Engineering Inc. - November/December 2008 - (Page 6)

NEWS & NotES No Longer Automotive ‘Court Jesters,’ Engineers Now Set Pace for NASCAR E ngineers, start your computers!” Gone are the days when the NASCAR driver, or even a crew chief, could diagnose a car problem by the seat of his pants and be successful. NASCAR has now become the U.S. version of Formula One, ruled by the very people—engineers—who were the object of derision not long ago. Long before NASCAR’s drivers pull their sponsor-sticker-spackled cars to the starting line, engineers at test tracks have a lot to say about who will win the race. Brian Whitesell, team manager for Hendrick Motorsports, which features Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., holds a mechanical engineering degree from Virginia Tech. Eric Warren, technical director for Michael Waltrip Racing, has a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from North Carolina State University. “Without the computer strength that flows from Detroit with all of the algorithms and the predictive and analysis models that we’ve got, there’s no way to have a competitive race team or a competitive car,” said Jack Roush, co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing. Basking in the limelight after one of his cars won the opening race of a 10-race championship season, Roush was effusive about engineering’s role in NASCAR. “Twenty years ago when I started stock car racing, there was contemporary wisdom among the crew chiefs and the owners and the drivers…that really led the sport from a technology point of view, and they used engineers pretty much as court jesters,” said Roush. “They were fun to have around. Occasionally, they would come up with something that was interesting to talk about, but when the teams stopped being amused by them, they’d run them off and the teams did just fine that didn’t have engineers.” No longer, said Roush. Each team sports a lineup of engineers who analyze every aspect of the car and the track before each race. “A driver cannot make the decisions for what spring he could use, what shock he could use, what the wedge needs to be, what the toe curve needs to be—what all those variables are that affect the performance of the car,” said Roush. Said Greg Biffle, who drove Roush’s winning car, “The white coats did a good job getting the car ready for today.” � Learn. Network. Grow. Join Federal, State & Local Government Officials for 3 Days of Education January 13-15, 2009 Las Vegas, NV The Society for Design Administration (SDA) is a professional organization comprised of administrative personnel in the design industry, including architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, interior design and construction ﬁrms. For over 45 years, we’ve promoted continuing education, best practices in the management of design ﬁrms, and professional standards for design ﬁrm administrative personnel. SDA enhances the professional development and personal growth of its members and, as a result, the development and growth of their respective ﬁrms. SDA accomplishes this through a host of networking opportunities, both in person and online, and by providing educational resources in the areas of Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Marketing, Ofﬁce Administration, and Project Management. To learn more about the beneﬁts of SDA and to obtain information on becoming a member, visit us online at: www.sdadmin.org With billions of dollars tied to public projects, keeping up with regulatory changes is crucial. As a participant at FAU, you will gain valuable insight into regulatory updates and can select from over 30 educational sessions! For more information and to register: www.irwaonline.org 6 ENGINEERING INC. NovEmbER / DECEmbER 2008 10/8/08 3:34:42 PM FAUAD4ENGINC.indd 1 http://www.irwaonline.org http://www.irwaonline.org

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Engineering Inc. - September/October 2008 Contents From ACEC to You News & Notes Market Watch Legislative Action Engineering Goes Back to School Winning the Talent War Mastering A Hard-Luck Economy Education Makes the Grade in Green Construction 2008 Young Professionals of the Year 2008 Fall Conference Highlights Technology Members in the News One On One

Engineering Inc. - November/December 2008

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