Haas builds giant treadmill for NASCAR, comments on car obesity epidemic

Filed under: Hardware, Transportation

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Just kidding. There is no car obesity epidemic. But there’s indeed a big ass treadmill that was built. That part was as serious as a brain tumor. Haas Automation has created this treadmill in hopes to improve aerodynamics of NASCAR racers. Not the actual racers, like the drivers. We mean the actual cars. Sorry for that misunderstanding. Can we continue?

Its 1 mm thick steel belt can rotate at 180 mph. The treadmill also features sensors under the track that can run diagnostics on each individual wheel. When the facility opens later this year, the treadmill will be rented out to motorsport teams and organizations. And the Jolly Good Giant is looking for a new gym.

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Andrew Dobrow

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Discussion

1
by Nate B.January 22, 2008   23:46pm

What would be the difference between this and something like rollers on a dyno?

2
by jellisiiJanuary 23, 2008   23:13pm

You can test/tune the suspension holistically, as opposed to measuring each corner without regard to how the body translates that motion to the rest of the suspension.

Plus, my understanding of dnyo rollers is that they are usually only in motion on the driven wheels.

3
by Jason L.January 25, 2008   18:44pm

The article mentions it’s intended to help improve the car’s aerodynamics. The ground will be moving beneath the car at 180mph as the car itself sits essentially still in the atmosphere. Good luck on the aerodynamic tests.

4
by madcotto™January 29, 2008   16:46pm

Come on guys its fake ffs

5
by HighbanksJanuary 29, 2008   22:58pm

No, this thing goes in a wind tunnel. There are only 3 of these in the world, and this is the bigget in North America. So the ground and the wind can go 180 mph. The queston is, who is crazy enough to drive the car?

6
by StrayFebruary 1, 2008   11:50am

My question is, is what happens if the car exceeds 180 mph? who is going to pay for all the damages done to the car? Another thing, the wind tunnel is to test aerodynamics, and they have tests for everything else. Probably be a lot cheaper to run through those tests than the treadmill and the car exceed 180.

I’m done

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