How NASCAR Race Cars Work

To explore how NASCAR race cars are built, we visitedBill Davis Racingin High Point, NC.

This shop buys its frames prefabricated from a frame supplier. The frame consists of a structure of round and squaresteeltubing of varying thickness. The bulk of the structure surrounds the driver. This part of the frame -- theroll cage——是最厚的油管和设计做的to stay together, protecting the driver during any type of crash (seeHow NASCAR Safety Worksfor details).

The front and rear sections of the frame, called thefront clipand therear clip, are built from thinner steel tubing so that they will crush when the car hits another car or a wall. In addition to being collapsible, the front clip is designed to push the engine out of the bottom of the car -- rather than into the driver's compartment -- during an accident.

When the frame comes into the shop, thefirewall(the metal panel separating the engine compartment from the driver's compartment) andfloor panelsare welded in, along with various mounting brackets for things like the engine, suspension, seat,fuel celland body.

The next step is building the body and installing it on the frame. This process is amazing -- almost every part of the body is made by hand from flat sheet metal.