Ballistic Testing of Motorsport Windshields

Since its inception in 1948, NASCAR® (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.) has continually strived to promote and improve driver, crew and spectator safety. As the vehicles used in NASCAR have changed over the years, their windshields have evolved also. The 1948 NASCAR Rulebook specified that all cars must have safety glass. In 2013, the NASCAR Sprint cup Series will use a laminated polycarbonate windshield. This paper describes the ballistic testing of the latest polycarbonate laminated design as well as previous monolithic polycarbonate designs.