Optimal Overtaking in NASCAR

David J.N. Limebeer; R. Austin Dollar

doi:10.1109/TCST.2025.3557665

Optimal Overtaking in NASCAR

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This article studies the impact of aerodynamic drafting on optimal overtaking maneuvers in NASCAR. Two interlinked optimal control problems (OCPs) are employed: one for computing the strategy of the overtaken car and the other for the overtaking vehicle. Intervehicular interaction is due to a combination of aerodynamic drafting and collision avoidance. In the formulation presented, the cross coupling between these OCPs is unidirectional, with collision avoidance the responsibility of the overtaking vehicle. The racing vehicles are assumed to travel on a highly banked 3-D closed-circuit track. The overtaking car is subject to near-field aerodynamic interactions ("drafting") that have a significant impact on the overtaking vehicle's strategy. Results are presented that illustrate overtaking strategies with and without drafting; differences in the two strategies highlight the importance of drafting influences. The results are based on a Generation 7 (Gen 7) NASCAR driven on the Darlington Raceway.

Original language	English
Journal	IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/TCST.2025.3557665
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Aerodynamics
closed-circuit racing
multi-agent systems
NASCAR
vehicular optimal control

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Control and Systems Engineering
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1109/TCST.2025.3557665

Cite this

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title = "Optimal Overtaking in NASCAR",

abstract = "This article studies the impact of aerodynamic drafting on optimal overtaking maneuvers in NASCAR. Two interlinked optimal control problems (OCPs) are employed: one for computing the strategy of the overtaken car and the other for the overtaking vehicle. Intervehicular interaction is due to a combination of aerodynamic drafting and collision avoidance. In the formulation presented, the cross coupling between these OCPs is unidirectional, with collision avoidance the responsibility of the overtaking vehicle. The racing vehicles are assumed to travel on a highly banked 3-D closed-circuit track. The overtaking car is subject to near-field aerodynamic interactions ({"}drafting{"}) that have a significant impact on the overtaking vehicle's strategy. Results are presented that illustrate overtaking strategies with and without drafting; differences in the two strategies highlight the importance of drafting influences. The results are based on a Generation 7 (Gen 7) NASCAR driven on the Darlington Raceway.",

keywords = "Aerodynamics, closed-circuit racing, multi-agent systems, NASCAR, vehicular optimal control",

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doi = "10.1109/TCST.2025.3557665",

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journal = "IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology",

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AB - This article studies the impact of aerodynamic drafting on optimal overtaking maneuvers in NASCAR. Two interlinked optimal control problems (OCPs) are employed: one for computing the strategy of the overtaken car and the other for the overtaking vehicle. Intervehicular interaction is due to a combination of aerodynamic drafting and collision avoidance. In the formulation presented, the cross coupling between these OCPs is unidirectional, with collision avoidance the responsibility of the overtaking vehicle. The racing vehicles are assumed to travel on a highly banked 3-D closed-circuit track. The overtaking car is subject to near-field aerodynamic interactions ("drafting") that have a significant impact on the overtaking vehicle's strategy. Results are presented that illustrate overtaking strategies with and without drafting; differences in the two strategies highlight the importance of drafting influences. The results are based on a Generation 7 (Gen 7) NASCAR driven on the Darlington Raceway.

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Optimal Overtaking in NASCAR

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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