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It’s said that an individual is never more than 10 feet away from a 3M product. In the NASCAR garage, it can be said that a crewmember or driver likely is in constant contact with a 3M product.

That’s because in 2018, NASCAR teams used more than 200 3M products, according to 3M.

In the shop, on the pit box, in the hauler and on the racecar, teams rely on the innovation of 3M to help them work faster, smarter and better. They also depend on 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division to help get them to victory lane.

The same abrasives, adhesives, tapes, sealants, paint products, cleaners, fillers and films that are used in NASCAR are the same 3M solutions that are used in many of today’s vehicles and collision repair shops every day, 3M says. Cutting-edge tools such as the File Belt Sander, Dynamic Mixing System, Accuspray Spray Gun and Total Automotive Sanding System, also are employed to add greater efficiency throughout every step.

3M Automotive Aftermarket Division has been a contingency sponsor in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for nearly two decades. As an official partner, 3M AAD collaborates with the NASCAR R&D Center to integrate 3M automotive products and solutions into the sport.

“3M products touch every part of a racecar,” says NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Ray Evernham, who won three Cup Series championships with Jeff Gordon. “It doesn’t matter if it’s fabricating or fixing, painting or cleaning, without 3M, teams would struggle to build and race these cars at the same high level that they do today. I personally use 3M products in my own shop. They are an invaluable asset when it comes to restoring and maintaining my collection.”

From the time production starts on a NASCAR racecar, to the time it returns to the shop after a grueling race weekend, 3M products are a part of the entire process.

In NASCAR, cars are continually built and rebuilt. Race teams need products they can count on that will not only meet the high demands of on-track action, but also will perform with precision and efficiency in the shop. Some of the 3M products used for this include:

A perfectly smooth finish could be the difference between celebrating in Victory Lane or going home to an empty trophy case.

Once the chassis is built and the body is hung, 3M products can be found cleaning up welds, filling gaps and imperfections, smoothing body filler and preparing the car for paint. In the prep and painting phase, team members get the job done with these 3M products:

Racing side-by-side at speeds of up to 200 mph, accidents are sometimes inevitable. 3M’s products are used to help get the car back on the track quickly on race day. 3M Cubitron II Cut-Off Wheels – Discs for cutting all metals 3M Cubitron II Fibre Discs – For removing paint, welding nuggets or surface imperfections 3M Cubitron II File Belts – For metal grinding applications 3M Cubitron II Roloc Discs – For removing paint, welding nuggets or surface imperfections Tools

In the shop or at the track, several 3M tools and systems are used throughout the entire process. Teams are able to take advantage of 3M’s advanced tool lineup for everything from car construction, finishing, repairs, and rebuilding. These 3M products can be found both at the shop and on the pit box:

Milwaukee Tool has introduced the new M12 FUEL Bandfile, which delivers fast spot removal, unmatched control and greater mobility and access in application.

Milwaukee Tool has introduced the new M12 FUEL Bandfile, which delivers fast spot removal, unmatched control and greater mobility and access in application, delivering increased efficiency and accuracy on the job.  

Available in both 18- and 13-inch sizes, Milwaukee’s new bandfiles provide professional automotive technicians with the fastest spot weld removal on the market, driving increased productivity and improved performance on the job. Harnessing the power of M12 FUEL technology, these bandfiles deliver a best-in-class material removal rate and are resistant to belt slip, offering a pneumatic performance without the hassle of hoses, cords or routine tool maintenance. When equipped with an M12 RedLithium XC 4.0 battery, users can remove up to 50 spot welds using the 18-inch bandfile and up to 40 spot welds with the 13-inch bandfile on a single charge. 

The green SATAjet X 5500 FUTURE spray gun is not only a reference to nature, but also a symbol for harmony and hope — especially for the future.

These updates have introduced a “manage photo” feature, allowing techs to launch the camera or upload existing photos to scan reports, special test and calibration reports.

Paired with the asTech mobile app, the asTech Mini delivers the functionality of thousands of OEM scan tools in a powerful, pocket-sized device.

The TC001 transforms a smartphone or computer into an IR thermal camera, giving users superior image quality to assist in diagnosing a wide variety of issues within a vehicle.

I can think of no other industry where a young man or woman can start in an entry-level position and excel to an extremely comfortable living — without ever going to formal schooling or training.

The podcast featured Michael Giarrizzo and Graham Threlfall discussing how body shops will need to operate in the future to survive.

The SCRS has published the results of their blend study research project, concluding that blending, on average, took 31.59% more time than a full refinish.

BendPak has introduced the Ergochair, a new brand dedicated to helping technicians work more comfortably.

The information source for the collision repair industry.