Driving Force of 1500 kg Car: 22600 N

[moshrom]

Homework Statement

A racing car of mass 1500 kg, is accelerating at 5.0 m/s2, is experiencing a lift force of 600 N [up], due to its streamlined shape, and grounding effects of 1000 N [down], due to air dams and spoilers. Find the driving force needed to keep the car going given that μk = 1.0.

Homework Equations

Friction=μ x normal force, Fnet=ma

The Attempt at a Solution

This is probably an easy problem. I've done everything else on my page, but this one just doesn't make sense for some reason. The question asks for 'the driving force to keep the car going.' I assumed this is the force required to counteract friction minus the force of acceleration... Though I'm probably wrong. The question is either poorly worded or I'm missing something. Why would a net downwards force affect anything?

The given answer is 22600 N. Thanks, all help is appreciated.

 

[ehild]

Well, the text of the problem wants you to determine the driving force which is needed to accelerate the car at the rate of 5m/s^2, if the normal force is the resultant of gravity, lift and the grounding effects.

ehild