. The car is not a true legal Formula Atlantic because of the modifications that have been made to the car, but it comes closest to that class in it

 

Now everybody probably wonders what the hell a car like this is doing with a big heavy Buick V8. It