NASCAR racer Jason Leffler with Kyle Busch Motorsports KBM drives his vehicle down the Shuttle Landing Facility runway.

At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASCAR racer Jason Leffler with Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) drives his instrument-laden vehicle down the three-mile-long Shuttle Landing Facility runway. In the background, at midfield is the Control Tower. The operation is part of KBMs’ program to test aerodynamic and real-world capabilities on one of the flattest surfaces in the world.

Racing teams have been using the runway for testing since 2008. KBM signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA to use the facility’s runway. Photo Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett