L.Bryce Whitson Jr.
About L.Bryce Whitson Jr.
L. Bryce Whitson Jr. is an experienced aerodynamics engineer currently working at Hendrick Motorsports, where he has been since 2016. He has a background in computational fluid dynamics and has held various engineering roles at organizations such as the Naval Surface Warfare Center and NAVAIR.
Work at Hendrick Motorsports
L. Bryce Whitson Jr. has been employed at Hendrick Motorsports as an Aerodynamics Engineer since 2016. In this role, he focuses on enhancing the aerodynamic performance of race cars. He collaborates closely with the Crew Chief and Car Chief to implement aerodynamic changes during testing and race weekends. His responsibilities also include assisting data engineers in instrumenting cars for both wind tunnel and on-track testing, ensuring that the vehicles perform optimally in competitive environments.
Previous Experience in Engineering
Before joining Hendrick Motorsports, L. Bryce Whitson Jr. held various engineering positions. He worked at the Naval Surface Warfare Center from 2005 to 2010 as a Design Engineer in the Countermeasures Design Branch. He also served as a Flight Test Engineer at NAVAIR for four months in 2007 and as a Program Manager at NAVAIR for another four months in the same year. Additionally, he worked as a Project Engineer at MPC Products Corporation from 2004 to 2005.
Education and Expertise
L. Bryce Whitson Jr. earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University. He completed his undergraduate studies from 2000 to 2004 and his graduate studies from 2005 to 2009. His educational background provides a strong foundation for his work in aerodynamics, particularly in multi-physics analysis and computational fluid dynamics.
Specialized Skills in Aerodynamics
In his current role and previous positions, L. Bryce Whitson Jr. performs multi-physics analysis on systems with aerodynamic impact, including brakes, radiators, air intake, and exhaust. He conducts computational fluid dynamics analysis, focusing on aerodynamic properties such as lift, drag, and side force. His expertise allows him to contribute significantly to the development and prototyping of race cars, including the 2018 Cup Series Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports.
Research and Development Background
From 2010 to 2016, L. Bryce Whitson Jr. worked as a Computational Fluid Mechanics Researcher at the Naval Surface Warfare Center. In this role, he focused on research related to fluid dynamics and its applications in engineering. His experience in research and development has equipped him with the skills necessary to analyze and improve the aerodynamic characteristics of various systems.