Top speed: About 201 mph before the chicanes.Maximum lateral g-forces: A peak of 3 g's before "Indy," and a sustained 2.8 g's through the "Virages Porsche" corner.Maximum longitudinal g-forces: 2.5 g's, under braking for the chicanes.Contact patch: At 201 mph, each part of the tread of a 25.5-inch-tall tire hits the ground 44 times per second. Each part of the same tire hits the ground 6,684 times during a complete lap of the 8.48-mile circuit.
SEMA Scholarships
To celebrate 20 years of contribution to the future of the automotive industry, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) awarded a record $110,000 in scholarships. Seventy-five students preparing for automotive industry careers received individual awards of up to $4,000.
The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, established in 1984, has supplied over 400 students with more than $500,000 in scholarship awards over the past two decades. Students from 21 states benefited this year, with academic course work ranging from economics and marketing to diesel technology.
To qualify, all students must have a minimum 2.5 grade-point average and be enrolled in an accredited university, college, or proprietary program. Sophomores in two-year universities or colleges, and students in vocational or technical schools received $1,000. Graduates and undergraduates with at least a junior standing at a four-year school received $2,000 to $4,000.
For a complete list of the 2004 scholarship winners, log onto www.sema.org/scholarship.