NASCAR's Aerodynamic Expertise Fuels USA Luge's Pursuit of Olympic Glory

In an unexpected yet innovative collaboration, NASCAR’s cutting-edge research and development capabilities are being harnessed by USA Luge as the team intensifies its campaign for Winter Olympic medals. The stock car racing giant, far removed from the icy tracks of luge, is lending its advanced aerodynamic analysis tools and manufacturing prowess to help American sliders shave precious milliseconds off their runs and contend for gold.

The unlikely partnership was forged through a mutual connection with TotalSim, an engineering firm that regularly collaborates with NASCAR on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. During a tour of NASCAR’s R&D facility in North Carolina, Dr. Eric Jacuzzi, NASCAR’s Vice President of Vehicle Performance, encountered an acquaintance from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). This serendipitous meeting opened the door for NASCAR to explore ways it could contribute to Olympic athletic performance.

Mike Levine, in his role within the USOPC’s Performance Pathways and Innovation department, recognized the potential synergy. He inquired if NASCAR would be interested in evaluating Olympic athletes and their equipment for potential performance enhancements. USA Luge emerged as the most suitable candidate for this initial evaluation. Following preliminary discussions, Dr. Jacuzzi visited the USA Luge training facility in September, quickly identifying areas where NASCAR’s expertise could make a tangible difference.

"We saw immediate opportunities from a performance standpoint," Dr. Jacuzzi stated. He then presented the project to NASCAR EVP John Probst, who not only gave his approval but also facilitated the involvement of NASCAR’s extensive network of suppliers to provide advanced performance development tools. Complementing the technical initiative, Chief Brand Officer Tim Clark evaluated the commercial aspects, leading to a sponsorship and branding agreement between NASCAR and USA Luge, solidifying the technical partnership.

Related News :

The collaboration moved swiftly from concept to execution. In December, Dr. Jacuzzi attended a Luge World Cup event in Park City, Utah, where the technical analysis phase commenced. A specialized rig was constructed to enable 3D scanning of both the luge athletes and their sleds. These detailed 3D scans are currently being transformed into digital models. These models will undergo rigorous CFD analysis and will eventually be used to create full-scale 3D printed replicas for further testing in NASCAR’s WindShear rolling road wind tunnel.

To execute the intricate 3D scanning process, NASCAR enlisted the expertise of Kevin Rau from Digital Reality Scanning. Rau, a familiar face in NASCAR circles for his work in body submission scans for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), was enthusiastic about applying his skills to a new domain. He volunteered a week of his time in Park City, meticulously scanning all participating athletes and their equipment. NASCAR’s R&D team developed a custom rig to facilitate Rau’s work, eliminating the need for markers on the athletes and sleds, ensuring greater accuracy and a less intrusive process.

The digitized athlete and sled data will be meticulously analyzed by NASCAR’s R&D team in conjunction with TotalSim. Dr. Jacuzzi highlighted the valuable knowledge transfer potential, citing TotalSim’s previous work with Honda to enhance the performance of U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton teams. Honda engineers have already conducted extensive wind tunnel testing at the Honda Automotive Laboratories of Ohio (HALO), and NASCAR aims to leverage these best practices. The planned methodology involves creating CFD models before proceeding to wind tunnel simulations, mirroring the successful approach adopted by Honda.

TotalSim has pledged to contribute both time and resources to the project, primarily focusing on setting up the initial digital models. This crucial step will enable the NASCAR R&D group to more efficiently progress to the iteration stage and commence testing various design modifications.

A significant aspect of the partnership involves the utilization of NASCAR’s recently established 3D printing laboratory. Plans are underway to 3D print life-size models of the women’s singles athlete and sled, and the men’s doubles athletes and sled. These physical models will serve as the foundation for extensive wind tunnel testing. Dr. Jacuzzi expressed particular optimism regarding the men’s doubles sled category, describing it as a "wild west" of design possibilities, suggesting substantial room for improvement.

NASCAR’s Stratasys F900 and Fortus 450mc 3D printers will be employed to fabricate these complex, modular components. This modular approach will allow for the swift integration and testing of different design iterations and athlete positions within the WindShear wind tunnel.

The primary objective of this collaborative phase is to refine the aerodynamic profile of the luge sleds to minimize drag. NASCAR anticipates having their first 3D printed model in the wind tunnel by the summer to initiate testing. Initial discussions with the USA Luge team revealed that current sled designs often rely on traditional knowledge rather than empirical data. Dr. Jacuzzi believes that by applying principles similar to those used in NASCAR, such as reducing sled height to decrease drag, immediate performance gains can be realized.

The NASCAR aerodynamics team, including specialists like Chris Popiela and Tracy Halpin, has already become involved in the project. Dr. Jacuzzi anticipates rapid expansion of this team as many engineers are eager to engage with a challenge that falls outside their usual scope. He also foresees reciprocal benefits for NASCAR, as the novel aerodynamic problems posed by luge can inspire innovative solutions for race car design.

This partnership is envisioned as a long-term commitment with the ultimate goal of establishing USA Luge as a dominant force in the 2034 Winter Olympics, which are scheduled to be held in Utah. While the 2034 Games remain a distant target, NASCAR will focus on incremental improvements and iterative design cycles annually, beginning with the 2026 Luge World Cup. Dr. Jacuzzi is actively gathering further insights, heading to Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, for the 2026 Winter Olympics to observe the USA Luge team’s performance firsthand and inform future analysis. This cross-disciplinary endeavor underscores a commitment to pushing the boundaries of athletic performance through technological innovation.