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Mr. Sleath specializes in applied vehicle dynamics using subjective and objective methods for vehicle evaluation, testing, and development. These methods may be applied for the tuning of a vehicle’s steering, ride, handling, or tires. His experience has been with cars, SUV’s, and light trucks including extensive work with trailer towing. Mr. Sleath has testing and evaluation experience on four continents: Europe, South America, Australia, and North America, including driving venues such as the Autobahn, the Nurburgring, and the Outback, and many test tracks and race courses in North America.
Prior to joining Exponent, Mr. Sleath was employed by Ford Motor Company for over 33 years, with 25 of those years spent testing and developing suspension systems for various Ford Motor Company products. He was a senior member of the suspension development teams for several Explorer, Expedition, Ranger, and Lincoln LS models. As a Vehicle Dynamics Technical Specialist, he was an internal corporate consultant for applied vehicle dynamics worldwide. Mr. Sleath was also recognized as a senior level experienced evaluation and test driver with the company’s highest-level rating: Tier 4. As a Tier 4 driver, he was responsible for not only vehicle evaluations, but for training and mentoring of less experienced and junior employees for safe vehicle evaluation techniques. Mr. Sleath’s professional responsibilities required him to author hundreds of test reports and to present many technical presentations relating to vehicle development and the use of objective measurement techniques.
Mr. Sleath is an honorably discharged combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps with one combat tour in S.E. Asia. Mr. Sleath has been a race car driver and race car engineer for 20 years and is currently campaigning a S2 sports racer at the national level with the Sports Car Club of America. | 