The magnetic levitation test track has two strips of magnets running along the outer edges of the aluminum track. Vehicles are mounted on a chassis that has 4 magnets at the corners with reversed polarity to the magnets of the track. The chassis levitates above the track because of the opposing forces of the chassis magnets and the track magnets.
Vehicles move down the track because of gravity.
To increase the importance of aerodynamics a squirrel cage fan is mounted at the lower end of the track and blows air up the track. The fan has a switch that controls the airspeed. A guage allows precision adjustment of the fan. When a car is released at the top of the track it passes between a light and a sensor. The absence of light causes the sensor to signal a timing device to start the timer.