Prof. Diandra Leslie-Pelecky

What makes the difference between victory and defeat on the track at a NASCAR race? Often, it’s technology, according to physicist and NASCAR expert Diandra Leslie-Pelecky. The West Virginia University professor and author will lecture Thursday night, Feb. 7, at Davidson College on “The Science of Speed: Why Driving Fast is Harder than You Think.”

Her talk is free and open to the public, at 7:30pm in the Davidson College Chambers Building, Lilly Family Gallery. It’s followed by a Q&A and book signing hosted by the Davidson College bookstore.

Prof. Leslie-Pelecky is the author of “The Physics of NASCAR”

Professor Leslie-Pelecky is the author of “The Physics of NASCAR,” which goes behind the scenes at top race shops, onto the asphalt at Texas Motor Speedway, and into the garage at a top NASCAR team. (Mooresville’s Ray Evernham wrote the foreword.) On her website www.buildingspeed.org, she writes regularly about science-­‐related happenings in auto racing, including NASCAR.

Her appearance in Davidson is sponsored by the Davidson College physics department and the Charlotte Area Science Network.

Davidson physics Professor John Yukich said he heard Professor Leslie-Pelecky give a similar lecture several years ago in Charlottesville, Va., and determined to invite her to Davidson.

“She has a dynamic personality and an ability to make the technical aspects of NASCAR accessible to a wide audience – and even interesting to someone like me who has no particular interest in NASCAR as a sport.”

WANT TO GO?

Diandra Leslie-Pelecky speaks Thursday, Feb. 7, 7:30pm at Davidson College, Chambers Building, Lilly Family Gallery (across from Little Library). Info on Davidson.edu