LEADING ENGINEER IN CAD RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TO WORK WITH NHRA ON FUTURE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS

Metz has more than 35 years of experience in automobile and motorcycle vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics and accident reconstruction. He will be called upon, by NHRA, to provide third-party analysis utilizing his vast years of experience in engineering and proprietary computer animated design software. His analysis will be shared with not only the racing community, but SFI as they develop specifications for all classes in NHRA Drag Racing. This initiative is part of a multi-prong approach by NHRA to make the vehicles in both professional and sportsman racing safer, while enhancing NHRA and SFI’s rule-making process.

“Dan will work closely with NHRA’s technical department to provide all interested parties with valuable computer modeling data and analysis to improve upon NHRA’s safety record and SFI’s rule-making process,” said Graham Light, senior vice president of racing operations, NHRA.

Having written nearly 70 scientific papers, which have been published in a variety of publications, Metz has worked with practically every manufacturer and racing organization in the world, as well as numerous engineering firms and federal and state transportation and law enforcement agencies. In the United States and abroad, he has worked with Formula 1 and FIA, IRL, SCCA and USAC, in addition to many auto racing teams.

Metz has delivered hundreds of lectures, speeches and seminars on the subjects of accident reconstruction and vehicle dynamics throughout the world. He is a registered affiliate of the SAE Automotive Resources Institute as well as registered member of the Partner Program at Engineering Dynamics Corp., the world’s leading manufacturer of accident reconstruction software.

Metz received his Ph.D. from Cornell University, his MSME from the University of Detroit and his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and is an emeritus professor in the Department of Industrial & Enterprise Systems Engineering at the University of Illinois. Presently, Metz is an Adjunct Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. It presents 24 national events through its NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The NHRA has 80,000 members and 140 member tracks. The NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series’ provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels. The NHRA develops the stars of tomorrow by offering the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series, and the NHRA Street Legal Drags presented by AAA. The NHRA also offers the O’Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League for youths ages 8 to 17.