Drag Racing Scene Winter 2016 by Xceleration Media

INSIDE -28 PAGES OF HARDCORE TECH

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AND WE ARE A NEW WORLD OF STREAMING EVENT COVERAGE

VOL. 2, ISSUE 4

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In This Issue 56 Drag Racing Scene Vol. 2, Issue 4

Features

24 DRAG RACE REPORT 34 NMCA SEASON REVIEW

A feature on X275 heads-up drag radial racing Twenty-nine years later and muscle car racing isn’t slowing down yet

40 OZZY MOYA 42 TOP FUEL BREAKDOWN 50 TOP DRAWER DRAGSTER Four dragstrips and growing

Anatomy of a 3-second hot rod

This dragster stands out in any pit filled with hardcore bracket racers

56 YELLOW BULLET 72 LIFE ON THE STRIP 72 AND WE ARE LIVE 78 PLANTED IN THE WEEDS

The “type A” personality of drag racing events COMP Cams’ Tim Cole is a racer’s racer A whole new world of streaming event coverage Craig Sullivan’s Pro Modified gets attention sitting still, demands attention on the track

86 GROWING UP WIGGINS

Values formed around drag racing

2 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

YELLOW BULLET

PLANTED IN THE WEEDS

20 TOP 5 TECH

Five points for effectively dampening your racing engine

NMCA SEASON REVIEW

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Departments FOR 4 FUEL THOUGHT

Letter from the editor

6 DRAG NEWS

Important happenings in the drag racing world

ON THAT 16 STOMP LOUD PEDAL Feuds, fate, and friendship

BORN TO RACE

Marvin Benoit

From ‘talk’ to a dream come true Drag racing apps, sites, and social media

Cool online videos

Commitment, control and challenge: think like a winner

Wet ‘n wild winner circles

Track tested! Safety first!

14 IN FOCUS

Photography of Bill Swanson

FIVE POINTS FOR EFFECTIVELY 20 DAMPENING YOUR RACING ENGINE From ATI Racing Products

30 WATERED DOWN

Aerospace Components water pump keeps its cool when the competition heats up

38 DISTRIBUTOR DEBATE 54 FLEXPLATES OF THE FUTURE

Tackling the distributor vs. crank trigger debate

10 TOP ELIMINATOR 19 DIGITAL GUIDE 11 VIDEO REWIND INSIDE THE 94 LIFE AT THE HELMET 12 DRAGSTRIP TRACK TESTED

Tech

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New TCI 29.2 lightweight flexplates check all the boxes for racers

60 FLUID THOUGHTS 82 OXYGENATED FUEL 90 IS PUSHROD FLEX LIMITING POWER? Do you want to save dollars or your transmission From VP Racing Fuels Inc.

The simplest link could be your weakest

SPECIAL THANKS

The staff of Drag Racing Scene would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the talented photographers that supplied images found in this issue. Steve Vreatt: cs-motorsports.com Jeff Kline: facebook.com/racingoutlawz Bryan Epps: facebook.com/bryan.epps Chris Simmons: facebook.com/chrissimmonseventphotography Mike Galimi: facebook.com/mike.galimi Brian Beers: https://www.facebook.com/brian.beers.33 Carl Skillman: facebook.com/carl.skillman WR (Bill) Swanson: plus.google.com/11479350977550614573

DragRacingScene.com 3

e: tsilvey@xcelerationmedia.com

Butts in the Bleachers vs. Technology

he motorsports grandstand is kind of like a high maintenance girlfriend. When you keep her engaged and entertained, it’s all love and kisses. But, when interest wanes in the slightest, your sport may get the “let’s just be friends” letdown. It wasn’t too long ago I stopped in my tracks to view a NASCAR event on television and saw the grandstands — a noticeable view of the grandstands — meaning, you could actually see large sections of seating for the lack of spectators. Did you know NASCAR has dictated that the backs of all event grandstand seats are to be painted with varying colors of white, blue, red, etc. so when empty, they appear to be full for the panning TV camera? There are a thousand reasons why a spectator may choose not to attend any sports event and far fewer reasons why they do. Dragstrips of the ’60s were filled to capacity with spectators watching 12-second Impalas and Coronets compete. It is not that drag racing is not as entertaining today; in fact, it is far more of a spectacle to behold. Its enemy, though, is the world features far more “things to do” on a Saturday afternoon. A drag racing promoter or track operator may attempt to scientifically calculate the economy, ticket prices, event format, race classes, etc., but it all comes down to that fickle girlfriend. The ways technology can interact with drag racing rapidly changes. Coverage evolved through recent decades from viewing the sport through television and a stack of printed magazines to a glut of coverage on personal computers, video, the internet, cell phones, smartphones, social media, and now live streaming events on digital devices. When creating the feature story “And We Are Live!” in this issue, I heard of the pushback during the inception of this new avenue for entertainment. Event promoters immediately formed the opinion that the ability to view the Source: Facebook event live online will end attendance in person. Tracks have recently even made the decision to forbid attendees from using their cell phones to stream videos, a violation meaning potential ejection from the track. In the feature story in this issue, you will read about how these live streaming entrepreneurs ultimately proved with statistical data how the new technology does not hinder the live sport, but rather accentuates it. At a recent event, I struck up a conversation with an onlooker in the pits watching teams going through their typical between-round thrash. This new friend could recite every statistic for each racer. We all know that guy who can tell you who was the pitcher and their statistics for the Dodgers in 1985. Well, this dude was drag racing’s version of that ultimate statistician. I asked him if he followed the racing series or a team and he told me, “Oh, no way. My job wouldn’t let me. But, I watch all on the races on the internet (sometimes at work, he added) and get time off to attend events that are within a day’s drive to me.” The bottom line is, how many people will not attend a race from a very long distance because of live streaming, compared to the additional draw of fans who watch many streaming events and are quick to attend drags closer to home? That aforementioned fickle girlfriend is not going to break up with you if you show her a good time. Work harder on creating a more entertaining sport, and then you have something that generates interest through live streaming entertainment. That will ultimately put those butts in the bleachers. DRS

4 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Staff Operations Director Shawn Brereton Group Publisher

John Nichols

Editorial Director

Todd Silvey

Senior Tech Editor Tech Editor

Jeff Smith Richard Holdener

Contributors Lisa Collier Mike Galimi Brandon Flannery Chris Simmons Dan Hodgdon Steve Vreatt Tami Eggleston Clay Millican Michelle Furr Darr Hawthorne Bryan Epps Advertising/Subscriptions Ivan Korda Jon Ertz For advertising inquiries call 901.260.5910.

Copy Editor

Cindy Bullion

Production

Hailey Douglas

Art Jason Wommack Todd Silvey Drag Racing Scene is published quarterly to promote the growth of drag racing as well as recognize the parts and services from participating manufacturers. The magazine consists of dedicated information from partner companies with the mission of disseminating unfiltered editorial on companies, products and services directly to drag racing participants and fans. Editorial content and advertisements for each issue can originate from partner companies participating in the magazine. Drag Racing Scene is a hybrid of content that was originally published at DragRacingScene.com and original content that was created for this quarterly print magazine. Magazine distribution occurs through direct distribution from parent company Xceleration Media and partner companies. Drag Racing Scene is a property of Xceleration Media. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent from Xceleration Media. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

Cover ON THE

Ron Muenks taps the nitrous in his Pro Modified during the PDRA Memphis Drags event. Photo by Brian Beers.

Social Shoutouts

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ene llican’s Drag Racing Sc If you enjoyed Clay Mi h Clay wit iew erv int tch the live column this month, wa pa ok ge. SEMA on our Facebo and Doug Herbert at e ranging wid d ss this heartfelt an You don’t want to mi A EM mS 6 #LiveFro interview. #SEMA201

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Drag News PRESENTED BY

Exclusive interview with Kenny Nowling as the American Drag Racing League returns Earlier this summer, the American Drag Racing League (ADRL) announced its return. ADRL President and CEO Kenny Nowling missed being involved in drag racing. He has been managing an MMA league in St. Louis, along with an Arena Football team. He was asked by Larry Jeffers, owner of Jeffers Motorsports Park, to announce for the 440 Outlaw Series. Jeffers and other partners invested heavily in bringing ADRL back. In November, ADRL held its first event in three years and announced an eight-race schedule for 2017. DRS sat down with Nowling to discuss his plans. DRS: What happened at the final race that ended so badly for you and the ADRL? Nowling: The 2013 “Battle of the Belt” at Rockingham Dragway, when so many racers went home without payment, bothers me a lot. I had never promoted a race without having the money from the sponsor prior to the event. I trusted someone who I thought was my friend and I got burnt. We had paid out over a million in purses and prior to that event, I challenge anyone to say I or the ADRL had not paid them everything that was advertised. It was a bad situation and I learned a valuable lesson. Advertising a payout of that magnitude without having the money in hand was foolish on my part. I should have cancelled the race. I had to live three years without drag racing. It’s very important in my life. So, when Larry called me, it was great. DRS: How did you get involved with Larry Jeffers? Nowling: Larry and I are friends. I hadn’t been to a dragstrip in three years, so he asked me to announce his 440 Outlaw race this spring. That was the first step to getting me back in drag racing and Larry has always been a great friend, who always believed in me and supported ADRL. He was the first one to write a sponsor check in 2013 when I bought back the organization. Larry was able to raise the investment needed to bring ADRL back and has asked me to be President and CEO so he can focus on running his businesses. 6 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

DRS: What changes do you have in mind for ADRL? Nowling: No matter whether tickets are free or not, you still have to put on a quality show. In any live entertainment, whether it’s drag racing or MMA fighting, people are spending hard-earned money and expect to be entertained. If you don’t get value out of that ticket, you won’t go back. That is our entire focus for the ADRL 2017 tour. We have to put a great product on the strip, which is why we’re diversifying and trying some new things. We’re trying 1,000 foot racing, bringing in new classes such as Alcohol Funny Car and Dragster, and NHRA-legal Pro Mod. In those three categories, we’ll follow the NHRA rules to the

dragster categories because the future of the sport is very important to me. DRS: You took a risk holding a race in St. Louis in November – what was your ideology? Nowling: You just don’t know on any given day what the weather will do. St. Louis averages highs in the upper 60s and lows in the upper 50s in November, that’s great for racing. It was important to get ADRL back on the radar before closing the 2016 season, and it was the only date Gateway had available. We used it as a momentum builder before the PRI show and also as a test. 90 percent of the ADRL staff is returning to work with us again. Our staff needed to get re-acclimated since it’s been three years away. DRS: You took a risk holding a race in St. Louis in November – what was your ideology? Nowling: I’ve got a great team of people. Bubba Corzine oversees the competition side. Rick Moore is head of tech. We brought in Ashley Kellough, who has been around drag racing for many years and has done everything from working live events to being general manager at the Texas Motorplex. She’s a tremendously undervalued asset in the drag racing world, and she is overseeing our sales and marketing department.

Kenny Nowling (holding microphone) thanks Larry Jeffers for his efforts to revive the ADRL during the returning Dragstock event at Gateway Motorsports Park.

letter. Also on the 1,000 foot will be Extreme Pro Stock, Top Sportsman, and Top Dragster. Our two 1/8-mile classes are Outlaw Pro Mod and Pro Extreme Motorcycle, which we also hope to move to 1000 feet next year. Our Outlaw Pro Mod class, short of a few minor changes, mimics the NMCA rules for Pro Mod, allowing all different combinations including turbos, nitrous, and blowers. We have both of our junior

DRS: What are your dream goals for 2017 with the ADRL? Nowling: It is my goal to regain the trust and respect of the racing community. My name and the ADRL have always been synonymous; it’s up to me. Our biggest goal is a safe and successful season and by that, I mean everybody gets home safe and everybody gets paid. And, we want to grow each race, both from participation by racers and the spectator gate. If we do that, the spectators will continue to come, the racers will come, and the sponsors will return. Humbly, the ADRL saw a tremendous amount of growth from 2006 to 2010, and I just want to start that cycle over and get the ADRL back to where it was before we did sell it.

XM magazines being distributed to active military

Xceleration Media Group, in partnership with Operation Care Package is proud to announce we have joined forces for our Armed Forces. Xceleration Media’s print magazines will now be available to thousands of U.S. troops deployed overseas through Operation Care Package, a volunteer 501(c)(3) charity. Operation Care Package’s developed distribution network reaches thousands of service members throughout the world. This partnership means military car enthusiasts now have access to all of Xceleration Media’s print titles: Drag Racing Scene, OneDirt, Power & Performance News, and Street Rod Life. “We send thousands of packages to deployed military every year,” says Debbie Bennett of Operation Care Package. “But we cannot do this without the continued support of so

many individuals and businesses such as Xceleration Media.” Print magazines are often the only way troops can stay connected to the automotive hobby abroad, as access to the internet can be limited. Recognizing that many military personnel are gearheads at heart, Xceleration Media knows a large percentage plan out their builds and buy parts while deployed. “Whether it is street cars or race cars, our mission is to Engage, Educate, Entertain, and Enhance the automotive enthusiast community,” says Shawn Brereton, Director of Operations for Xceleration Media. The magazines are available through Operation Care Package which has already started receiving requests. Military members are encouraged to contact them through the website: operationcarepackages.org

The first female wins NHRA Super Gas national championship Congrats to 22-year-old Mia Tedesco, the first woman to win the NHRA national title, clinching the championship during the Division 7 LODRS season finale at the Strip at Las Vegas Speedway. Tedesco won two Super Gas races this season, a national event, and a Division 3 race at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois. She’s held the lead since the summer, and no one could catch her. She had to wait on competitors Tommy Phillips and Brad Pierce, who

were her closest challengers. “It’s been a pretty crazy year,” Tedesco said. “That’s funny. My goal was to win a national event this year, go rounds and have fun, so when I started leading, I thought, That’s pretty funny. I’ve never done that before. Once I started leading, I led until now, and it was incredible.” In addition to the Super Gas national title, Tedesco also won the NHRA Division 3 Super Gas and Top Alcohol Dragster championship.

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Drag News PRESENTED BY

Rickie Smith continues storied Fundraiser brings career with another championship in $20,000 for

cancer research

Rickie Smith’s amazing drag racing career continued this year with his third NHRA Pro Mod world championship in four years. He clinched the championship at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the Pro Mod season finale, needing only to qualify for the field of 16 in order to earn the title over Troy Coughlin. Smith led the points chase all season long, with a win at the first event and appearances in the finals for the first three events of the year, adding a win at Atlanta and another final round appearance at St. Louis, as well as a semi-final finish at Norwalk. Rickie has won a multitude of titles including two IHRA Super Modified titles, five IHRA Pro Stock world cham-

After raffling off a special drag racing engine, Kowalski Racing Engines in Campbell County, Virginia, was able to write a $20,000 check to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The organizer, J.C. Childress, had hoped to sell 100 tickets at $100 each, but ended up with over 200 tickets sold.

pionships, an ADRL championship, and two prior NHRA Pro Modified world championships. Additionally, he has earned many honors including the IHRA Pro Stock Tuner Award and being named the No. 1 Mountain Motor Racer of All-Time. He and his son, Matt, who won in Pro Stock Motorcycle, became the only father and son to win NHRA championships in the same year during 2013.

Girl earns dragster through lemonade stand sales Seven-year old Skylar Klassen spends weekends at the track with her dad, a chaplain with Racers for Christ. The Winkler, Manitoba, girl who loves drag racing saw there were racecars available for kids to drive and set her mind to getting one of her own. She spent the summer selling lemonade at a local farmer’s market to earn the money to buy one of her very own. When she came home one afternoon in October, she was very surprised to find a racecar sitting 8 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

in her backyard. She didn’t expect to be able to buy one for a few more years, but when her dad found the car for sale and told the seller Skylar’s story, the geneous seller wanted to help. She’ll also have sponsorship from local businesses who will provide support. The second grader is thrilled and has chosen to name her car “Smarty Shorts”. She’s ready to rock and looks forward to her first trip down the 1/8 mile in spring 2017.

The winning ticket was drawn by Gage Johnson, 13, who is a former St. Jude cancer survivor. He pulled the ticket held by Jeremy Hackworth from Huddleston, Virginia, as the winner of the engine. Childress felt good about what he was able to accomplish and hopes to make this an annual fundraiser, with next year’s money slated for the Wounded Warrior project.

Drag racing in India for first time India is set to witness its first ever drag racing event during India Speed Week for three days in December. The platform is for everyone who wants to participate or be able to enjoy the drag races. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) and the West Bengal Government gave the go-ahead for the event. The racing will feature both two- and fourwheeled vehicles. Promoters are hopeful the racing can be held in additional cities after review of this first event.

Verdi guarantees himself a spot in drag racing history Jeff Verdi, who lives and usually races locally in Virginia, decided to go big bucks racing and came home with not one, but two wins in Million Dollar format events in 2016. Jeff’s first big win came at the Spring Fling Million at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He followed that up with the win on October 22 at Montgomery Motorsports Park during the 21st Annual CARS Protection Plus Million Dollar Drag Race, where the winner’s purse before any splits was $300,000 to the winner. What makes the feat more incredible is he did it with his 1968 Pontiac Firebird pulled on an open trailer behind his 1999 pickup truck. He’s had the car for a while and is very comfortable behind the wheel. “I usually race a couple of points championship series at my local tracks,” Jeff says. “I won my third in a row last year at Richmond Dragway and was trying to make it four in a row this year. Toward the end of the season, I decided to go to some big money races and missed a few points races, so I finished lower this year. I had the money from winning the Vegas race to go race some bigger events. But, I didn’t win any other races other than the one in Vegas and the one last weekend, so it’s interesting to win two of them.” Jeff’s Pontiac was built in the early 1990s by friends who also race locally. They back-halved the car, added ladder bars and double adjustable shocks, leaving much of the car stock. Jeff says his car makes him look good.

“I went to the big money race at Motor Mile Dragway, and in two days, I ran dead-on 16 times,” Jeff continues. “When you can do that well dialing-in, and the weather stays stable, people will remember that, then hit the tree too hard and red-light a lot. So, it’s my car that makes me look good.” Jeff also has a good luck charm in Jerry Long, who is a long-time friend and helper. “He’s a Pontiac man and builds all of my engines and transmissions for me. He is old school and a good guy to have in your corner when you’re going to the races. He was with me in Vegas, as well as at Motor Mile Dragway and now at the race in Montgomery. Every race I went to without him I didn’t do as well, so he’s going to stick with me now.” For 2017, Jeff is ready to return to Vegas in the spring and also plans to run at Montgomery next fall. He’ll be racing his trusty Pontiac Firebird and pulling it on the same open trailer with the same pickup truck. “I like what I’ve got, and I’d rather put my money into a shop,” Jeff says. “I’ve had a couple of dragsters and an enclosed trailer, and I just don’t want to worry about that stuff now. I don’t like my car being rained on; over the years, it does get a little more messed up than it could be. But, towing down the road, it’s like nothing is behind the truck. For long distances, I couldn’t imagine taking a motorhome and a big trailer and going 700 to 1,000 miles. That’s just not what I like. I like to stroll with my truck — it’s a lot easier, you know.” Randy and Jennifer Folk award Jeff Verdi his SECOND million dollar check for 2016. (Photo: Chris Simmons)

Highlighting an individual who has helped promote the sport of drag racing whether on or off the track.

A Career Of Ingenuity

arvin Benoit is an innovator, someone who sees a involved because they used his building to start the busipart and wants to create a solution for racing carness. “I couldn’t do it all by myself,” Marvin says. “My buddy, buretors, components, and beyond. He is a lifetime Richard, was a big investor. He was my crew chief for my experimenter who just wanted to strike out on his own and race car for many years. Marty got involved because he wantmake new and better parts to help racers as well as his own ed to be out on his own too. He invested a small amount racing program. He opened his business to create his own of money into the business and came to work with me as a carburetor lines and fuel delivery products, which quickly great friend and partner until he passed away in 2009.” grew Quick Fuel Technology and Marvin Benoit into a “I never sat still with the business,” Marvin says. “Every well-respected name in motorsports carburetion. time we redesigned something, racers acknowledged the “I had some ideas I wanted to try on my own,” Marvin improvements.” remembers. “So, basically it all started in the back of an RV Marvin continues to compete in Super Gas, Super Stock, shop. My wife, Ruth, did some remodeling of the building and Nostalgia Super Stock with his stable of cars and enjoys and started moving in the equipthe camaraderie with the other racment we had. When we were ready, ers. “Ideas come from talking with we started making parts. other racers, but they also come “We soon began developing new from my own participation in the products, either changing an existing sport,” he says. design for the better or starting with He is well-respected not only as a a clean sheet of paper and coming sponsor of several events including up with something totally new,” Marthe JEGS Super Quick Shootout, vin says. “The first innovation we prothe NHRA SPORTSnationals, and duced was the unique power valve the 40th Halloween Classic, but also that Dave Braswell and I designed as sponsor of Michelle Furr’s Super together. He accomplished the basic Gas roadster. concept, and I made it work. We kept “Marvin is a self-made man who coming up with just one piece at a has built his business into greattime. We started out with the original ness,” Michelle says. “I am blessed pro fuel bowl that Braswell had, and that I met him and I know how then we engineered the noted BAT lucky I am to have him on my team.” Bowl (billet anodized throttle bowl), Marvin is as “hands on” innovator. His own street perCustomer service has always which is a fuel bowl design still used fomance carburetors quickly progressed to motorsports been a top factor for Marvin and development. In the past 17 years, Marvin’s innovative today. We originally had 3-4 patents he knows that’s very important for products make up his long list of accomplishments. on that one.” spreading the word about his innoMultiple new ideas in carburevative products. “That’s where we tion have been developed and proexcel,” he says. “I was always trying duced by Marvin and his team. In to help people come up with good 2005, Marvin developed the perforideas to make things better plus less mance carburetor body equipped expensive. I always want to deliver with choke provisions. “This was more to the customer than they exa newly designed body with many pected. All of these fancy adjustable state-of-the-art features,” Marvin things in carburetors were highsays. “The adjustable back and the end stuff at one time. I made it less secondary pod was a big deal for us expensive to do that, which makes it too. After the first version, we coneasier for the savvy racer to tune.” tinued working on new ideas and Marvin is slowing down with his engineered a diecast version of it recent retirement, but knows he Marvin’s years of racing have been a platform for where you could adjust the second can’t quit “cold turkey” after nearly main without changing the springs addressing new designs based on curing fuel system 20 years guiding his company. “I problems. out. It was an adjustment that was a found a niche in the world because big thing we called the “Quickset” for years.” I could react more quickly to what’s happening with the From there, Marvin’s ideas for street performance market than the big corporations who couldn’t.” carburetors quickly moved into innovating a completely Marvin finishes. “I’ll continue to assist as a consultant, redesigned line of race carburetors. “We designed race and I’ll keep my fingers in developing carburetor parts carburetors on an aluminum main body, and we did the big and pieces. My daughter, Angela Neely, is going to open carburetor kits out of that body,” Marvin says. a carburetor modifying shop that specializes in Super Marvin’s original three-person team included his Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street style carburetors, so I’ll be involved with her as well.” DRS partners, Marty Brown and Richard Casebeer. Richard got

10 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Video Rewind

RACING / PRODUCT / ENTERTAINMENT

To watch all the videos below, head to:

DragRacingScene.com/video-rewind

Meet Jeff Smith, the Technical Editor for Xceleration Media

As the technical guru for the Xceleration Media family of magazines. Watch the video and hear about his love for cars and how far back it goes.

No Mercy 7

Sit on the line at No Mercy 7 and feel the power! Watch as the racers come right at you. There are nine great production videos on our YouTube page.

Sema Show, Day One

The 2016 SEMA Show kicked off with the 50th edition of the automotive aftermarket’s largest trade event. Take a look around the SEMA show floor in this fast-paced, two-minute video.

Speaking of Sema

See lots of great SEMA videos on our dragracingscene.com video rewind page. We interview great personalities like Mike Ruth talking about the latest in the Nostalgia Pro Stock racing scene.

Amazing Nitro Funny Car Wheelstand One of the wildest wheelstand videos of all time as Cruz Pedregon is somehow able to control his funny car after the nose points straight up into the air.

For original content head over to DragRacingScene.com/videos.

8-second Sleeper

Unassuming 4-door Malibu by day, and a terror at the dragstrip by night! From its stock appearing red wheels, to the patina paint, just don’t overlook this car when the hood is closed. DragRacingScene.com 11

Wet ’N Wild Winner Circles

inner Circle celebrations have always been a favordrivers than photos I’ve taken in the winner circle. I’m not ite part of my job. It’s always great to see someone going to name any names, but there happens to be a bracktake home a Wally, Ironman, or just a trophy, et racing family from Bradenton that has something to do especially if it’s their first one. Nowadays, it seems it’s the with the Million Dollar race and a race car shop from Du“Big Check” hanging in many drivers’ trailers that means rand, Illinois. If you end up in the winner circle with this the most. I can’t say who came up with it, but I think it’s group, you need to bring an umbrella, because they certainone of the best ideas ever. ly know how to celebrate! It doesn’t matter if it’s for One thing that hasn’t a junior dragster racer for changed since racing be$250 or from a million gan is that shooting a windollar event, every driver ner circle photo is the displays those proudly. easiest photo I’ll shoot. It As I look back over the doesn’t matter if it’s Top last 30 years, I’ve shot hunFuel, sportsman, or a judreds of winner circle celnior racer. Those drivers ebrations, and one thing will never forget those I’ve learned is to be ready wins, regardless of how for anything! You never many times they are fortuknow when 20 team memnate enough to end up in bers will start spraying unvictory lane. limited cans of silly string. One of the highlights Although I no longer have of my job is being able to those images, back in the provide an image that will day, Norwalk Raceway Park last forever when a driver took it to a level I never decides to call it a career, could’ve imagined during or even to look back a week the team parade photos. later to put a smile on his/ An all-out war took place her face as they recall that between teams on the startmoment. In the end, that’s ing line, and every can in all that’s left after a real the area must have been check is cashed and depospurchased and emptied ited into the bank. that night. You couldn’t The next time you imagine the disaster left make it into victory lane, behind. It was so bad the make it a memorable one race was put on hold while because you never know they scraped the entire when another will happen. starting line, because it Not everyone will have 50 wasn’t easy to remove. to 100 wins in their racing In the following years, careers like Scotty Richardwe moved into the dreadson or Frank Manzo, but I ed ice buckets and coolbet they’ll have a story for ers. I was often included every photo they bought, in getting the drivers set whether it was win 23 or 50 up in a precise spot so that NHRA wins, as Peter Bionthe crew could sneak up do recently accomplished. From Norwalk Raceway Park’s “silly string incidents” of the ’90s to the with that freezing ice waFind that track photograrecent use of coolers and icewater in the winner’s circle, drag racers have ter. I was always 100 perpher or pull out your cell perfected the art of celebration. cent behind it, anything to phone and capture those help sell a photo, right? It is so easy to set a driver up for it, memories. It will be a great thing to share when someone although one time, I didn’t do a good job. I got a little too says, “Hey, do you remember that time in the winner circle?” close, and unfortunately, an expensive camera ended up getI can also say that when drivers have invited me in their photing destroyed by the water in the ice chest. to as part of their celebration, it’s something I won’t forget either. Then, there is the traditional and popular winner circle Until then, if we happen to see each other in the winner celebration. It is my least favorite since I can’t stand the taste circle, someone, please bring me a Mai Tai instead of a beer, or smell of it, but what does almost every driver want after a and I will celebrate with you all night! DRS win? BEER! I’ve seen more cans sprayed and poured over

12 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Track Tested! Safety First!

he old cliché of the only person you can rely on is yourself holds true when it comes to safety in drag racing. The powers that be in the motorsports world, like SFI and NHRA/IHRA, can only recommend the proper safety equipment. Ultimately, the burden is upon the person strapping into the car to ensure all of his or her gear is up to spec. There are some who feel that safety is a personal issue, so if the driver doesn’t care, then it shouldn’t matter. Kind of like there are no victims, only volunteers, but that shouldn’t ever be the case. Race officials have a moral obligation to enforce the safety rules for the sake of the driver, other competitors, and the families and friends who have to deal with a tragic outcome, no matter how big or small. Unfortunately, today there are some competitors out there who take advantage of the system, and it is race officials’ obligation to work with those enthusiasts to make it right. Safety has been thrust back into the limelight after some high profile accidents and a growing — and scary — trend in the street car market. On the high-profile side, the near blow-over by Stevie “Fast” Jackson at the recently completed No Mercy 7 event has some people asking why wheelie bars aren’t required. Wheelie bars as a safety spec item has always been a big question mark in our market, and it is something that I am not going to tackle. However, I would like to focus on some observations of the accident from an in-car video. In the video, it appears Jackson is wearing all of the required equipment, which for those who don’t know, a methanol-burning combination has different fire safety requirements than a car on gasoline. But one glaring mistake amongst all of his appropriate gear, including a HANS device, is that Jackson’s helmet visor was up. In the case of a fire, having the visor down gives the driver more time before the area around his eyes gets burned. If nothing else, we should learn from accidents, it is a stark reminder that the visor plays an important role in protection.

There is a comfort level as one spends more and more time behind the wheel on track so sometimes dropping the visor is a forgotten act. Luckily, Jackson didn’t suffer any serious injuries, thanks to a very well-built racecar and the proper safety gear. But, if a professional driver like him forgets to put down the visor, then there are many others who make the same mistake. There is a growing trend in the fast street car segment where chassis certification/limits are being completely ignored with the battle cry of “it is a street car,” and a SFI-spec cage (25.5, 25.3, 25.2, etc.) is expensive. It is easy today to go fast with any well-built street car for the right price — the seven-second package usually involves throwing on a turbo or centrifugal supercharger and adding all of the supporting equipment. The new cars are well built from the factory and include excellent crash testing development that has led to crumple zones and rollover protection. Despite these awesome OEM benefits in new cars, the SFI rules are very clear-cut on when you need one of their certifications. Does a funny car cage impede on a vehicle’s street worthiness? Yes. There are head trauma concerns about basic traffic incidents and the trouble of climbing in and out of the vehicle. Has anyone ever thought about wearing a small brain-bucket style motorcycle helmet with a funny car on the street? It isn’t an ideal situation, but the same risks on the street are also present at the drag strip. SFI and the sanctioning bodies that require their roll cage specs are concerned about your time on the drag strip. Personal safety should be number one because in the end, you’re responsible for your safety, and you owe it to your family and friends to give yourself the best chance to walk away unharmed. From basic habits like putting your visor down and ensuring your belts are tight to making sure your fire gear and vehicle safety equipment are up to spec for the speeds and elapsed times that you are running. And if some upgrades are too expensive, it doesn’t cost you anything to park the vehicle until you can make the necessary changes. In the end, it is your well-being that is at risk. DRS DragRacingScene.com 13

IN FOCUS

BILL SWANSON PHOTOGRAPHY

How did you start in motorsports photography?

My first time trackside was at the Northstar Nationals at Brainerd in 1988, I was assigned to do some research photography on John Force’s Funny Car, trying to get some overall photos for layout, along with decal applications on the car. From there, I started going to the dragstrip more often. I have also done road racing photography, as well as karting. I have always been interested in cars and racing. That was just my first opportunity to get out there on the starting

line, rather than just shooting from the stands like I had in the past.

Who has influenced your photography?

The first people who influenced me were guys like Jon Asher and Steve Reyes. Dave Freedman, the Shelby team photographer, was also an influence.

What sets your photography apart from others?

Everybody is trying to do the same thing out there on the starting line, shooting cars going down the track. I try to get more of the story about the people who participate in drag racing, rather than just the

action shots. That is something I am always on the lookout for, and that’s what I enjoy accomplishing.

What types of events do you ordinarily shoot? What tracks do you frequent?

I am usually at local things around the Chicago area and local organizations like the Midwest Nostalgia Pro Stocks. I also go to Top Sportsman events at Gateway Motorsports Park and have done NHRA national events, as well as Lucas Oil Series. But my interest is in shooting the local guys and trying to get them some coverage.

For even more info and pics, search “Bill Swanson” at DragRacingScene.com.

14 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4 3

What camera, lenses, lighting, etc. do you use?

I work with a Canon AE1 and am currently using a Canon 7DMark II. I shoot mostly with two lenses, an EF16-35L for close-up work and tight shots, and an EF 28-300L that is my workhorse. For lighting, I use a Canon Speedlight 430X and some remote bulbs. I use LED lighting here and there trackside when it is appropriate.

Where can people find your photos?

You can view them in different places such as competitionplus.com, Drag Illustrated, and of course, Drag Racing Scene. I also have a Google+ page.

DragRacingScene.comâ&#x20AC;&#x192;15

Feuds, Fate, and Friendship

t the time I entered my Top Fuel racing career in IHRA, the big man on the totem pole was Doug Herbert. Doug moved to NHRA competition, where I followed after scoring some IHRA championships myself. Doug and I matched up in the first round of the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in 2002. We were the first pair during live television, and each of us decided that neither of us was going to stage first. It turned into one of the most talked about Top Fuel burndown situations ever. He and I sat there with the top bulb on for two minutes until it got to be dangerous and NHRA starter Rick Stewart shut us off. Doug decided to come over and have a talk with me. I was looking up at this big fellow, and I realized there was a reason for the nickname, “Dougzilla.” The talking turned into a shoving match in front of the crowd and the viewers on television. Needless to say, Christmas cards were not exchanged over the following years. In 2008, Doug lost his teenage sons when they were involved in a head-on car collision near their home. I sent condolences, but we were still not buddies. It was at this point that fate brought two guys who were adversaries to ultimately share so much. Soon following Doug’s tragedy, we were paired together at the US Nationals. My son Dalton, a motocross racer like Doug’s boys had been, had a broken collarbone and was sitting in the front of our tow vehicle. Doug walked over, hopped into the front seat, and had a conversation with him. At that point, I truly was over anything that had happened between us. I knew he couldn’t have this conversation with his kids any longer and any ill feelings toward this man were just silly. Doug started the B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe) program after their loss. They wanted to create a driving program that would help prevent other families from experiencing the same loss by teaching young drivers to be more conscientious and have better skills behind the wheel. I got involved with him a little more at that point. We did some public service announcements and some fundraising efforts together. Then in 2015, my wife, Donna, and I lost Dalton in a motorcycle accident. Doug’s tragedy had passed to me. This past year during a fundraiser in Charlotte, North Carolina, Allen Johnson gave Donna and me a B.R.A.K.E.S. school to be held in our hometown area near Memphis, Tennessee. That was a tremendous gift, and we both knew we needed to make the most of it. I spent time talking with Doug about what makes a successful school, and he flew to Memphis. We visited the high school that my entire family had attended, as well as other schools. Memphis International Raceway, my home track, do-

16 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

nated the use of their paved-oval track to hold the event in August in conjunction with the World Series of Drag Racing. That weekend, 144 kids attended the four classes, split between Saturday and Sunday. It takes a lot of work to hold these classes, and you need a lot of volunteers to make it a success. Several buddies of my late son volunteered in the hot Memphis heat that weekend. The first part of the day goes through things you’ve probably done wrong all of your life, including seating position, where your hands go on the wheel, even adjusting your mirrors. The program also includes many emotional videos by Doug that grab the kids’ attention. He explains in the videos that if he didn’t do anything after the loss of his two sons, it would have been a crime. The incredible driving trainers that help at these events range from secret service instructors to movie stunt drivers. The driving sessions teach everything from accident avoidance, skid control, brake control, and even “drunk goggles” to show what it’s like to drive when you’re impaired. These teens left with more respect for the most docile family sedan. Knowing that 90 percent of all drivers are going to have an accident during their teenage years, after the B.R.A.K.E.S. class, that number is reduced down by 64 percent. It is incredible to think this program could make that big of a difference. Having the school during the World Series of Drag Racing was awesome. I raced the Great Clips/Parts Plus car at night, and during the day, people like Big Daddy Don Garlits, Larry Dixon, and Del Worsham came over to visit the classes, which made even a bigger impact. I am impressed with what Doug has created after his tragedy, and Donna and I want to make this happen again. Allen Johnson and Memphis International Raceway are going to help us bring another school back to the Memphis area. We plan to visit even more schools and make this a huge tradition for our hometown area. Please find a B.R.A.K.E.S. school near you and take your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, or grab the neighbor’s kid and make sure they don’t become a teenage statistic. DRS For much more information about the B.R.A.K.E.S Teen Pro-Active Driving School, visit their website: putonthebrakes.org Clay Millican is a 6-Time IHRA World Champion Top Fuel dragster driver who now plies his trade as the driver of the Parts Plus/Great Clips T/F dragster in the NHRA. You can follow Clay’s exploits throughout the season at claymillican.com. @claymillican @claymillican Clay Millican @stringerracing @stringerracing Stringer Performance

From ‘Talk’ to a Dream Come True

he season has wound down and we have started the Green and travel on to our very first Indy, the race everyone rounds of the trade shows. I was very excited to attend needs to race at least once. It’s hard to balance work/kids/ my first ever SEMA trade show and very much enjoyed school to make it work. Ruth Benoit was so nice to send me the chance to be on the Las Vegas strip on Halloween night. home in her new Camaro to pick up the kids while Rick travIt’s ironic that one of the greatest adventures of our raceled on with the Quick Fuel Technology group to the track. ing career began as “talk” at the PRI trade show in Indy last Since we have had an unbelievable year in the Camaro runDecember. After trying for years to get NHRA to consider ning Super Street, we decided to take a knife to a gunfight running Super Street on the national level, I had the idea with a Super Street car running Super Gas. we could take the awesome group of partners we work with One of the best moments was when Rick called me from and build a Super Gas car. On the trip home, I received the tech lines at Indy to say, “You know, here I am in tech the call that we were buildat the Kentucky Derby with ing a car, a one of one, numa milk cow when we have ber one edition 2017 Cora thoroughbred sitting in vette C7 Z06 Roadster. Nine Florida!!” ‘Elsie’ was born, months later, we debuted a and what an awesome job dream come true. she did! Even though I had Marvin Benoit is one of to take another bite in the the smartest men I know, stage bulb to cut a light, we the man we call Papa. Marmade it to the fourth round vin’s call on the way home before breaking out to evenfrom PRI made our dream tual winner Tommy Phillips. a reality. We weren’t getting Now on to the trade any old used chassis to build shows. Working a trade show a Super Gas car, because as is one of my favorite things with everything in Marvin’s to do, although Rick can tell life, if you are going to do it, you I’m a really shy person, it’s going to be done right. so it takes me awhile to get Marvin called his old friend going. It’s a great time to and builder of his ’33 Ford shake the hands of the peoRoadster, Richard Earle. We ple who make it possible to had already talked about racdo what we do and say thank ing together with Marvin and you. One of the questions I’m Angela as much as possible, asked most often is, “How do hence Papa Motorsports was I get people to give me stuff?” born! Well, that’s simple…you Suncoast’s Richard Earle don’t. It’s about what you can built an awesome car that’s do for the companies that sell Richard Earle handled the final fitting for Michelle. She says, “He told me the products we use. We are unbelievable to drive. Richthe only reason he was there was because Marvin Benoit had faith in me ard is a great guy; a highlight as a driver and he trusted Marvin’s opinion.” blessed to be partnered with for me was seeing his grin afmany of the best in the busiter the 9.90 pass. He works with Pro Stock teams, and it was ness, but none of them that we weren’t a customer of first. amazing to have him lining me up and giving me direction You can be the best driver ever, but if you can’t talk to peowhen we went to test. What a moment in a racers career. ple, sell the product you use, and be approachable, it doesn’t In 2016, I made it to five finals. A Sportsnational win and matter. Everything you say is heard, even the comments some semi/quarter final finishes have left us first or secabout competitors’ products. In this world of social media, ond in NHRA Division points. After several new car issues you make a choice what you want to put out there. A mentor and not a lot of time to test the day before, my first full pass once told me he had heard “building meaningful sponsor down the track was round one of eliminations at the Carorelationships is much like dating... you wouldn’t expect to get lina Nationals, where we ousted Jason Kenny on a double married on the first date, and to make a lasting relationship it break out. Second round when Steve Hoyt went .001 red, I takes trust, complementary goals, and alot of work.” ran the Corvette out to an unbelievable 9.906 at 165 mph. When you walk up to a booth and they reach out to Third round, we were hit by new car mechanical issues when shake your hand and say “thank you for doing what you said you would do for us”, it’s the best! DRS the throttle stop linkage came apart midway through the run, slowing the car. Reynolds, Georgia, would be our next See more on Michelle’s new Corvette and supporting parthers on the Furr outing, where we continued battling some new car blues. Racing Facebook page at: FurrRacing Our original plan was to debut the Corvette at Bowling

18 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

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FIVE POINTS THAT LEAD TO GOOD PROTECTION FOR YOUR ENGINE

Words: Todd Silvey & David Caine

TOP 5 TECH Words Todd Silvey

ngines in general are prone to the laws of attrition. The more power you make, the shorter the life span. It’s that simple. But there is something you can do to prolong engine life, whether it be in your Pro-Mod racing program, diesel tractor-pulling rig, or in your weekend hot rod. The “Torsional Vibration Damper” has two main responsibilities: First, it is going to help ‘absorb’ harmful harmonics created by the many moving parts in your engine and second, it’s going to help prevent what’s known as ‘torsional twist flex’ of the crankshaft.

The ATI Super Damper cutaway shows the inertia ring (red) mounted between the inner hub and outer shell. This inertia ring and its elastomer o-rings (black circles) provide the necessary dampening of the engine harmonics.

Imagine, at just 5,000 RPM of any engine, the pistons come to a stop and change direction more than 166 times per second. Now imagine a stroker crankshaft and 7000 RPM or more; longer travel and more cycles per second. After you’ve laid out your hard-earned cash to buy or build a new bullet, why skimp on the one piece that can actually help it live longer? What we are about to learn is what the damper does and why a good damper is so important. A good damper will help protect your investment and help provide miles of trouble-free fun. From transmission components to their Super Dampers, ATI’s in-house machining capability to .0001 tolerances can create precision assembly clearances. 20 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

1. Elastomeric Damper Design:

The ATI Damper is a modular design. Every application is made similarly and many parts are interchangeable. The

two basic pieces are the hub and the shell assembly. While some part numbers include additional accessory drives, the two aforementioned pieces are the basic foundation for the ATI Super Damper. The ‘hub’ is the center piece that has an interference fit onto the crank snout. This interference fit is critical for the damper to properly do its job. The ‘shell assembly’ consists of an inner and outer shell which house the ‘inertia ring’ which is surrounded by Elastomer O-rings on all sides. David Caine from ATI Performance shared his thoughts on why their Super Damper is the most capable damper on the market for any engine. “The ATI damper is easily rebuild-able and the individual parts are readily available for replacement when and if necessary. ATI dampers can be custom tuned to your application. There is a selection of durometer ratings for the Elastomer

O-rings that surround the inertia weight in the center of the damper. The ATI damper is ‘tune-able’ in the regard we can use harder or softer rubber as required by the combo. Different weight and diameter inertia rings combined with various durometer combinations can provide broad adjustability to ensure the best protection possible for your investment.” “Many people aren’t aware of the differences between our design and the OEM’s or even our competitors for that matter,” David explains. “A stock style damper is simply a steel inner hub with a steel outer ring and a ‘rubber band’ of sorts melted in between the two. There is no way to maintain concentricity with this design. The outer ring can begin to move and then you lose the accuracy of your timing marks, which can be catastrophic to the engine. The ATI unit is bolted fast and cannot move, no matter what happens so you know your timing mark is accurate without a doubt. The lower levels of our competition simply copy the OEM design and make it a little prettier and top it off with an SFI certification, but you’re still not getting any better protection than the OEM piece.” 2. Extensive Testing: ATI tests their dampers real time, on real engines through the complete RPM range. They measure both harmonics (officially referred to as ‘order number’) as well as the torsional twist of the crankshaft and know what combination of parts is going to work best to protect your particular engine. The crankshaft stroke, RPM Outer Shell

One of the more prominent features of the ATI Super Damper is its tune-ability. The durometer and the inertia ring are the two key pieces that allow them to create a damper exactly for the customer’s needs.

range, and HP level are key starting points in choosing the right damper. JC Beattie tells us, “When I am damper testing, I measure the crankshaft twist, the first direction is away from its natural ‘home’ location. When the crank tries to revert back to that original location, the momentum makes it travel past home.” The name of that crankshaft twisting action is measured in “degrees of twist, peak to peak.” This is what robs you of

horsepower when there is nothing to counteract that twist. ATI also measures the “order number,” determining where it is the worst and then works to find the correct combination of pieces to eliminate that harmonic. JC maintains a hectic test regimen when it comes to his ATI Super Damper research and development and has been testing dampers for over 21 years

Inertia Weight Crankshaft Hub

Damper Bolts O-Rings

Inner Shell

DragRacingScene.com 21

Options such as Gilmer belt drives for blowers, OEM-style serpentine belts, and even cam drive belts can be designed into the ATI Super Damper.

ATI tests their dampers real time, on real engines through the complete RPM range. They measure both harmonics (officially referred to as ‘order number’) as well as the torsional twist of the crankshaft and know what combination of parts is going to work best to protect your particular engine.

22 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

When possible, an advantage to utilizing a damper with the belt drive incorporated into the outer shell is the opportunity to move the stresses of the belt drive further inward to the engine, thus decreasing stresses on the outer end of the crank snout.

now. For example, he was recently at two Nascar engine shops in one week, working diligently on new combinations to ensure the programs got exactly what they needed. You can’t leave anything on the table in that arena and every single half of a horsepower counts! 3. Damper Tunability: One of the more prominent features of the ATI Super Damper is its tunability. David stresses, ”Unlike any of our competitors, the ATI damper is tunable through the use of harder or softer rubber (or any combination thereof) as required by the application. This is combined with the correct inertia ring and we have many combinations to ‘fine tune’ the damper. The durometer and the inertia ring are the two key pieces that allow us to create a damper exactly for the customer’s needs.” The ATI inertia rings are made from steel and can range from 4-inch to 10inch diameters and weigh between 2 to 23 pounds, depending on the specific application. The elastomer rings can vary from 40 to 90 durometer hardness. The majority of dampers for common applications leave ATI with a combination of rubber that has been tuned over the years to perform best. 4. Rebuildable: A reasonable rebuild program is not a sign of weakness in the ATI damper design. Many racers send their damper in for a cost effective rebuild at every major overhaul of their engine. “Many racers don’t touch them for years, and they are just fine,” David says. “In most 800 hp and lower applications, maintenance is rarely necessary, but we recommend a service at least every ten years. When you get above those levels, about the same time you are replacing rings and bearings at a greater pace, you should also go through your damper. It’s as simple as replacing the O-rings and we offer standard “overhaul” service for all of our dampers.” This includes new elastomer rings, hardware and a fresh SFI sticker. Many engine builders and savvy racers have their own ATI Damper Rebuilding Tool Set (available from ATI) which allows them to easily and correctly disassemble and reassemble the Super Damper. The ATI catalog and website list replacement elastomer O-ring sets along with all of the other parts that are readily available. With a standard OEM style damper, there is no maintenance available.

If the rubber begins to fail, the damper will absorb fewer harmonics and can even cause new ones, which can lead to premature engine damage and/or complete failure. When the outer ring typically separates from the inner hub entirely, the OEM style damper can literally come apart and that can do all kinds of damage, both internally and externally.

ously does not allow the harmonics to transfer to the damper. On the other end of the spectrum, too tight of a fit between the crank and damper hub is also a bad alternative. “For example, crank snouts around the 1.5-inch diameter mark require a .0007 to .0010 interference for proper harmonic transfer,” David says. “Tol-

erances tighter than that can over-expand the hub of the damper causing it to split, usually at the keyway.” So following the directions and verifying your aftermarket crankshaft OD is a critical step. Occasionally, the hub must be ‘honed to size’ when an aftermarket crank snout is oversized. DRS Source: ATI Peformance Products Inc., atiracing.com

5. Highest Tolerance Machining and Clearances: Tech wise, the

interference fit of the damper hub to the crank snout is a perfect example of how ATI machine finishes many of their products to the ten-thousandths of an inch for a good reason. A critical example of their machining accuracy is illustrated by the interference fit between the crankshaft snout and the damper hub. “When a customer measures a crankshaft snout, they will call our tech department and say it’s 1.47 inches in diameter,” David says. “Our response is ‘okay friend; you’ve got to keep going.’ There is a precise window for proper interference fit, which is responsible for transferring the harmonic to the damper where it is ‘absorbed’.” Many racers understand the theory that a loose fit to the crank snout obvi-

Racers have a choice of sending the rebuildable Super Damper to ATI for inspection or updates. Many savvy shops and race teams utilize the ATI Damper Rebuilding Tool Set for regular inspection and maintenance.

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he X275 class in the world of Outlaw Street racing is one that may not be considered the “top class” during major events, but is definitely a popular category during which the grandstands remain full to see big power funneled through ladder bar suspension and 275 drag radials. The class was created in approximately 2008 as an effort to provide a more affordable approach compared to its fellow “small tire” radial category, Outlaw Drag Radial. Ironically, as the X275 class grew exponentially in performance (and costs) during the past few years, yet another class designed as an affordable option has spawned – Ultra Street.

A simplistic description of the current X275 rules include: Bodies from standard manufacturers utilizing stock body lines, OEM steel roof and rear quarter panels. In the early days of the class, engine rules stipulated a small-block design with a nitrous only power-adder. A maximum cubic inch limit of 470 cubes was the rule for the day. Today, nitrous and turbo chargers are allowed with a base car weight of 2,300 pounds. There are various weight penalties based on engine options. Most events now allow up to 588c.i. A little bit of homework is required to follow the rules necessary between

DRAG RACE

REPORT

cars, cubes, cylinder heads, power-adders, and track variations in the current X275 class. The chassis for X275 are restricted to factory frame rails with OEM wheelbase, along with the car’s factory geometry in the front, with OEM or ladder bar suspension in the rear. The class also has strict rules for retaining a factory stock interior and firewall. You can find a number of sources for detailed rules online that are very uniform between many different Outlaw Street events. We spoke to a number of dedicated X275 competitors about their

5 7 2 X dial

ag Ra r D p U s d a He

Words: Todd Silvey Photos: Carl Skillman & Steve Vreatt

For heads-up racing designed with simple rules and affordability, the X275 class has continued to build amazing performance and popularity. Shannon Hamilton launches all four tires off of the ground at the DuckX-No Mercy event in 2015. (Photo: Chris Simmons)

24 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

take on the class and their version of competing in this version of the headsup Outlaw Street genre of drag racing. William Blackie and Shannon Hamilton compete together from the central Georgia region. William concentrates on tuning and construction, while Shannon shares in spinning wrenches and the driving chores. Charles Hull is also from Georgia and is a dominating name when it comes to winning race results in X275 competition. Brian Mungul hails from Nottingham, Maryland, prime X275 territory, where he is a regular “hitter.” Dean Marinis is a hardcore “match race anything” kinda guy from New York and has made a name for himself in X275.

Outline your X275 combination

Brian Mungul: ”I run a 1972 Nova that I’ve had for over 10 years. It started out as a street car and slowly transformed into a 10.0 index car and then to Ultra Street, and now I’m running it in X275 this year. It has a 582c.i. big-block Chevy with single stage fogger and is Holley EFI fuel injected. I use a twospeed Powerglide from Virginia Speed Race Cars and an Ultimate converter. It is a standard ladder bar car, as per the rules. This is my first year in X275. We ran Ultra last year with intentions to go X275 because we basically changed the entire drivetrain set-up. We ran the same engine, but introduced Holley EFI to it. We spent last year learning the car in Ultra before we introduced nitrous to the engine. This year has been a strong year for us and we’re taking steps in the right direction since adding nitrous. “

William Blackie and Shannon Hamilton: “Our car is a Fox body Mus-

Charles Hull tells us that his crew chief is his 16-year-old son, Davey Hull. X275 racing is Davey’s life and he will take over driving the car in the next year and a half.

tang, and we use a 588c.i. big-block Ford with the A-heads that were ported by Philip Mogley. I built the rest of the engine, and it has around 12.5 to 1 compression. It makes a little over 1000 hp on the engine and, we’re spraying about a 700 throttle on top of it. We use a Sid Neal Powerglide with 1:58 first gear, and it has a Sheppard Race Car nine-inch with 3:90 gears in it right now. Shannon is the owner and driver, and I built the engine. Best time was 4.78 at 150 mph so far.” Dean Marinis: “The 2000 Mustang was built as a grudge car before we decided to go race with Yellow Bullet in 2011. We slapped some radials on it, and we qualified No. 3 at the track the first time out with those on it. It’s a stock suspension with Racecraft components and Santhuff shocks. I use a big-block Chevrolet engine built by

Bischoff at BES. We use Speedtech nitrous, and we’re only allowed a single kit, conventional headers, cast intake, single carburetors. We have a lot of limitations in the class, but the car is making about 1,950 hp. My car still has power windows in it, and other than the carbon fiber hood and front bumper, it’s all original steel on the car. I like the fact that I have a stock console in the car, stock dashboard, and door panels and it maintains a somewhat stock appearance.” Charles Hull: “I have a ’92 Mustang Coupe with a Bennett Racing engine, 300c.i. with billet heads. We run everything from John Bennett. We use a Mark II two-speed transmission. In X275 trim, we run an 85mm turbo made by Precision Turbo. We have all Racecraft rear end. There is nothing really different than For even more info and pics, search “X275 Drag Race Report"at DragRacingScene.com

Brian Mungul likes the competitiveness and the camaraderie among the racers. He says they are a great group of guys and gals. DragRacingScene.com 25

Dean Marinis started racing his Mustang as a grudge car before he decided to go X275 racing. A 1,950 horsepower big-block Chevrolet puts the power through the ‘Stang’s stock-style rear suspension.

anybody else’s car. We run on a 275 tire wherever we race, just for the continued experience, and have been running the class for about three years now.”

Describe X275 competition

Charles Hull: “It is very competitive

and there’s always a high number for car count. The payouts are decent most of the time. They are just all over the country, and we could go to a race every other weekend. I’ve been running the class for about three years now.” Brian Mungul: “I like the competitiveness and the camaraderie among the racers. It is a highly competitive, heads up class and just plain fun to race. I got to know the group of racers when I was running Ultra Street. I’d hang in the pits, just watching and getting to know them. They are a great group of guys and gals who will welcome you, support you, and are all very helpful.” Dean Marinis: “It’s a different animal. You don’t know if the car is going to spin or if it’s going to wheelstand. It’s a 3,000-pound car on a 275/60/15 Radial, and getting it to run 1.05 60-foot and 440 at 160 is pretty respectable. It’s pretty exciting, and it drives like crazy. People say, ‘Hey I have the same car and it’s my daily driver.’ That’s pretty cool that it looks like a mild-mannered car that people drive to work. I’ve been racing the class for about five years now.” 26 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

William Blackie: “I like the challenge of tuning the car chassis. It’s really hard for us to compete though, with the endless pocket guys. There aren’t a whole lot of guys using the big-block Ford combinations like we use.” Shannon Hamilton: “This is just a door slammer car that’s fast and running heads-up. It’s somewhat of a budget class and I’ll leave it at that. It has gotten kind of carried away, but I still like it. Racing is my addiction. The thrill of being part of a big show is good for us. We go to these backwoods tracks, not great tracks, and the car will get down that track.”

What is it like to tune for X275?

Dean Marinis: “That’s the magic, you know. There are a lot of adjustments to the chassis, a small tire, and a lot of power in these cars. If you don’t hit the

set-up right, you’re going to end up in a wheelstand or spin the tires. It’s different conditions, and you can’t just set the chassis and let’s run all day. Every lap, we make adjustments to the car and I look at weather conditions and changing gearing and suspension. Your suspension is constantly being tuned for the track you’re at and the combination you’re running.” Shannon Hamilton : “You never know; we’ve pancaked an oil pan a couple of times when the track can’t hold it. We had been doing some testing on some slicks last year and had a good tune-up in it. I put a radial on it and went to South Georgia Motorsports Park. She hooked and stood straight up. I looked at the Racepak computer, and by the time I got on the button to the time she was back on the ground was one second flat.

X275 EXTRA Hamilton tells how drag racing helped him through daughter’s tragedy Shannon Hamilton started drag racing when he was 19 years old. After he got married and had children, trying to race a car while taking care of a family just wasn’t in the budget, so he got out of racing. He and his current wife, Alicia, were looking for something to do on a Friday night and went to Atlanta Dragway. The bug bit Shannon once again and two weeks later, they had a car. His daughter, Cecily, loved watching him race. “She was a cheerleader, and she cheered me on while taking videos of me racing,” Shannon says. “We got into heads-up racing as time went on and started running X275.” Then, in March 2015, the Hamilton family lost their daughter, Cecily Mcree Hamilton. She and her boyfriend died in a tragic automobile accident. Cecily had been a varsity high school cheerleader and did very well in school, with her goal to be a marine biologist. The accident hit the family hard and Shannon no longer wanted to have anything to do with drag racing. “I was blank,” Shannon says. “I cared about nothing. As time went on, I needed to clear my head. Racing is one of those things that can just occupy your mind and keep you from going insane. William Blackie told me that I needed to move forward in life, and he pushed me to get back in the car. I brought the car back out and put her scholarship program stickers on the car, and we race to represent Bringit4Cec.org now.”

Shannon and Alicia, along with Cecily’s mother, Brandi, and stepfather Josh Poole, started the nonprofit organization to keep her legacy alive. “Cecily had a frustration that baseball players got scholarships, and football and basketball players got scholarships, but there were not many scholarships for cheerleaders,” Shannon says. “I remembered that conversation after her accident and we said we’ll change the game and start a nonprofit organization to provide scholarships to cheerleaders.” The organization not only contributes a portion of their proceeds to benefit teen driving programs to prevent the top causes of teenage automobile accidents, through a partnership with B.R.A.K.E.S. (See page 1617 of this issue), but they also contribute 5 percent of their net proceeds to local cheerleading programs. Within a year, they had fully funded their goal to provide scholarships to students at two local high schools and have a goal to open the process to additional schools in the area, and eventually expand to the state and the nation. “This year would have been Cecily’s graduating,” Shannon says. “We’re giving out $30,000 in scholarships this year. So, that’s awesome. It helps us carry on her legacy by helping girls with their future who would not have been able to do so.” Bringit4Cec.org

Charles Hull: “We’ll be back for X275 in the spring. We definitely have a few tricks up our sleeve and will make a few changes over the winter. We plan to also run all of the NMCA races next year as well, but we love X275 and all of the cars. There were 59 cars in the class last weekend, and we made it to two cars in the final.”

What is the future for X275?

Brian Mungul: “That’s a tough call,

William Blackie says, ”We definitely are going to stick with X275, just because we want to be a big-block Ford that qualifies. We are going to put some water injection on it and some bigger solenoids so we can get 1,000 hp on the single stage. That will make us more competitive.”

My brain was quick enough that when it came up and I saw the lights, I blipped the throttle and most of the time it would come back down when I do that. This time, when I blipped the throttle it got even crazier. The next thing I heard was the back wheels spinning and we were off the ground, so it was time to abort the mission. It was a great picture, though!” Charles Hull: “It is a very reliable set-up. We pull the valve covers and run the valves every two passes. We run a very high lift camshaft and that’s basically our maintenance program.” William Blackie: “Those Menscer Motorsports shocks are really worth their money. We can set them and not make many changes the rest of the weekend. We had some problems with the car where we were spinning, but since we

had help from Menscer, we haven’t had to touch them much and it pulls 1.11 60foot times with a pretty soft tune-up.”

Is X275 your permanent class?

William Blackie: “We definitely are going to stick with X275, just because we want to be a big-block Ford that qualifies in X275, and we want to be in the running. We’ve had a really good season with the new combination in the car. And for us to go out and already be running 4.70s with no more test time than we’ve got on it, the car has the potential to get down in the 4.50s. 4.50s aren’t normal for every race, but 5.0s will get you in the money. We are going to put some water injection on it and some bigger solenoids so we can get 1,000 hp on the single stage. That will make us more competitive.”

Dean Marinis talks about driving an X275 machine.“It’s a different animal. You don’t know if the car is going to spin or if it’s going to wheelstand. It’s pretty exciting, and it drives like crazy.” 28 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

but I think it will keep getting crazier. You’re looking at some of the top running guys in the 4.40 range right now. I think it will continue to get faster as some of these guys get more comfortable with their set-ups. I’m also curious to see where the rules go — will there be more rules changes in 2017 because of how competitive the class is getting? I perceive being around in the future, it is just a matter of where the rules go. I think they’ll stay pretty consistent across the nation, so as long as they do that, it just depends on your set-up. I think the blower guys may be a little more boisterous over some of the rules changes, since some of the frontrunners have been blower cars. There haven’t been as many changes for us nitrous guys.” William Blackie: “I see the class getting bigger and a little faster. I also foresee some rules changes over the winter, but I don’t think that will slow it down at all.” Dean Marinis: “I can see it always progressing. We’re going to always want to go faster. If we were done, it wouldn’t be fun anymore. We’re constantly picking away at it. I’m pretty excited to see where it goes.” Shannon Hamilton: “The cost of the class is just going to keep going up and up. There have been debates on should we pull the class back to keep it a budget class. But, Ultimate Street came in to be the budget class and now X275 is going 4.70s to be competitive, so I don’t see it stopping. Everybody is working hard, chasing power, and it’s going to give kudos to these guys who are able to get a 275 tire down the track this fast. Those guys who can accomplish that are putting in the work, the testing, and the money, and doing what they need to do. Anybody can go out with a big tire and wheelie bars and a bunch of power and get down the track. Anybody who can do this without wheelie bars, tremendous power, and get straight down the track running 4.0 ETs on the 1/8 mile, that’s impressive.” DRS

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DragRacingScene.comâ&#x20AC;&#x192;29

DOWN

WATERED

Aerospace Components Water Pump keeps its cool when the competition heats up

s I typed this story in the heat of summer, the heat index was pegged at 101 degrees with the humidity and air temperature combined. Though itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooled off now in the fall, for many racers across the country, triple-digit heat is a part of life during certain times of the year. Now is a good time to think about your cooling system. Even in milder conditions, a properly operating cooling system will keep your engine running smooth-

30â&#x20AC;&#x192; Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Dave Theisen bolted an Aerospace Components water pump onto his 611c.i. big-block Chevy to help keep the water temperature under control on the 1,200-plus hp combination. With its naturally aspirated engine, the car runs high 7s at over 170 mph in heads-up NMCA competition.

ly and consistently as water circulates through the engine, staving off hot spots in the cylinder heads and block. An integral part to the cooling system is the water pump, and practically a standard in drag racing is an electric motor to turn the pump. Without a wa-

ter pump, the coolant (water in drag racing applications) couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t circulate through the engine, into the radiator to get cooled off, and back into the engine to soak in more heat. Aerospace Components has tapped into its engineering and manufacturing prowess to deliver

The Deuschle Family operates four racecars: three Top Sportsman and a Super Gas entry. Each one is equipped with a variety of Aerospace Components products, and Ricky Deuschle, the driver of this ‘02 Camaro, said their water pump has been a great asset during the summer months.

Inspecting the water pump reveals the excellent machine work and assembly for an uncompromised racing component.

a durable and high-functioning electric water pump. “We all know how hot it has been this summer and the (Aerospace Component water) pump met those demands; it performed as good as it looks,” said noted NMCA racer Dave Theisen, who competes in the heads-up category of NA 10.5. His 1969 Pontiac Firebird is powered by a 611c.i. big-block Chevy that routinely pushes Theisen into the high 7s at nearly 175 mph. The current line-up of Aerospace Components water pumps covers bigand small-block Chevy, small-block Ford, the 4.6L and 5.4L Ford Modular engine families, and

size, 12- or 16-volt electrical system, and any water restrictions will have an effect on the flow rate. The water flow pushed by the pump is sufficient to keep the engine cool during longer drive cycles or in higher horsepower applications that have high-compression or a power adder — both are contributors to higher cylinder pressures, leading to greater heat production from the engine. The electric motor that Aerospace Components includes on its water pump kits has a very low draw of just 4 amps. Limiting the amp draw of components means it lessens the tax on the electrical system, leaving plenty of juice for other systems like throttle stops, delay boxes, massive electric fuel pumps, lights, etc. And lest you think the low amp draw

a universal kit. Each water pump retails in the $400 range, keeping it affordable given its exceptional capabilities, quality. Plus, it pays back to NMRA, NMCA, and NMCA WEST racers in the form of contingency cash rewards for the winner and runner-up finishers. Aerospace Components water pumps are capable of flowing 37 gallons per hour (gph) in most applications. Obviously, the line

The Aerospace Components water pump line includes applications for small- and big-block Chevy, small-block Ford, plus a remote mount water pump. Pumps also can be ordered with different inlet fitting sizes and locations.

DragRacingScene.com 31

comes at the cost of the motor’s capabilities, the Aerospace Components water pump motor is rated for continuous duty. Like so many other Aerospace Components products, Al Kussy incorporated a lot of aluminum into the water pump’s design. Every water pump setup, from its universal pump to the big-block Chevy kit, includes a 6061 T6 billet aluminum housing and impeller. Additionally, a high-performance shaft seal is utilized for longevity and durability in the harsh racing environments. Aerospace Components also includes stainless steel hardware in all of its kits. For those who require a remote-mounted water pump or repurposing it for use in an air-to-water intercooler system, the company sells a universal kit. It has a single one-inch NPT inlet and two ¾-inch NPT outlets. For the big-block and small-block Chevy and Ford applications, they offer a choice for the inlet fitting size, and each one of those kits clears most aftermarket camshaft belt-drive systems. NMCA West racer Ricky Deuschle said it best when he described the water pump and his other Aerospace Components products. “Boy, what a product!” He went on to tell us that as a career machinist, he is very impressed with the quality, as well as the performance, of all the Aerospace Components parts he runs on the family’s racecars. How does it work in the real world? Deuschle offered a story about his re-

Aerospace Components took great care in adding an electric motor which was not only durable and powerful, but also offers a low amp draw of only 4 amps. The water pump is designed to clear most belt-drive systems on big-block and small-block Chevy and small-block Ford applications.

Announcing kimmysgarage.com Kim Kussy has developed a new business venture based on her marketing experience with Aerospace Components. Her recent effort, titled Kimmy’s Garage, is an extension of her efforts to provide informative and instructional videos concerning their Aerospace Components product lines.

32 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Always on the forefront of providing news and technical information on Aerospace Components products, Kim has created Kimmy’s Garage on their YouTube page. There you can find over a dozen informational videos on their product lines. These videos range from a static test demonstration of their Billet Aluminum Vacuum Pump system to instructing the use of the Aerospace Components Pro Eliminator PowerGlide Shifter. “I set up a specialized video production studio to help promote my company’s product lines,” Kim describes, “I discovered how much I enjoyed the video production process and have seen my brand awareness and sales increase for Aerospace Components. Now, I’m looking forward to partner-

ing with other performance businesses to help promote and sell their product lines as well. Let’s get started!” Visit the new website at kimmysgarage.com, follow the Facebook page at facebook.com/KimmysGarage, or give Kim a call at 727.344.0091.

cent outing at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. The Deuschle family runs three Top Sportsman racecars and a 1969 Camaro Z/28 in Super Gas, each equipped with virtually the entire Aerospace Components catalog of parts. This particular race weekend saw 100-degree weather in Southern California. Any experienced bracket racer knows that as elimination day wears on, the time between rounds diminishes. With just 20 minutes to cool down and prepare the cars, Deuschle said his car and his sisters’ rides were all pushing their water temperature needles to 200 degrees or more. A quick flip of a switch activated the water pump for each car and within 15 minutes, the temperature dropped to a more acceptable 130 degrees. The quick cool down allowed the cars to perform without the risk of popping a head gasket or experiencing another failure from high water temperature. The water pump might not be the latest go-fast goody like a new supercharger or a set of cylinder heads, but in the heat of racing, particularly in the summer months, keeping the engine ready for action is vital to getting to those late rounds of competition.

That includes maintaining reasonable water temperatures through the burnout and during a pass down the quarter-mile. Additionally, a racer can run a quality electric pump for extended

time in the pits keeps water circulating to cool down the engine before the next round of eliminations.” DRS Source: Aerospace Components, aerospacecomponents.com

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NMCA 2016 FOR

Twenty-nine years later and muscle car drag racing isn’t slowing down

Xtreme Pro Mod’s 200-plus mph battles on the 1/8-mile. NMCA is hailed for fair rules across nitrous, screw and Roots blown, and turbo combinations. Class champion Tim Savell is the pilot for the Bankston Boys Racing Camaro using a nitrous-enhanced Pat Musi 965c.i. big-block. 34 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Words: Michael Galimi Photos: Courtesy of NMCA

he National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) has wrapped up its 29th season — its 11th under the tutelage of ProMedia Publishing and Events — and it could’ve been its best yet. The series began as a car show circuit in the 1980s, but has grown into a mix of a muscle car drag race and car show with an outlaw element. The NMCA is also credited as the birthplace of fast street car racing, a concept it still clings onto, with competitors taking factory-built cars and converting them to drag race machines from 3,000-HP Radial War entries to a sealed spec engine class that goes mid-10s. Throw in a variety of index categories, bracket racing, and a car show circuit and there is something for everyone on the six-race schedule. As it looks towards its 30th birthday next year, the NMCA competition continues to evolve and remain on the cutting edge of the muscle car and street car genres. This year showed expansion

Crew chief Brian Robbins makes some adjustments before sending Randy Adler and his Pro Mod to another 3.7 second - 200 mph pass.

into two new markets and growth in the outlaw elements of the series as NMCA introduced Factory Super Cars for the OEM-spec racecar programs and a larger presence of the Factory Appearing Stock Tire (FAST) group. Both show its resolve in staying relevant with the modern muscle car, but still keeping its heritage with the 1960s-era cars. On the outlaw side of the coin, Xtreme Pro Mod is the headliner with a cutting edge class that puts supercharged, turbocharged, and nitrous entries against each other. Radial Wars and Street Outlaw continue to lead the way in the market with fast radial racing; one is virtually unlimited, while Street Outlaw is the fastest-growing 275 spec radial class. And with longtime standard in small-tire racing, Xtreme Street, the 7-second action was fast and full of variety. Rounding out the heads-up classes is old school big tire Nitrous Pro Street,

As the heads-up categories get a lion’s share of attention, the Nostalgia Super Stock ranks is perhaps NMCA’s most popular category in terms of participation. Class stalwart Doug Duell competes with his unmistakable 1964 Plymouth Fury wagon, nicknamed “Draggin’ Wagon.”

DeWayne Mills, the winner of NMCA Radial Wars at Joliet, lines up against Aaron Bates who won the NMRA Renegade class in a staggered start, no break-out race. The team pairings are decided on by NMCA/NMRA officials. The winning team walks away with a cash bonus and the coveted Nitto Tire Diamond Tree ring.

2016 NMCA

CHAMPIONS

Track preparations are a serious thing at NMCA as they bring in some of the best. Traction gurus Tyler Crossnoe of Dream Team Traction Consulting and Kurt Johnson from Total Venue Concepts perform pre-race work at each facility.

VP Racing Fuels Xtreme Pro Mod Tim Savell Mickey Thompson Radial Wars DeWayne Mills Holley EFI Factory Super Cars Kevin Skinner ARP Nitrous Pro Street Joe Bucaro Wiseco Street Outlaw Jacky McCarthy Edelbrock Xtreme Street Eric Kenward

Quick Lane of Downs Ford 10.5 Michael DeMayo Scoggin Dickey Chevrolet Performance Stock Glenn Pushis ATI Performance Parts Nostalgia Super Stock DW Hopkins Detroit TrueTrac Nostalgia Muscle Car Andy Warren MagnaFuel Open Comp Chuck Hockenberry E3 Spark Plugs Top Sportsman Shawn Morrow DragRacingScene.com 35

This year, the NMCA officials rolled out the Victor trophy, a tribute to Vic Edelbrock for his support for this type of drag racing.

a throwback to the original Pro Street movement, and Chevrolet Performance Stock with its sealed crate engine and 10-second time slips. Two naturally aspirated categories also adorn the NMCA line-up: NA 10.5 for true 10.5 tires and high 7-second runs, and the low 7-second Pro Stock category. Then there is the usual assortment of index classes with Nostalgia Super Stock, Open Comp, and Nostalgia Muscle Car. The season kicked off in Florida at Bradenton Motorsports Park before moving north to Atlanta Dragway for the NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals. The traveling championship series then hit Beech Bend Raceway (Bowling Green, Kentucky) and Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis on its way to the famous NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing at Route 66 Raceway (Joliet, Illinois). The season concluded at the renowned Summit Motorsports Park (Norwalk, Ohio) in front a record crowd and overflowing racer pits. DRS

After two successful seasons, this year was highly anticipated

NMCA hosts a Cobra Jet Showdown at Summit Motorsports Park in conjunction with Ford Performance. The competitors use the NMCA race as a tune-up weekend for the U.S. Nationals and also as a celebration with a Ford Performance/Watson Racing party for the car owners.

Event champions celebrate in the Aerospace Components Winnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Circle. Shown here is Street Outlaw racer Jarod Wrenrick and his flawless 1966 Nova. The Ohio resident won three events with his ProCharger-powered small-tire Nova.

The NMCA hosts the Factory Appearing Stock Tire (FAST) group at three of its events, as these cars are a throwback to the essence of the NMCA organization. Dave Dudek is the ringleader of the group and goes low 10s with his 1969 Plymouth Road Runner. 36â&#x20AC;&#x192; Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

The stock tire portion of the FAST class name is Polyglas tires, and competitors routinely run in the 10s on them.

Another class NMCA hosted at select events is MX235. Racers are restricted to 235mm radial tires but allowed to pack 1,600-hp engines under the hood. The class champion is Brad Medlock, who has run 4.70s, thanks to a turbocharged Kuntz and Company small-block Ford.

One of the newest additions to NMCA’s diverse category line-up is Pro Stock. It is a no-holdsbarred, small-block, naturally aspirated category of high 6-second performance while shifting the engines north of 10,000 rpm. The exhibition class will become an NMCA category in 2017. Australian Pro Stock champ Nino Cavallo left his car in the U.S. in order to compete next year.

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DISTRIBUTOR

DEBATE Tackling the distributor vs crank trigger question

Words: Cindy Bullion

FAST’s XDi Sportsman Distributor features a Hall-effect style pickup for more stability from idle to high race rpms and is the best fit for carbureted applications.

A traditional cam-driven distributor has become second choice among drag racers, most now prefer crank-triggered ignitions that allow for phasing in applications where ignition timing needs to be delayed or retarded.

rag racers seem to have reached a consensus that crank triggers, versus cam-driven distributors, are generally the way to go for accurate, reliable ignition timing. We turned to FAST’s David Page to break down the differences between the two and sort out the reasoning behind the drag racing community’s opinion — and if it’s even correct. In a distributor-triggered ignition, the distributor has two main jobs. First, it houses a trigger mechanism underneath the rotor, which sends a signal to fire the ignition coil at a certain point in the camshaft rotation. In most racing applications, the signal will be sent to a Capacitive Dis38 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

charge (CD) ignition module that fires the coil. Second, it distributes the spark from the ignition coil, through the center cap terminal, and to the outer cap terminals in sequence by the rotor, the electrical pulse traveling down the plug wires to the spark plugs at the proper time. Page says having the trigger mechanism (reluctor wheel and pickup) and rotor-cap components fixed together in one unit makes installation easy and eliminates the need for rotor phasing, since the rotor is already lined up with its intended terminal in the cap. However, problems can arise with this setup when unintended movement in the camshaft, due to lash or play in the

drive, is passed on to the distributor. End play in the camshaft can also cause further timing fluctuations in relationship to crankshaft position. In a crank-triggered ignition, the trigger mechanism is mounted directly to the crankshaft, meaning the signal to fire the coil comes straight from the crankshaft. This removes the potential for timing variances due to camshaft end play, timing chain slack, or distributor gear lash. A distributor is still required, but it is essentially turned into a rotary switch that simply directs the spark to the correct cylinder. Page says the ability to independently phase the crank trigger in relation to the rotor is a primary reason crank-triggered ignitions are so popular among drag racers. This is especially useful in applications where the crank signal

must happen much earlier than the coil is fired, as well as carbureted engines when the timing needs to be greatly delayed or retarded by the CD ignition module, as in high-boost turbo, supercharged, and heavy nitrous engines. “When permitted by rules, most drag racers will use a crank trigger because of its accuracy,” Page says, adding that the flexibility of rotor phasing means a crank trigger and distributor will work equally well on both EFI and carbureted applications. “That’s usually the right choice.” But, there are classes in which crank triggers are banned and traditional cam-driven distributors are the only choice. He says that doesn’t mean racers have to settle for unreliable ignition timing, however. It simply requires putting together an ignition system with components designed to work together and leave little room for human error. For example, the FAST XDi Sportsman Distributor is designed for use with the brand’s E6 or E7 ignition control and features a Hall-effect style pickup for more stability from idle to high race rpms when compared to inductive-style distributors. Page says it’s the best fit for carbureted applications and offers the

This FAST XDi Dual Sync distributor for EFI applications features the correct phasing for crank trigger-to-rotor position relationship, but also generates the required cam signal necessary for sequential fueling in V8 engines.

most accurate timing of any distributor. For EFI applications, Page recommends the XDi Dual-Sync Distributor that not only features the correct phasing for crank trigger-to-rotor position relationship, but also generates the required cam signal necessary for sequential fueling in V8 engines. “This eliminates the need for a complicated, additional trigger and pickup

assembly triggered off the camshaft,” Page says. Additionally, when the distributor is combined with a FAST XFI or EZ-EFI 2.0 system — it’s designed for plug-andplay compatibility with either — ignition timing is simplified and that perfect combustion triangle of fuel, air, and spark is achieved. DRS Source: Fuel Air Spark Technology, fuelairspark.com

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OZZY MOYA

Four dragstrips may just be the start for this motivated man Words: Todd Silvey

ith today’s rough and tumble world of operating a dragstrip, Ozzy Moya, and his wife, Marie, are shining examples of going after a business plan, with not one track, but the four tracks they currently own in the deep southeast. They were the owners of Horsepower Sales, a performance parts business. “I was considering expanding into the scrapyard business, and I heard about some available land. I went to look at the property, which was the closed Lakeland Dragstrip in Lakeland, Florida. I said, forget about the recycling business, can I run this as a dragstrip? The landowner said he didn’t care what we did with the land as long as we paid the mortgage and I signed the lease immediately.” Three months later, with help from Marco Lopez and Franco Vasquez, they reopened Lakeland Dragstrip. “Opening night was amazing,” Ozzy remembers. “We brought back all of the programs, including heads-up racing, import racing, bracket racing, and test and tune. For about a year, we were running the one track, and everything was great, then Carl Weisinger approached me and asked if I was interested in taking over the lease at Orlando Speedworld and buying him out so he could

To say Ozzy and Marie Moya get around to observe other dragstrip operations is an understatement, as the couple hang with Peter Beaumont and John Henman at Sydney Dragway in Australia.

retire. I said sure why not.” After six months of negotiation with the landowners, Ozzy made a deal for their part and took over Orlando Speedworld. “Shortly after I got Orlando, I was approached by someone who wanted to buy Horsepower Sales. Since my central focus was now on operating these dragstrips, I sold it and am running the tracks full-time.” Ozzy wanted the best track preparation specialist he could get and hired Wayne Rich as president of the corporation. “That was one of the best things I ever did,” Ozzy says. “A year and a half

later, I looked into buying South Georgia Motorsports Park. The owners were having financial issues, so we reached out to the original owner of the track. He told me that it was going into foreclosure and would be for sale at the courthouse. I kept an eye on it, and I started bidding on it. I was the highest bidder and got that track.” Emerald Coast Dragway is Ozzy’s fourth ‘strip. The facility had been closed for six years, but Ozzy brought Bob Brown into his fold. “Bob lives in Holt, and after three months of investigation, he found the bank that owned

Ozzy’s first venture into dragstrip operation was when he went to visit a property to start a possible auto salvage business. What he was presented with was the shuttered Lakeland Dragstrip. He decided to invest considerable upgrades into the track, which he has reopened as a thriving facility for area racers. 40 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

The family of Moya dragstrips consist of two established tracks and two “rescued” properties into hich he has poured a considerabe amount of “sweat equity.” Emerald Coast Dragway, located in the panhandle of Florida is his latest project, will reopen from a six year closure.

it. We made an offer on it and started the work of bringing it back. It has taken a lot of work to get it up to my standards. We put in better asphalt, a timing system; everything is brand new. It should be open soon.” Ozzy puts his heart and soul into making these tracks the best they can be, but, it’s the interaction with his racers that he really enjoys and makes him successful. “We get everybody at our tracks from grudge racers to bracket racers, the import crowd, and the radial world. You meet a lot of people, and I try to do a little bit of everything to have variety at all of our facilities. You never know what will pull in on any day. We have a jet car racing team who lives 30 minutes away from Orlando. The Larsen Motorsports jet dragster team will come in and test some of their multiple cars on a regular night.” Ozzy knows he has a great team of people working with him that make him look good. “I tell the people who work with me that we work together. We’re a team — a family. We do a lot even being shorthanded, but I know I’m going to need to bring in key personnel to keep growing. I don’t want to have that corporate feeling, that coldness. I love my facilities, my mom and pops, but we want a good man at the helm. We’re into people, and we can’t do it all ourselves.” Racers know they can talk to Ozzy about anything and he’ll listen to them. “The only thing we have is our reputation,” Ozzy says. “I try to be in the pub-

lic eye where people can see me. I want people to say I’m fair and firm and gave them respect. If a racer comes in and does one or two hits then packs up, I’ll stop him on the way out the gate and ask him what’s wrong. He’ll tell me he made his two passes and had to meet the wife for dinner, nothing’s wrong with the track. We get a lot more positive feedback than negative. You can’t please everybody, but if I did something wrong, I try to fix it. If I can’t change it, I give a reason why and we move on.” Ozzy also has a great relationship with his sponsors and takes care of them. “We call them partners and cater each package to what they want,” Ozzy says. “We are 100% devoted to keeping every partner we have and so far, it’s working well for us.” Recently, Ozzy moved all four of his

tracks from IHRA to NHRA sanctioning. “Resetting the button, I think it was the right move for us. I am focused on our sportsman racers, and our tracks are all in NHRA Division 2. I am also focusing on the youth racer, and NHRA has opportunities to bring in the younger racers. We are always looking for ideas to bring in new blood and keeping our tracks as diverse as we can.” Looking forward to the future, Ozzy is focused on making his tracks the best they can be. “If another facility falls into place and logistically is good for us, and the sport and we can make it work, who knows. My wife says we’re done adding to the four tracks we have, but she said that when we had three tracks too (laughs). We have so much invested in this sport, and we don’t want it to die. We’re in this for the long haul.” DRS

On a promotional level, some of the Moya’s biggest events include the World Sport Compact Challenge and World Street Nationals at Orlando Speed World Dragway and the No Mercy and Lights Out events at South Georgia Motorsports Park. DragRacingScene.com 41

TOP FUEL

B R

Clay Millican gives us a tour of the inner workings that make today’s ultimate three-second hot rod

ver time, there have been lots of news articles geared toward the general motorsports fan concerning the “costs per pass” of a Top Fueler or Nitro Funny Car. These articles estimate the range from $8,000 to $15,000 per pass, depending on how you factor in things like team, transport rig(s), and travel expenses. Drag Racing Scene wanted to get a Top Fuel tour and dig a little deeper into today’s top nitro warriors and take an in-depth look at the components that make up the dragster. Our first-hand tour guide is Clay Millican, driver and all-around great guy with the Great Clips/Parts Plus/UNOH dragster.

Chassis

As we began, Clay would basically touch a component on the car and give us his input on the details of each piece of hardware. He began by grabbing and explaining two of the most outward components to their fueler: the massive front and rear wings. The front wing in recent times has graduated from two canards on each side of the dragster’s front nose to a full-size wing that rivals the downforce of the rear wing at their 300 mph speeds. 42 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Clay Millican starts our tour of the Stringer Performance Top Fuel Dragster. He points out the carbon fiber brake assembly. The $5,000 brakes typically need the pads replaced four times a year and the rotors twice a year.

“The rear wing is an insanely critical part of everything,” Clay says. “We run an Aerodine Composites Group carbon fiber rear wing, which is actually the main wing and two elements above it. The rear wing makes about 10,000 pounds of downforce at 300 mph. So, if the rear wing leaves the car, the car becomes an arrow, literally without any feathers, and it will no longer go straight.” “The front wing is also an Aerodine Composites component and makes about 3,000 pounds of downforce at 300 mph,” Clay continues. “The wings have to be SFI re-certified, so they’re sent back to the manufacturer every year to be checked for any type of damage that may have occurred during the season. We really try to take a lot of loving care of the wings, as they are such an important part of the car going down the track.” “As far as wing adjustment, we don’t move the main element that much, but we do adjust the two upper elements a good amount. You’ll see teams moving them in the staging lanes. When the air is really dense and good, we will lay them down because the air on its own is heavier, so it makes more downforce

E A K D O W N automatically. When it is really hot and nasty, we will raise them up to create more downforce.” The spill plates (the side sills on each side of the wings) also involve a lot of science, but the teams aren’t able to make any changes to those on their own. “We do not alter them — the manufacturer has to alter those,” Clay says. “Any changes have to be made by the company, because all of that has to go through the SFI Foundation.” There are multiple Top Fuel dragster chassis builders depending on the driver and what the crew chief decides will work best. “Brad Hadman is our chassis builder, and I believe he has more Top Fuel championships than any other builder out there,” Clay says. There is a forest of tires in every pit area. The Great Clips team chooses tires depending on the track conditions. A taller tire is used to take away bottom end power while a good track surface gets a short set of tires.

“They’re a pretty flexible car, and Brad is unbelievably easy to work with. Physically, teams will front-half their cars after about 75 runs. They come in and cut the front half of the car off right in front of where the driver sits and replace all of that tubing. The cars are so flexible, that you wear that tubing out.” There is also a current trend where many teams are designing and building their chassis “inhouse” at their own racing headquarters. “Every team has its own engine-driver location, how far is the driver from the rear end of the car, how high up or down is the front of the motor, and that is determined by the crew chief,” Clay says. “The chassis builder will make the cars accordingly. The chassis is set up solid for the most part, but for us, we

Words & Photos: Todd Silvey

have two diagonal bars that are adjustable. We don’t move them a whole lot; they are mainly for when you hit the throttle, that it actually lifts the front end of the car square.” Brakes are a very important component on a Top Fuel dragster and need to be amazingly good. “They are four-piston calipers,” Clay says. “There are a couple of different brake manufacturers, but we use Lamb brakes. They are carbon fiber rotors, carbon fiber pads, and you’re looking at about $5,000. We replace the pads four times a year and the rotors twice a year.” “The ideal situation, especially in a dragster, is you release the chute, cross the finish line, and step off the throttle,” Clay describes. “When you feel the chutes hit, it kind of settles the car down, then you grab a handful of brake. It’s not a panic stop, but you are definitely pulling on the brake pretty good, and then you’re off and on the brakes needed to make the turnoff at the end of the racetrack and keep the chassis settled. If you get the car bouncing, you have to let go of the brakes and let the car settle back down. It will definitely happen, but the brakes on these cars are pretty incredible. I’ve stopped the car many times without the parachute for different reasons, and I have also put the car in the sand trap from lack of brakes at times.” DragRacingScene.com 43

At 300 mph, the three-element rear wing makes about 10,000 pounds of downforce, while the front wing makes 3,000 pounds. There are some careful adjustments made with the wings, but NHRA has a mandatory height for the rear wing main element that is monitored frequently.

Differential The rear end, besides the chassis, is one of the most dependable parts of the racecar. “We run a Chrisman rear end,” Clay says. “They have a 12-inch ring and pinion in them. They’re all the same gear ratio, being mandated at 3:20, though we would run a higher gear ratio if they would allow us. We will make 60-70 runs with essentially no maintenance, other than inspecting it after every weekend and replacing the oil in the rear end every weekend. The ring and pinion gears have to be replaced after 60-70 runs, and there’s not much else on the car that lasts that

Rods and pistons are changed after every lap and inspected for reuse. A journal is kept on each component with measurements such as the ring lands and dish in the top of the pistons. 44 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

long, other than the chassis. So, if you put a fresh rear end in, about the time you need a ring and pinion, it’s fronthalf time. It’s pretty much direct drive with a reverser, and that’s it. It’s a solid spool with a nice big old tube going through there that’s splined on each end for an axle.”

Clutch

There are a lot of different manufacturers for the clutch. “In the case of our car, we run a CNC Performance Engineering clutch,” Clay explains. “They build clutches for a lot of the guys. All of the components, including the pressure plate (what we call the donut) the stands that actually separate the pressure plate from the flywheel, and the flywheel itself, are critical to everything we do. There are 18 different levers in the clutch, and there are numerous different ways to run the clutch. Every crew chief has his own method and runs his own levers in the clutch. That is a very crew chief specific area that is such a huge part of the car. “For us, that is our crew chief, David Grubnic’s baby,” Clay says. “I want to point out that when we smoke the tires, people watching will say the clutch was wrong. That’s not necessarily true. The clutch can only do what the motor tells it to do. The motor needs to do

Crew chief David Grubnic is in charge of the incredibly elaborate (and secretive) timed controllers that operate the clutch system, engine timing, and fuel system.

the same thing every time we step on the throttle. If we can make that motor achieve the same engine rpm every time we step on the throttle, then the clutch will do what it is told to do.” The team needs to predict what the engine is going to do with the clutch tune-up. “It’s easier to maintain a certain level of engine rpm at the step of the throttle than to make clutch adjustments. You have to do something the same every time, so it’s easier to make

Eight short blocks are ready in the trailer. They also bring a complete engine that has made a few passes. “That is our ready engine,” Clay says. “If we have an engine explosion and a short turnaround, we know what the motor did on its last run without any guesswork to it.”

It takes 1,000 horsepower to spin a state-ofthe-art 18-71 Top Fuel supercharger at 8,000 rpm. So, you lose 1,000 potential horsepower, but if you can have it produce more air and spin it slower, you’ve made a gain.

the power level the same no matter the weather conditions. We can always add or remove blower overdrive, nitro percentage, ignition timing, so whatever their number is — and most teams are between 8,200 and 8,800 rpm at the step of the throttle, they can then adjust the clutch for what it is supposed to do. That doesn’t mean it will always do it every time.” The typical lifespan of clutch components is short-lived in a Top Fuel dragster. “The clutch disc will make one run and then it has to be resurfaced as a result of the incredible heat it generates during each pass,” Clay explains. “It will typically make two runs and it’s life is over. The pressure plate lives for hundreds of runs, but it has to be maintained. The levers have to be changed, and the donut has replaceable facings that get changed every 20 runs or so. Those facings are actually put on a flywheel grinder every single run.” Each clutch disc has its own characteristics, so there is very detailed record keeping that takes place. “Clutch discs are typically made in batches of 400 to 600 at a time,” Clay says. “The next batch they make could be just a touch different in material than the other batch. We keep track of what disc are in the car, what batch they are, we keep several batches in a clutch pack. We want a selection of different batches, so when we run out of one, we’ll introduce only one new batch to the mix at a time.”

car because it’s what directs the air into the top of the supercharger. It is a relatively trouble-free part, and we don’t have to do any maintenance work on it, other than making sure the blades are centered correctly in the openings. We also have to make sure the place where the barrel valve bolts on maintains its integrity so you know it’s not going to fall off the car.” One of the biggest things being developed in nitro racing right now is the supercharger. “It is definitely the hot item on the car,” Clay says. “We run a Darren Myer Performance Engineering (DMPE) 18-71 Top Fuel supercharger, and it’s about $20,000 for each one. There is a lot of development going on just for the fact that if you can get it to produce more air in a slower overdrive, we’ll have a more efficient component. NHRA limits what can be done to the supercharger rotors. “What is happening now is a lot of development in the cases, the openings, the inlets and outlets, and the type of strip we use to seal each rotor lobe to the blower case. Each rotor has two strips on them, and those strips get changed about every four runs. No matter how hard you try, you will find you have a supercharger where one is better than the other, no matter how identical they are. Every team has their favorite.” Cylinder heads require a lot of work as well. “We run Alan Johnson Performance Engineering Stage 7 heads,” Clay notes. “These heads arrive CNC ported, so we don’t touch the ports on the heads. After every single run, we do a valve job and check the valve springs. We sometimes have to put valve guides into the heads. We closely check and

replace the valves, because they’re typically not straight anymore after a single pass. Sometimes, we can use special tooling to straighten the valves, and sometimes, they are beyond repair. We typically get four or five runs out of a valves or valve spring. It’s just non-stop checking to be sure what still falls in our tolerances.” The team is prepared with multiple sets of heads at the beginning of each event. “Our team will typically leave the shop with eight sets of heads ready to bolt on, one for every run we can make during a weekend,” Clay says. “Also after every time you run a head, you need to check the chamber volume (CC’s) in each head because when you do work on the valve seat, now you’ve sunk the valve down or replaced the valve. It’s crucial because you could drop a cylinder — nitro motors are very dependent on even compression between cylinders under a load. So, we CC-measure them every time, and that determines what thickness of head gaskets we put on. Head gaskets are changed every single run, and that is determined by weather. That goes back to trying to make that motor do the same thing every run. We want to maintain that same engine rpm back to the clutch, and that all goes to compression which is determined by head gasket thickness and chamber volume.” Clay moves us to the engine block, a more durable part of the engine, but there is still maintenance to be done. “The short block is a TFX billet block and it does take a beating, but unless you damage the block by throwing the rods or other breakage, they’re pretty durable,” Clay says. “After about 20-

Engine

The injector hat is another Aerodine Composites Group component on the car. “There is a lot of development work that goes on with these,” Clay says. “The way they look on the outside isn’t necessarily how they look on the inside, but a hat is a critical part of the

Clutch discs and floater plates are racked up and ready for use. Note the log sheets and drawers of discs that track the combination of discs used. After one run, discs must be resurfaced as a result of the incredible heat generated during each pass. Two runs and its life is over. DragRacingScene.com 45

Every drawer and cabinet within the multiple trailers is filled with enough hardware to reoutfit every component of the fueler multiple times.

30 runs, the centerlines need re-align bored in them. Blocks do take a beating, but the sleeves are replaceable, so unless you hurt it, you don’t have to do a lot to it.” Crankshafts are another very expensive consumable of Top Fuel racing. “Crankshafts are about $4,300 and right now, an average crankshaft is living a six- to eight-run life,” Clay says. “These things make so much cylinder pressure that stress cracks form on even the toughest material. We keep up with the cracks as best we can during a weekend, and after a weekend, we pull the cranks out and magnaflux them. We keep a logbook with each short block and will know which crankshaft went into each short block. We try to maintain consistency because there are only a few things in the motor that remain consistent, including the crankshaft and the camshaft.” Cam timing is also one of the most important aspects of the current nitro engine. “Because we change rods and pistons every lap, we change cylinder heads every lap. It goes back to consistency and making sure that every single engine cam timing is the same, no matter which short block we have in the car, is critical. We run a COMP Cam, and that’s all I’ve ever run in my entire career. We typically put 20-30 runs on a cam since they also are taking a huge beating. There is so much cylinder pressure, the lifters are trying to break these things in half. Some of the gigantic explosions that have been seen in recent years have been from camshaft failure, so we replace them. If they have made 25-30 runs in a Top Fuel dragster, they’ve done their duty.” 46 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Lifters and pushrods are taken out after every single pass. “We put them in a sonic cleaner, then we closely check the rollers,” Clay says. “We check them for feel, size, and about every 20-30 runs, they get sent back to COMP for a rebuild. They are a very vital part of the whole thing; valvetrain problems in a nitro car are huge and ugly.” We don’t keep a run count on pushrods, but they will tell you when it’s time to change them,” Clay explains. “They’ll let you know when they’ve gotten hot. We also check them for straightness every single run too. No questions about that one.” Connecting rods will typically make about eight to 10 runs and are changed accordingly. Pistons are changed as needed. “We don’t keep a round count on pistons as they will tell you when it’s time for them to be changed. We check them after each run in many different ways. We look at the ring lands first, then look at how much dish is in the top of the piston. We know what it was before we made a run, so how much did it droop in the center after the run, and we have a small tolerance on that. If you can feel any scuff with your hand, that piston is done. Every rod and piston in the trailer have a journal kept on it.”

Fuel System

Every fuel pump is different, and a Top Fuel dragster uses a gigantic pump with two sets of gears in it. “The fuel pump is a huge part of the tune-up,” Clay stresses. “A typical fuel pump now is from 110 to 120 gallons per minute (GPM). We Mixing the blend of 90 percent nitromethane with methanol is usually the responsibility of the driver. Our crew chief, David Grubnic, will make a decision before every run and tell me what percentage of nitro he wants.

monitor them, so that when we freshen a pump up, we will put them on a flow bench and recheck them. But, the race car is the ultimate flow bench. It will tell you through all of the sensors we have in the Racepak data recorder that will tell us the flow rate when we first step on the throttle, how quickly does that fuel get in the engine, and how much the pumps are flowing during a pass. A fuel pump typically costs in the neighborhood of $8,000 each. Our team typically keeps a couple of them in the trailer at all times. A fun little tidbit: When we compete at Denver, we put a smaller pump on it since there is less air to mix with the fuel.” “When I turn on the top bulb, I have my foot on the clutch and the car is sitting there in neutral,” Clay continues. “We have a predetermined fuel flow on the burnout, backing up, and staging where a gate valve that is cracked open and bypassing a large amount of fuel back to the tank. Once it is time to stage, you will hear a nitro engine change in tone — that is when I reach over and turn the fuel pump all the way open towards the injectors, by necking the return valve. Now, the engine is receiving all of the fuel from the pump into the engine, except for a small bit. A lot of extra fuel comes out of the headers, and the engine rpm drops. The car is wanting to go, but we’ve taken our foot off the clutch, so the motor is tugging a little bit. The pre-stage is on, and we proceed to bump forward using the hand brake to stage the car. The tree flashes, and then the fun begins.”

Three complete tractor-trailer rigs travel to each NHRA event. Two are for the fueler and team and the third important one is for sponsor hospitality.

Ignition The ignition is two, 44-amp MSD magnetos that fire at one time and is one of the more long-lasting parts on the car. “We can adjust the timing going down the racetrack through an MSD box, which is NHRA approved and checked often due to a mandated built-in rev limiter, in an attempt to keep the cars from going too fast,” Clay comments. “Crew chiefs adjust the timing on every run, trying to give the most power without losing traction. The MSD mags are sent in once a year to be checked. Unlike early magneto designs, the capacitors utilized by the mags live a long time. We do change plug wires every other race, just because of the pure amperage put through them. The coils, the boxes, all that stuff, we change once or twice a year… just because.” The controllers are probably the most held-to-the-chest item used on a Top Fuel Dragster. “We have basically the same as everybody, a timer box from Electromotion,” Clay says. “It’s not horribly expensive, but it can control items based off of time. For example, it can control the fuel system. The fuel regulator is hooked to this box, and we build a fuel curve on the computer screen, and it will then function

the fuel system according to what this map looks like. The clutch is also controlled by these electronic timers.”

Wheels and Tires

Goodyear is the only manufacturer of the tires for the nitro classes, and typically they put six to eight runs on a set of tires. “That doesn’t necessarily mean six consecutive runs,” Clay points out. “We have tires stacked everywhere and those tires will all have a different circumference and roll-out. We change tires according to the conditions and are changing our gear ratio with that rollout.” Wheels are one of the more durable items on the dragster. “We are only one of a couple of teams that are running the Delta One wheel by Weld Racing,” Clay says. “It is a single billet aluminum wheel with beadlocks, and there are not any other wheels out there like that. It is by far the strongest wheel on the market and that’s a safety advantage, as well as a performance advantage, because it’s lighter.”

Oil and Fuel

The oil used in the car is an SAE 70 nitro oil from Valvoline. “It is a nitro blend that Valvoline has worked on for

years and years,” Clay says. “It’s absolutely trouble free. The biggest battle is fuel contamination. When we do a warm-up, we will change the oil afterward, just because of the fuel contamination. So much fuel is being pushed in those motors, the rings simply can’t keep it all out of the crankcase.” Mixing the blend of nitromethane and methanol is usually the responsibility of the driver. With Clay, that is his responsibility as well. “It’s a time-consuming process, and it’s not hard, so I think the crew has us do it just to keep us busy,” Clay jokes. “It used to be harder than it is now. We have an electronic fuel checker to tell us what the percentage ratios are. The maximum allowable nitromethane percentage according to NHRA rules is 90 percent nitro. The crew chief will make a decision before every run and tell me what percentage of nitro he wants. A drum of fuel comes to us at 100 percent nitro, and we have to cut it with the methanol.”

Transporters and Hospitality

Clay’s team has three rigs on the road for each race. One trailer hauls the race car, and inside of that same trailer is the maintenance tooling, spare parts, short blocks, and equipment for maintaining the superchargers, cylinder heads, and more,” Clay says. “The second trailer is more of a machine shop and kart hauling trailer where they maintain the rods, pistons, as well as the clutch parts. The third trailer is the hospitality trailer. “That one is hugely important to our team. We entertain close to 5,000 customers a year, with our various sponsors. We feed them, we do everything we can to entertain them. That’s what pays for all of this operation to compete. NHRA’s access is what separates us from all other forms of motorsports. So, our team tries to make sure we do a really good job to entertain the people who are coming to see us. That’s very important to us.” DRS DragRacingScene.com 47

Hard Charge

48â&#x20AC;&#x192; Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Ace lensman Steve Vreatt caught the action of James Hancock and Andy Jensen during a side-by-side qualifying attempt at the Yellow Bullet Nationals.

TOP DRAWER

DRAGSTER

Words & Photos: Todd Silvey

This dragster stands out in any pit filled with hardcore bracket racers

cott McCardie’s rear-engine dragster gets attention in any pit filled with hardcore bracket racers. Since he began racing in 1993, his racing record — including 2000 and 2003 Super Pro Championships at Mid America Raceway — stands out. One of his unique accomplishments was a continuous 27-round winning streak between various tracks in 2004. Scott’s recently completed dragster began life as a 2011 Bob’s Pro Fab chassis and has been built to Scott’s own specs. The dragster is equipped with 4-link/mono shock rear suspension and rolls on a combination of Hoosier Racing Tires on Weld Wheels all around. Doug’s Custom Paint laid on the classic orange and white paint scheme. The 50 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, 2,Issue Issue 44

chassis’ vibrant red coloring is also included on hardware such as the transmission case, and is offset by a number of chrome-plated accessories including the suspension arms and fabricated differential housing. A carbon fiber mono wing is also outfitted on the chassis. Power comes from a 598c.i. big-block Chevy engine utilizing a Dart block and Dart 380 heads. Scott used Oliver rods, Callies crank, and a Quick Fuel Technologies alcohol carburetor on top of a Dart single-plane intake. Most of the valve train, such as the cam, lifters, pushrods, and rockers, come from the COMP Cams product line. The ignition system is all MSD, including a 7AL-2 ignition control, crank trigger, HVC coil, and distributor.

The drivetrain is finished out with a Hughes Racing shorty Powerglide transmission and 8-inch torque converter. The fabricated 9-inch Ford rear end is equipped with a Moser center section, 40 spline spool and axles, and a Richmond 4:10 ring and pinion. The dragster made its maiden voyage in early 2016 and quickly got Scott into the late rounds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I went to the semis on my first trip out with the dragster,â&#x20AC;? Scott says. Cooling duties for the 598c.i. bigblock include a Meziere reservoir water pump and MOROSO overflow canister with Aeroquip braided steel hoses. The business office of the dragster is set up with an array of Autometer analog gauges and a K&R delay box and switch panel system. The Grant flat 10inch steering wheel is outfitted with the popular four-button controls that delay-launch the dragster. First yellow, opponents yellow, bump up, and bump down controls in the steering wheel make up the quest for the perfect reaction time. Scott enjoys competing in Super-Pro at big buck and having fun at weekly events with the dragster at Gateway Motorsports Park and other tracks around the greater Missouri area. DRS

FLEXPLATES OF THE

FUTURE Words: Dan Hodgdon

New TCI 29.2 lightweight flexplates check all the boxes for racers

n the drag racing world, the two adjectives all competitors like to hear are “strong” and “lightweight”. It doesn’t matter if it’s in reference to a crankshaft, rear end housing, or body of the car itself. “Strong”and “light”are the dynamic duo of the motorsports world. TCI, one of the industry’s leading manufacturers of drivetrain components with its roots in drag racing, has been heeding this call for decades. TCI’s latest endeavor is what it’s calling 29.2 Lightweight Flexplates — pieces that don’t look like flexplates seen before — are capable of withstanding up to 12,000 rpm. They are available for both big- and small-block Chevy engines, along with GM LS applications. That means a stunning cross-section of drag racers can utilize them. According to TCI engineer Jonathan Lunati, the goal was to create a cutting-edge, SFI-certified flexplate meeting and exceeding the expectations of the racing community.

54 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

“Traditional steel flexplates are heavier than they need to be and carry too much weight on the outboard extremities,” Lunati explains. “It doesn’t make sense to spend countless dollars for lightweight crankshafts and related internal components and then attach a heavy flexplate to the end of the crank. This makes it more

difficult to accelerate, and defeats the purpose of internal component lightening.” The flexplates utilize a computer-aided design which enables weight reduction, while providing the necessary strength. They also add an aesthetically pleasing look to a necessary component.

TCI says each 29.2 Lightweight Flexplate is SFI 29.2-certified, meaning they meet the highest quality assurance standards for high-horsepower, automatic transmission applications. Each one is constructed from gas-nitrided 4140 forged steel and utilizes lightening holes to reduce rotating mass and

overall weight. A dual-bolt pattern allows either narrow- or wide-bolt-pattern converters to be utilized. Each flexplate also features a hobbed-on ring gear and laser-welded converter spacers where required. The gas nitriding provides for extra surface hardness and strength. The big- and small-block Chevy ver-

sion weighs in at just 5.3 pounds, while the LS flexplate weighs 6.11 pounds. That reduction in weight is of paramount importance of course. E-coating offers corrosion protection on each version. When put to the test, the flexplates revealed faster acceleration made possible with the new weight reduction design and less “flywheel effect inertia” by reducing outboard mass. “These are very desirable for any automatic transmission car,” TCI’s Lunati says. “Multiple converter bolt patterns enable various converter combinations, and the integral starter gear adds reliability and eliminates run-out problems associated with weld-on gears. ”While the flexplates may be cutting-edge, the staff at TCI believes they are long overdue. However, the technology required in the form of new computer applications and manufacturing developments was not available in previous years. It’s said the best things come to those who wait, so drag racers who have waited until 2017 to upgrade their drivetrain may be on the verge of the lightest and strongest GM flexplate of all. DRS Source: TCI Automotive, tciauto.com

DragRacingScene.com 55

YELLOW

The ‘type A’ personality of drag racing events

The X275 competition was brutal at Yellow Bullet, with the field Joe Albrecht came the bragging rights in the Outlaw final. Albrecht was on top of his game running the low ET for each round a dipping well into theout lowwith 4.40’s. Rich Bruder would qualify No.10.5 2 with of ultimately times suchtake as his anumber 4.42 and the3.977 title. in the finals. 56 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

BULLET

Words: Todd Silvey Photos: Carl Skillman & Steve Vreatt

For racing results and photo extras, search “Yellow Bullet 2016"at DragRacingScene.com

any genre of drag racing have special events that are “must attend” each season. These events range from the March Meet for the fans of nostalgia racing, to the U.S. Nationals for today’s professional drag racing. The NHRA U.S. Nationals shares Labor Day weekend with another kind of super event for the outlaw street car racer and fan — the Yellow Bullet Nationals at Cecil County Dragway in Rising Sun, Maryland. Based around the very outspoken forum at yellowbullet.com, the rough and tumble words filling the forum pages can be largely described by their motto, “Where the Weak are Killed and Eaten.” Acknowledging that this website’s testosterone-filled exchange of banter may not be safe for work, it does make it easy to predict that a Yellow Bullet event for the outlaw street car racer to put up or shut up was a natural progression. The weatherman had to be the best salesman for Yellow Bullet 2016 as sunny days and chilly nights would have the heads-up racers in 10 outlaw classes

Glen Puluse - Top Sportsman 763c.i. Pontiac DragRacingScene.com 57

Joe Albrecht came out with the bragging rights in the Outlaw 10.5 final. Albrecht was on top of his game, running the low ET for each round a number of times, such as his 3.977 in the finals.

wound up for amazing air-density-altitude readings that spelled astronomical elapsed times. Without a spare pit spot at the track, literallyâ&#x20AC;ŚCecil County Dragway is your typical racer-side, spectator-side track layout. On this weekend, though, both sides were filled to capacity, while spec-

tators were not afraid to make the trek from neighboring fields rented for the race. You could tell by the staging lanes during test and qualifying sessions that there was no shortage of car count and related performance. Test sessions for the heads-up street car are similar to

Mike Gerber and his 700 c.i. Monte Carlo qualified in almost dead-center of the Top Sportsman field and tallied a consistent string of mid-4.40s to go to the winnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s circle. 58â&#x20AC;&#x192; Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Kevin McCurdy - 2016 Yellow Bullet Nationals Pro Modified winner.

the early move strategy at a chess game. Some racers spend every moment making test hits before qualifying, while others spend the day going over their cars in the pits with a fine-tooth comb. During qualifying, the scoreboards showed a wild 3.78 ET by Dean Marinis in 1/8-mile Pro Modified qualifying, to put him on the top of the field. Also a crowd favorite, the radial fans had two classes to watch at Yellow Bullet. A 4.42 pass laid down by Ron Rhodes in the X275 class placed him at No. 1 on the eliminations ladder. A cousin to the X275 category, Ultra Street saw some equally impressive elapsed times fill the qualifying sheets, as Shawn Pevlor landed in the No. 1 spot with an incredible 4.69 ET. The entrant count for the Cecil County weekend was impressive for specific classes, such as 18 cars shooting for

the Pro Modified class, 43 participants on the Ultra 275 ladder, and no less than 33 cars in the amazingly competitive Outlaw 10.5 competition. The 2016 rendition of the Yellow Bullet Nationals gave hardcore outlaw fans an impressive 523 outlaw-class entrants and generated endless subject matter for the forum’s off-season

to “trash or be trashed” (their words, not mine). One of the event questions asked on the forum included, “How many people can the YB Nats hold?” Some of the tongue-in-cheek answers included: “It’s YB, that’s why we go,” “it’s gonna be a sardine fest,” and the best answer regarding the capacity, “all of them.” DRS

Shawn Pevlor - Ultra 275 Champ

The Pro Street class had over 50 entrants with Dale Cornelius coming out on top with his show-worthy 10-second ’55 Chevy. DragRacingScene.com 59

Fluid THOUGHTS Words: Brandon Flannery

he transmission is a funny thing. To many itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a mystery box of unfamiliar parts that usually fails in a spectacular fashion. Since the fluid is one of few things racers have a tangible control over (and usually goes everywhere when things goes south), it often catches the blame for failure. Properly using the correct fluid will help

Do you want to save dollars, or your transmission?

eliminate it from the list of suspects. For the right information on fluid, we asked Certified Lubrication Specialist Lake Speed of Driven Racing Oil for his thoughts on some common transmission aspects. Shift Firmness Multi-vehicle ATF and Dexron 6-type fluids have additives that make them slippery. They are

Damaging heat builds quickly while on the transbrake. Fluid should be checked for scorching after any runs spent hung out on the tree. 60â&#x20AC;&#x192; Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

designed to enable smooth shifting in street cars, by allowing the bands or clutches to slip during the shift. Switching to a racing-formulated fluid like Super F can firm up shifts by utilizing special friction modifiers that increase clutch grip. A shift with proper fluid is consistent through the entire shift. Shift firmness can also be adjusted through the feed hole size in the valve body plate, increasing line pressure, accumulation, or changing clutch material. Reducing shift “slip” also reduces heat build-up and extends transmission life. “We work with ATI, and they built a series of identical transmissions,” says Lake. “Those transmission were filled with various ATFs, and the feedback on shifting was all over the place, particularly complaints of slip. Just by changing the chemistry of the ATF, the shift performance in all of the transmissions changed, and the feedback was consistent, crisp shifts -- no slip! With Super F, the transmissions acted like they were designed to. “Transmission fluid is like motor oil; everyone has their favorite, either due to experience or price, but it’s always a good idea to pay attention to what the transmission builder suggests. There’s usually a reason for it.” Converters Fluid thins as it gets hotter, and since the torque converter is a fluid coupler, thinner fluid will increase stall speed. Many racers find they can tighten up a loose or sloppy

converter 400-500 rpm by adding thicker fluid. Conversely, they can loosen a tight one up with a thinner fluid. “You can absolutely use viscosity to dial in a converter,” says Lake. “If your converter is built to run a 20 grade, you can tighten it up by switching to a 30, such as Max Duty Super F. The opposite is also true; you can drop the viscosity to raise the stall speed.” Trans Brakes Trans brakes put a lot of strain on the transmission and fluid. It’s basically working against itself, and this generates a lot of heat that can degrade the transmission and the fluid. “For every 20 degrees increase in temperature above normal operating temperature, the transmission fluid life decreases 50 percent. I’ve heard reports that fluid temperature can increase as much as 50 degrees in one second on the trans brake,” says Lake. “That can put a lot of heat into the fluid and transmission. For that reason, we recommend using a synthetic formulation. Certain synthetic base oils have a higher specific heat capacity than conventional petroleum oils, so this allows a properly formulated synthetic oil to run much cooler than conventional oils. In fact, we have seen as much as a 40 degree drop in fluid temperature just by switching to the fluid to Super F.” Obviously, a heat-stable fluid with high temperature capacity is the first defense. Even though synthetics can withstand more heat than miner-

Max Duty Type F delivers maximum heat protection and Type F friction modifiers for improved shifting stability.

al-based ones, checking the fluid after a heat-inducing run is cheap insurance against future failure. A “rocking” of the transbrake is usually caused by insufficient fluid pressure. If increasing pump output by raising rpm doesn’t help, check the high pressure spring or look into an aftermarket pump with a higher output. Heat As previously mentioned, nothing kills transmission fluid faster than heat. The oil’s life expectancy drops significantly with increases in operating temperatures. In racing applications, switching from a mineral-base to a synthetic should be a no-brainer. Since synthetic oils have a more uniform molecular structure, synthetic oils generate less internal friction. This means their particles are not bumping into each other as much and generating heat. This is why synthetic oils run cooler in automatic transmissions. “We repeatedly see operating temperatures run 40 degrees cooler after switching to a synthetic,” says Lake. “Same viscosity and conditions. They just don’t generate as much heat.” Racers who make round-robin runs

A trans cooler should be a no-brainer to keep temperatures down, but racers should also run the car during cool down to cycle hot fluid out of the converter. DragRacingScene.com 61

should keep an eye on their temperatures. Maintaining consistent starting line temperatures is the key to consistent performance. A transmission cooler is an obvious asset, but starting the car and circulating the fluid during the “cool down” is often overlooked, but highly recommended. This circulates the dense mass of hot fluid out of the converter instead of letting it sit inside and slowly bake. Maintenance “Generally, transmission fluid has a much longer life compared to engine oil,” says Lake. “In racing, these life expectancies can be shortened.” What is appropriate? Some say transmission fluid should be changed every 25 runs. If you are running a bracket car weekly, this would be every 3-4 weeks. Bands should also be adjusted every 1520 passes, and to spec, not “should be good.” ATI recommends running the fluid “as long as it looks good” according to Lake. “As long as the fluid is still red, it’s

good.” says Lake. “Oxidization from heat is what causes it to change color, and when it starts turning purple, you know it is beginning to break down. Just keep an eye on it, and as long as it doesn’t get hot, it should actually last a long time. For those who NEED to know exactly what is going on, there are places you can send oil samples to and they’ll analyze it.” Along with frequent inspection, an overflow tank is a good investment. It not only keeps oil from dripping on the track, it can also serve as an early warning before disaster strikes. If the amount increases noticeably, trouble is brewing. Other Oils While transmission fluid is basically a hydraulic fluid, some racers mix up their own brews of fluids. From Type F to tractor fluid like John Deere’s J20C-spec, or even Amsoil compressor, the types of fluid used varies considerably. However, whatever fluid used needs to be formulated for wet brake applications or damage will be swift. While some of these are formulat-

Super F synthetic fluid should be a no-thought upgrade. It’s synthetic base handles heat better than mineral-based oils and has higher shear stability.

ed for heavy duty applications and are based upon a 30-grade base, they are not superior to a properly formulated transmission fluid. “It’s common for racers to say ‘I’ve had good luck with it.’” which is just another way of saying ‘it hasn’t blown up,’” says Lake. “Yes, hydraulic fluid will work, but it’s kind of like a one-sizefits-all deal. It will work okay for most things, but perfectly for none. Nobody ever won a NASCAR race on ‘good enough.’ There is a difference between not blown up and excellent longevity. The best fit is always going to be one tailored to the specific application, and transmission fluid is no exception. As I always say, there’s far better places to save money than the lifeblood of a very expensive transmission.” Bottom Line Unless a fluid hasn’t been changed in a timely fashion, it does not “burn up” on it’s own. Failed fluid is the byproduct of mechanical failure or human error. Choosing the right fluid, preferably an application-specific synthetic, is the first step in protecting against heat and friction wear. Proper observation of temperature and line pressure are just as important as maintaining a proper fluid level. Always check the level on a warm transmission that has been cycled through the gears on jackstands or level ground; it should fall perfectly between the L and F marks on the dipstick. Inspection for crimped lines and proper cooler placement are simple things to inspect that can cause big problems. Bottom line? If you are using the right fluid properly, paying a little more for the right oil is far more affordable than repair or replacement. Do it right, do it once. DRS Sources: ATI Peformance Products Inc., atiracing.com; Driven Racing Oil, drivenracingoil.com

After spending money to outfit a car to this level, why would you cheap out on transmission fluid?

62 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

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Drag Racing Scene has compiled a list of some of the hottest new products to hit the drag racing market. On the following pages of our Vendor Midway, be sure to check out the variety of racing products offered. Product and company contact information is provided should you see something you wish to purchase — and we know you will.

A devilish way to shift TCI, Diablo Blackout Shifter

Now available in a sleek black finish, the TCI Diablo Blackout Shifter is a lightweight component that includes everything needed for installation. It remains the most versatile shifter on the market, but now it is available in black to correspond with dark interiors The fully configurable design allows the customer ot set up the shifter with either a front- or rear-cable exit. It can also be configured with either a forward or reverse shift pattern for a two-, three- or four-speed transmission. There is no longer a need to buy and replace parts if you are changing shift order/configuration, or changing transmissions entirely. When upgraded to the two-button version, the shifter can also be customized to control nitrous, transbrake or shifting. The shifter housing is made from an aluminum extrusion. Everything needed for installation is included in the box. It is configurable for any Ford, GM or Chrysler application. tciauto.com 888.776.9824

64 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Shear benefits VP RACING FUELS, High Performance Full Synthetic Gear Oil SAE 75W-90LS Known as the “World Leader in Race Fuel Technology,” VP Racing Fuels has leveraged its technological prowess to develop VP Racing Lubricants, a family of fully synthetic professional-grade racing oils and high-performance synthetic blend oils, as well as gear oils, an engine break-in oil, and engine assembly lube. As part of VP’s diversification strategy, the lubricant line is a natural fit with its core market according to Richard Glady, VP’s Sales Manager-Lubricants and a 34-year veteran of the lubricant industry. VP High Performance Full Synthetic SAE 75W-90LS is a superior extreme pressure, multi-purpose GL-5 gear oil designed to exceed the needs of automotive gear applications and race cars under high speed, high-shock load and low speed, high-torque conditions. Its superior shear stability minimizes viscosity loss while retaining solid film strength and wear protection under severe service, providing increased power, lower operating temperatures, reduced start-up wear, and improved fuel economy. vpracingfuels.com (812) 878-2025

For even more new products, head to

DragRacingScene.com

A strong connection LUNATI, 4340 Fully Machined I-Beam Connecting Rods Connecting rods are subject to some of the highest stress levels of any bottom-end engine component. The forces on a rod when the piston direction reverses from top dead center can exceed 12,000 pounds in a hardcore race application. Lunati’s fully machined I-beam connecting rods are on average, stronger and lighter than competitor’s steel connecting rods. Each set is weight matched to +/- 1.5 grams and utilize ARP cap hardware, providing you with a top of the line connecting rod that can handle most anything you can throw at it. The rods are available for big-block Chevrolet engines. lunatipower.com 662.892.1500

DragRacingScene.com 65

Vendor Midway PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES

Proven performance ATI PERFORMANCE, Super Damper for LT1 Camaro and LT4 Cadillac CTS-V ATI brings its proven Super Damper performance to the newest LT1 Camaro and LT4 Cadillac CTS-V applications. For the LT-4 version, you just add a pulley to drive the super charger. It’s a wet sump version of the Corvette Dry sump engine. atiracing.com 877.298.5039

Timing it just right FAST, XDi Sportsman Distributors These versatile distributors from FAST are designed to provide extremely stable ignition timing throughout the entire RPM range. Ideal for use in street/strip or dedicated drag racing applications, XDi Sportsman Distributors are high-performance billet components with a precision housing, shaft, and bearings. The proprietary, in-house-designed optical pickup delivers accurate trigger signals at all rpm, unlike competing options. Each distributor is available with a hardened steel, bronze, or composite gear, or without a gear entirely,. All are compatible with magnetic trigger ignition boxes and performance ignition coils. FAST XDi Sportsman Distributors are available for most domestic V8 applications in either small- or large-cap versions. fuelairspark.com 877.334.8355

Eliminate free play CHASSISWORKS, Pivot-Ball Sway Bar End Links Improve the handling of nearly any vehicle with a selection of billet-steel, sway bar end links from Chassisworks GM Muscle Car product line. gStreet end links utilize Chassisworks’ low-friction, high-misalignment, pivot mechanism to eliminate free play for a more positive anti-roll bar connection. Fits installation lengths of 3 1/4” to 8 1/4” with adjustment ranges of 1 or 2 inches depending upon application. cachassisworks.com 888.388.0297 66 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Engineered to handle the job OHIO CRANKSHAFT, Billet Steel Hemi Crankshafts for Supercharged Alcohol Applications Machined from heat treated 4340 billet material, with a 5/32 radius on each main journal, the newly developed crankshafts also feature three keyways, and flat rear flange. Each crankshaft is custom finished to the customer’s exact requirements and are available in strokes of 3.75, 4.15, 4.375, and 4.5 inches with Hemi main journal sizes. ohiocrank.com 800-333-7113

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Vendor Midway PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES

Light and stable COMP CAMS, Lightweight Titanium Retainers New titanium retainers from COMP Cams feature a significant reduction in total weight when compared to other retainer offerings, allowing for improved valvetrain performance. These cutting-edge parts feature a high strength-toweight ratio optimized using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). FEA is a computerized process that predicts how a product will react to real-world forces, vibration, heat, fluid flow, and other physical effects. This process allowed COMP engineers to establish the structural integrity of their revolutionary lightweight retainer design for greater valvetrain stability than ever before. Each retainer is made from a 6AL-4V alloy and CNC-machined to exacting tolerances using the latest CAD/CAM software. The contour design both optimizes stress flow and reduces mass. The new titanium retainers also feature a high-quality surface finish with eye-catching aesthetics that include a laser-etched COMP logo and part number on the top face for easy identification. They are available for most popular applications. compcams.com 800.999.0853

Appearance and functionality HEATSHIELD PRODUCTS, Cobra Skin Exhaust Wrap Protect components from ambient heat exposure and keep the heat in your exhaust system where it belongs with Heatshield Products Cobra Skin premium exhaust wrap. Once installed, Cobra Skin has a modern deep-black carbon-fiber look that compliments any engine compartment, motorcycle exhaust, or other application where appearance is crucial along with functionality. The material has been designed to retain its color significantly longer than graphite-coated wraps for great looks that will last a long, long time. Keeping exhaust gas temperatures high inside the exhaust system increases the scavenging effect and increasing engine power. The Heatshield Products HPTC coating allows Cobra Skin Exhaust Wrap to sustain 1,350 degrees Fahrenheit continuously. In addition to the high temperature rating, the wrap remains flexible and strong even under high-heat conditions. heatshieldproducts.com 844-723-2665

Focus on carburetor protection DRIVEN RACING OIL, Carb Defender Race Concentrate Designed for carbureted engines that use Methanol, E85, or oxygenated race fuel, Driven’s Carb Defender Race Concentrate prevents corrosion and deposits in the fuel system and intake tract. It delivers specially formulated additives that protect against carburetor corrosion and induction deposits. Special corrosion inhibitors work to prevent damage and diminished performance caused by fuels containing methanol and ethanol, as well as the moisture these fuels attract. Carb Defender Race Concentrate also contains a multi-functional lubricant so “top lubes” are not required. Just one bottle of additive treats up to 55 gallons of fuel, and the bottle features a handy view strip to let users measure out doses for as little as five gallons of gas. It is compatible with spec fuel and water tests. drivenracingoil.com 866.611.1820 68 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

For even more new products head to

DragRacingScene.com

Be ultra precise CRANE CAMS, Ultra-Pro Solid Roller Lifters with EDM Oiling These lifters from Crane Cams utilize EDM (electro discharge machining) to ensure the bearing assembly receives a constant flow of pressurized oil through a precision hole aimed at the needle bearings. The bearings are precision-sorted by size to distribute load evenly and prevent wear or failure. A tool steel axle prolongs the life of the roller assembly, while a removable link bar provides utility and safety. cranecams.com 866.388.5120

Performance & Consistency Win Races Only TCI® Offers Track Proven Performance, Advanced Product Design & Serious Drag Racer Support. For nearly 50 years, TCI® has stuck to its roots, providing Sportsman drag racers with durable drivetrain components that win races. Designed by experienced and passionate engineers, our hand built converters and transmissions provide increased performance at the strip, with more consistent and lower ETs. Bracket Racing Powerglides are designed for performance and dependability at an economical price. Drag Race Transmissions in popular GM, Ford, and Chrysler applications include Full Manual Competition with standard or reverse shift pattern and a Trans-Brake Transmission, perfect for serious full-tree racing. If you have a unique application we can help with a custom setup.

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LIFE STRIP AT THE

Words: Dan Hodgdon Photos: Tim Cole

COMP Cams’ Tim Cole is a racer’s racer

n the performance aftermarket, some people are lifers. COMP Cams performance account manager Tim Cole is a prime example. A Denver area native who has called the Memphis suburbs home for the past 23 years, Cole is as comfortable behind the wheel of a dragster or Super Stock car as he is putting together valve train packages for top racers and engine builders across the country. But while he has become the go-to guy for a variety of performance enthusiasts, and has six NHRA national event wins to his credit, he got his start in the automotive world later than most. After graduating from the University of Colorado, where he played tight end on the football team, Cole moved to Southern California to work as an account executive for Pacific Telephone. Until that time, he looked at cars simply as a mode of transportation. “When I was 23 years old, I didn’t even change my own spark plugs,” he says. “I went to a drag race at Orange County International Raceway because a buddy of mine invited me to go.” There, he saw the Cavalcade of Stars Funny Cars, along with Stock and Super Stock class racing. He was hooked. “I approached the whole thing like you would a Master’s degree in college,” he says. “I talked to people who actually knew something, and I had no bad habits to unlearn because I hadn’t been around cars.” He completed his first car, a ’69 Chevy Nova 350 Super Stocker that ran in SS/LA, in 1971. He says it was built with all the bad input you could ask for,

70 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

even from parts manufacturers. Ironically, it was that experience which provided him with his philosophy regarding customer service. “I was always going to endeavor to give people the right advice so that they didn’t have to buy stuff twice like I did…try to give them as close to the bulls eye as possible. And it’s still the principle that I live by today.” He notes it was the mechanical side of the sport, as opposed to driving, which really piqued his interest. He knew he would have to learn to build his own engines to really be successful in the sport. Little did he know at the time, it would be the crux of his career.

Tim Cole is one of COMP Cams’ most recognizable performance account managers.

He moved back to Colorado in 1973, selling the Nova and competing with a Modified Vega in E/Gas competition until the mid-’70s. Cole took early retirement from the Bell Telephone Company and ultimately started his own business, Cole Performance Engines, in 1979. He worked with racers and other performance enthusiasts from that shop for the next 14 years. Beginning in 1976, Cole also began competing in the C-Econo dragster class, winning the NHRA Division 5 championship in 1983. It was during this time that he got ever more involved in the national drag racing scene. “The biggest opportunity that I had during that time was when I got approached by Buick Motorsports to help them develop the V6 Buick for drag racing,” Cole says. “That was in 1983, and I’ve been a V6 guy ever since.” Cole first got interested in V6s simply because they were different from anything else that was happening in the motorsports world. Throughout much of the ’80s and early ’90s, Cole worked on a variety of projects for Buick and even helped develop the intake manifold for the IndyCar program. Meanwhile, as part of his relationship with Buick, he raced V6 Buick-powered dragsters from 1984 to 1989, picking up two Comp Eliminator national wins before moving to a bodied car at Buick’s request in 1989. He won a national event in Super Stock G Modified at — Phoenix his third race out with his ’89 Buick Skylark.

“It was like a dream come true,” Cole remembers. “I think I was more excited about that than I was the first one I won at Brainerd in my dragster, because it was such a challenge.” He and his wife made the move east in 1993 when the Buick Motorsports program was re-reorganized and he lost a number of his contracts at his own shop. He first worked at TCI Automotive before it was a member of the COMP Performance Group, and moved over to COMP Cams in 1998. In his current role as a performance account manager, he works with performance warehouses, racing engine builders — both in drag racing and circle track — and hardcore racers themselves, mostly drag racers based on his background. As for his own racing, Cole eventually wanted to move into a faster car and built a ’96 Corvette (with a V6 of course) for Super Stock A/X. He hasn’t been able to race for the last several years due to a nagging hip, but he finally had it replaced last winter and is itching to get back to the track behind the wheel of his newest drag car, a 1970 AMX two-seater. Even as he nears the age where most folks might be slowing down in their racing careers, Cole has no such plans.

To date he’s amassed a staggering 78 Wallys comprised of national and divisional event wins, along with class wins at national events. “I know it sounds corny, but it’s not; [drag racing’s] a huge extended family,” Cole explains of his lifelong love for the sport. “If you talk to the majority of the people that are out there drag

Cole in Victory Lane with his Buick Skylark.

racing, they’ll say the same thing. That it’s about the people that they get to be friends with, compete with, compete against, because you’re still friends. “At the end of the day, when you get up there at the starting line, you’re bitter rivals, when you get to the finish line, you hug, you congratulate, and you go on because it’s a huge family.” DRS

AND WE ARE A whole new world of streaming event coverage to your living room, computer, and cell phone

Words: Todd Silvey Photos: Steve Vreatt, Gary Rowe, Bill Swanson, and interviewed sources

s much as so many of us would want, we can’t all travel the states, or the globe for that matter, to hang out at a very cool drag race of our liking on any given weekend. With extreme thanks to internet technology, the advent of watching race coverage from ‘strips far, far away is much more accessible than ever before. Television may provide some “significant” coverage from major networks, but only allow you to enjoy their racing coverage when the networks decide to air a show. To watch a huge number of events every weekend in a live digital format, plus view the complete events at your leisure on a later date makes you want to kiss mother technology full on the lips. We spoke to the current trendsetters who allow us to watch drag racing from our cell phones, computers, and even our televisions equipped with an internet interface. These pioneers of live streaming video of drag racing did not just walk into tracks and set up shop with this reasonably new technology. All of these professionals came from related media sources such as print and online motorsports publishing. As the

72 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

technology came about to connect trackside cameras through the internet and onto your TV, these innovators saw the opportunity to expand the media around racing.

How the whole thing started

Mark Walters got things started with MotorMania TV and is credited for being the original live streaming source for drag racing. “We have technically been around since 2011,” Mark says.

“We were going to NMCA races, and they wanted some different stuff. That’s when we activated the domain, but in 2012, we rebranded and made it Motormania TV.” “A lot of people ask me how we got started,” Mark says. “In 2004, I was racing National Street Car Association, and I won the championship that year. When it was all done, and I got my accolades in the magazines, there were three lines. I worked my butt off for years. I always said if I got the opportunity to impact the little guy like me, I am going to do that. It came together and had grown from there. Our whole deal was about gaining exposure for sportsman racers who are never on TV.”

Warren Evans created D3TV after he started providing local video for his home track, Coles County Dragway. Video turned into live streaming online, and now you can view Warren’s live production of all NHRA Division 3 LODRS events, plus some special NHRA events in his region.

Chad Reynolds has made the Bangshift broadcasts popular by keeping it simple. He started out with a scissor-lift and one camera. Bangshift has grown in popularity and in 2017, they are going international by covering the Outlaw Armageddon in Australia.

Motormania TV first was heavily involved with the PDRA and the IHRA in 2014, which was when things snowballed for them. “It was always a lot of bracket stuff and sportsman stuff, but 2014 was when it really took off for us,” Mark says. “That was the year we put the second unit together. From that point forward, we knew it was taking off, and since then, it has been full steam ahead.” James Lawrence co-founded the NMRA (National Mustang Racers Association) at the young age of 23 and bought the NMCA (National Muscle Car Association) a few years later. “My background is really on the promotional side,” James says. “I was the one who negotiated TV deals with ESPN2 and Masters Entertainment, and I dealt with various production companies on

the event production side. So that gave me a good basis for SpeedVideo.” In 2006, Power Automedia, the parent company of the network, was started, and their digital network of magazines has been built up over the years. “About two years ago, we started looking at live streaming drag racing and analyzed if it was viable and good for the long term,” James says. “We thought if we could improve picture quality, production quality, and audio quality, this could really be big. We didn’t want to be a me-too company, but wanted to build a better mousetrap while respecting our competitors and how they go to market. Every magazine and business want to do a little better than the other.” Chad Reynolds and Bangshift.com got into the live streaming business af-

ter looking at how the morning radio shows were doing it. “I thought it looked pretty easy and thought I’d like to do it with drag racing,” Chad says. “I work with a video guy a lot, Justin Gould, and we were talking a lot about how the morning radio shows were live streaming and why couldn’t it work for drag racing? Our first one was at the California Hot Rod Reunion, and we made it work the best we could, though we had some technical issues as we figured it out. People weren’t used to being able to see it, so they didn’t care about the issues, they loved it. But, I wouldn’t be doing this without Mark Walters help; he’s been helping me out since the first broadcast, and we’re great friends.” Warren Evans and D3TV started out as a project to help the local track. Warren has been involved with Coles

James Lawrence cites the power of utilizing the live streaming video production through social media such as Facebook Live. Many of the live feed windows also feature interaction where you can chime into a chat thread with other viewers. DragRacingScene.com 73

MotorMania TV uses a variety of camera applications from static mounted cameras, cameramen on scaffolding, and handheld camera footage from the starting line. The video sources are fed to a trackside mobile production studio filled with audio and video authoring equipment.

County Dragway for many years. “I was looking for ways to help grow spectators at the track,” Warren says. “Since I’m a technology guy, I was looking for different ways that I might be able to interject something nobody else was doing. I spent some development time and built an Android app for the track, at that time the only one out there. I got to know the owner of the software company I used to develop the app and wound up with a minority ownership position in the company. I needed to develop training for the customer base scattered across the world, and we made some videos. I started acquiring pieces of video equipment to make that happen.” Fast forward a bit, and I started doing videos of the racing at the track on Saturday night and posting them the next day. My system is pretty simple, as a one-man show that operates off a computer. I can produce my live stream show and still do my job of announcing. Well, one day, Jay and Ritch Bowers 74 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

from NHRA Division 3 came to Coles County for a SuperQuick race. They were watching me do the live streaming, and the wheels were turning. We decided to do a pilot project for Division 3 and see what the interest level was. The test program worked, and we decided to do it for a limited schedule at that time.”

The process

Chad has made the Bangshift broadcasts popular by keeping it simple. He started out with a scissor-lift and one camera. “I had way more camera than anything else,” Chad says.” We got air cards, and we made it work. Bakersfield was the home of our live streaming, and when we did our first events there, I had satellite internet put in there. I had fast internet that was mine alone for events I was going to live stream. We have had fun with it. I’ve realized that every time we’ve tried to get fancy with something, it ends up either not being right, or even if it works perfectly fine,

I didn’t have to work that hard on it.” “Everybody has to do some things the same way,” Chad says. “Everybody has a camera, everybody has to get that camera to the computer system, then transfer through the web to the streaming service. So the camera connects to the computer, and in between the camera and the computer, there is switching equipment that is hardware or software. We do it with software. Mark does it with a combination, depending on how many cameras he is running, so with some hardware and some software. We use the software because it allows us to do it with less stuff – fewer things I have to carry on a plane. We now have a smaller more compact set-up; newer camera, smaller and badder, and new computer that is larger, but the equipment we now have fits in a smaller package that is easier to transport.” Mark described the process of getting the stream from the cameras to the viewing device. “From the high-definition cameras, they go into the mobile production vehicles,” Mark says. “Then we run those through a video and audio mixer and from there into a computer, and the stream goes to the content delivery network. We use live streaming to distribute it globally through the live streaming network.” He notes a majority of his viewers watch through their mobile devices, both Android and IOS on phone and tablet. James says he does a couple of things differently than the others. “Our social media is very different because we have a million and a half readers each month and we give them access to the feed. And, we simultaneously broadcast on Facebook using Facebook Live as well as on our website. We were at a quarter-million viewers on Facebook over those four events. The technology infrastructure is complicated to stream in multiple places – you’ve got to shoot multiple signals out.” Warren’s perspective is a little different than the others with D3TV. His show is unique since he has the advantage of working out of the tower in race control. “Typically, I come in the afternoon before the event and do basic set-up, hooking up to the interface I need to do my show. For example, I have one I build that takes the announcer screen that has all of the timing information on it and converts it to a camera shot. So on all of my shows, the picture in picture is one of the timing systems that the announcer sees. That took us engineering work to figure out how to do that.” He also can pull the audio directly

from the track PA system. He hooks up his external cameras with the help of cables that run from his broadcast position to outside the tower. He uses wireless equipment for his long range camera and brings the receiver side back into the building. “I use a microphone on each side of the track to pick up car sound in stereo and mix the sound, so you hear it, but you can still hear the announcer,” Warren says. “The most challenging part can be making sure I have internet accessibility. Some tracks just don’t have enough bandwidth to do what I need. So I have cellular equipment that I can do a solid upload and get a quality signal. I know that Mark Walters at Motormania uses satellite to do the same thing I do.”

The audience

Mark appreciates the gratitude he gets from the viewers. “The biggest thing is their grateful that we’re showing sportsman level drag racing,” he says. “Our biggest audience is in the United States and North America. It branches out across the globe from there. There is a genuine interest in drag racing, and we are trying to grow the 18- to 35-year-old demographic. We’re having some success there through Facebook, but our tried and true viewers run in the 45-plus demographic. The millen-

D3TV features a presentation oriented for the racer. Downtrack and uptrack views rotate with each pass. A unique feature is the timing system computer screen that is set within the picture.

nials go crazy over the outlaw stuff, and the stars of that racing are that age. The technology gives people the option to view it live while the race is going on, or watch it back later. James likes that availability but says more watch it live. “People don’t want to miss it as it happens,” he says. “The bigger percentage is a live audience. But, a lot of people who watch it live will DVR it and go back and watch portions of the event coverage they want to see again. They like to see the highlights again, especially if something unique happens during the broadcast.” Chad finds that his audience really

enjoys his mobile pit reports. He spends a lot of time streaming racers working in the pits and talking about their day. “I’ll be in the pits walking around, and someone will see me coming by and get all excited,” Chad says. “They’re like Chad come over here. It’s awesome, but it’s just me with a cell phone or camera talking to them. The viewers really like those parts of the live stream, too.” Warren says his best-viewed show was the Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green this year. “The NHRA Heritage Museum added that to my schedule and wanted this race. It was the biggest viewership of the year. The division race in Norwalk

DragRacingScene.com 75

Bob Harris says that the streaming video has been an asset to PDRA over the past few years. “I think that has given people at home insight on what’s going on at the PDRA events.”

was also viewed well, and the bracket finals always get a big audience. It is a totally different audience than what you get for a normal race. A lot of family and friends watch. That’s the one that by far has the most follow-up views as well. Probably 50 percent of that viewing happens the day of the event, and the other 50 percent happens after the fact.”

Positive impact

The live streaming video has had an impact in increasing the audience for sportsman drag racing and can claim that it is bringing in more people to race as well. “Most people aren’t going to come watch a bracket race in the grandstands,” Mark says. “We showed the promoters that people who were watching the feed were showing up to race. We had to convince the promoters that it

Chad finds his audience really enjoys his mobile pit reports. He spends a lot of time streaming racers working in the pits and talking about their day. And then there is the hamming it up with fellow Bangshifter Donnie Couch. 76 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

wasn’t going to keep people at home, but just the opposite. Maybe the viewer can’t go to every event, but they can follow a racing series by watching it on live streaming and attend the events that are close to them. Promoters have noticed the impact, the extra visibility they are gaining, and are sharing that with their event sponsors in a positive way.” Mark has also had viewers show up at his events. “I’ve heard a family tell a promoter that they are from Sweden, and they decided to make a family vacation and come to this year’s event after watching it on live stream last year,” Mark says. “The second thing is all of the family members who can’t be with their racers every weekend. We always encourage them to contact the promoters, advertisers, and sponsors and let them know how much they like the live stream. People are doing that.” Meeting some of the viewers at the races is a great experience, but even more so when out in the “real world.” Chad knows many of his viewers through a chat window but enjoys meeting them in person. “Some of these people know us so well, and we have never met. I can’t tell you the number of people who know me as the best buddy, and I’ve never met them in person. A lady in Home Depot down the street from my house recognized my voice. She was so giddy and was so excited to meet me. It’s so random.” “The impact on the gate is a legitimate question,” James says. “We argue that you’ve got fans all over the world who want to watch your event. I’ve talked to people like Bob Harris at PDRA, and there is an absolute value. It is a widespread tour, and you’re getting people who won’t drive to that event, but creating interest when they do come to town.” “There are some scenarios that will

dampen your gate,” he says. “If it is raining at your place or the weather report is questionable, somebody who is 200 miles away is going to lean back in his chair and pop a cold one in front of their computer instead of driving to your race for a rainy day. Bob Harris says that the streaming video has been an asset to PDRA over the past few years. “We decided when we started in 2014, that we wanted more than just a streaming video on the starting line and finish line,” Bob says. “We went together as an organization and bought some equipment that our production man didn’t have. He has done a lot of live interviews in the pits, starting line cam, things that benefit us as TV rather than just live streaming. I think that has given people at home insight on what’s going on at the track other than just cars going down the track. We’ve got a guy doing interviews at the top end because that’s at the moment. An hour later, you don’t catch all of the emotions.” Bob notes that the extra stuff helps out in downtimes as well. “We don’t just stick something up on the screen that says we’ll be back in a moment. We use some of the videos we do in the pits, like interviewing sponsors, a crew chief, or a racer. It gives the families at home, or even the sponsors who aren’t there, something to look at that’s not just blank screen. It’s a great asset. I think the live streaming is great.”

The goals

The goals for all of the live streamers sound similar. “We want to produce a great video and be a good partner for racers trying to get exposure,” James says. “This may sound cliché, but we want to have the biggest events, and for that, you have to have a great product. We want to give viewers the good quality that they’re watching — not just the

broadcast, but the event itself. Our goal is to be the largest drag racing network out there. Does that mean more people are going to watch us than NHRA events? I don’t know; we may give them a run for their money.” New technology looms on the horizon, and that will allow a refining of the process. “Things have really matured, and the next big thing is always coming up,” Mark says. “We want to refine the process and gain better quality, but to the extent that a person will look at their data plan and not be able to watch the videos. It’s just a matter of figuring out what is out there and how to use it.” Warren hopes to expand his service to all of the divisional and regional races for NHRA. “Right now, NHRA has a product called NHRA All Access that they sell for $99, and it is excellent. I watch it to see the production value of what they are trying to do. It is flattering but aggravating to see stuff that is only in my productions that are now popping up in the all access product. So, I know they are watching.” Chad knows 2017 is going to be an interesting year for him. “We are going international. We are announcing that we will be going to Outlaw Armageddon in Australia,” Chad says. “We were asked

to come and live stream the event and be at the track. I had no idea how many people in Australia are huge fans of ours. We have been asked to come down and sign autographs; it makes me laugh – it’s so ludicrous to me, but I am so flattered.” Live streaming can only continue to grow and expand and become an expected part of the whole lifestyle of drag racing. “If a car guy wants to watch it, then it’s the right thing to broadcast, and if it’s fun, then we want to show people how much fun it is,” Chad says.

“I think live broadcasts of entire drag races will continue grow to be more popular than a condensed version on television,” James says. Based on the hundreds of thousands of viewers who are watching big events on the available live stream sites here, fans could be watching drag racing 52 weekends a year, and that can only be good for our sport. DRS

Maybe you live in California and you couldn’t make it to South Georgia for the No Mercy event. That doesn’t mean you can’t see everything that is happening in real time, such as when Stevie “Fast” Jackson took to the sky on MotorMania TV live.

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Craig Sullivan’s Pro Modified Daytona gets attention sitting still, demands attention on the track Words & Photos: Todd Silvey

raig Sullivan started his Pro Modified foray with not only a wildly unique body design, but also took it up another notch with some of the coolest vinyl wrapped graphics. At any race attended by Craig and the 1969 Daytona Superbird, you see the onlookers in the pits stop in their tracks when the car backs out of the pit. “When we decided to buy and rework Chip King’s Daytona, it was a no-brainer to make this a unique Richard Petty-themed car, Craig says. “When we brainstormed ideas for the look of the car, it was all over when Chris Davis at Kryptonite Kustomz presented this concept. The process of applying the wrap was divided into far more sec78 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

tions than a typical design Even the vines were applied separately for a detailed look. The involved ‘rusting Petty’ graphics took 48 hours to print out and over three days to install.” The chassis, built by Vanishing Point Race Cars, uses a carbon fiber body manufactured by Carbon King. The suspension utilizes Santhuff shocks and struts on all four corners, Mark Williams carbon brakes, and an MW-11inch modular rear end. The rear differential has just been outfitted with a new titanium wheelie bar. Mickey Thompson tires are mounted on Mickey Thompson wheels. “Drew Olson of Olson Paint and Body did the patina work on the wheels,” Craig says.

PLANTED WEEDS e in the e

“Rusting Petty’ is the title of the graphics scheme that is ironically applied over a state-of-the-art carbon fiber body. Detail work is included right down to the interior and rust painted Mickey Thompson wheels.

“When we went back to talk to their custom painter, Cougar, Drew told him I wanted to give them the appearance of rusting wheels. Cougar pondered the request and walked out to the waste metal pile behind the shop to find some rusty wheels, so he could visually decipher how to go about duplicating them with paint.” The interior was all fabricated by Vanishing Point, as well. The dashboard was outfitted with all Racepak instruments at this point, and Mike Ralston added striping touches to the carbon fiber dash. “Mike Ralston has added a bunch of pinstriping that’s reasonably hidden throughout the car,” Craig says. “You have to kind of dig for it, but it’s well worth looking for.” “The current engine is a BAE Six-Series Hemi engine that we used just as a mule, so I can learn how to drive the Pro Mod combination,” Craig says. “That way, we can work with Fuel Tech electronic fuel injection and not hurt our new race engine while we’re figuring the new fuel system.” Craig is excited to be one of the few supercharged Pro Modifieds utilizing electronic fuel injection. The new race engine’s combination will consist of Alan Johnson TFX blocks with BED billet heads and Darren Mayer Performance injector hat and supercharger. The valvetrain uses Bullet cams, Manton push rods and rocker arms, Winberg cranks, Carrillo rods, and CP pistons. The entire engine combination will be set up at 526c.i. “We currently run an M&M Pro Mod Turbo 400 and torque converter. I think that is the setup we will stick with for the new engines.” Craig relies on help from Chad Crawford on the team, along with John Treesh. “Chad worked for Don Prudhomme Racing for 15 years; he was Top Fuel tuner, Lee Beard’s right-hand man for 10 years plus worked with John 80 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

A Brad Anderson Six-Series Hemi engine will soon make way for a new 526 c.i. Alan Johnson TFX engine. Craig is excited to be one of the few supercharged Pro Modifieds utilizing electronic fuel injection.

Force’s team,” Craig says. “He has Top Fuel background, so a lot of the Pro Modified combination is new to him. He thinks of things out of the box, and that’s a great asset.” Craig thanks Mark Micke, Joe Oplawski and Hyperaktive Performance Solutions, Steve Petty, Eric Dillard, Kim Geese, along with Tom Cutrick at Mickey Thompson Tires, for their work with him on the car. “One of the first things people question: the use of Mickey Thompson tires on it,” Craig says. “At London Motorsports Park last weekend, the ET shack guy said it’s never going to go down with those tires on it. My best ET to date is 3.95 at 186 with those tires on it — enough said.” Craig plans to run the Daytona with the NMCA and the ADRL tours next year, but he will not let go of his bracket and sportsman racing background since he was 15. “I’ll also load up my bracket cars or my Top Dragster with the Daytona,” Craig says. “We can’t run the dragster at NMCA, but we can with ADRL.” Craig and the team have a lot of fun and achieved lots of attention since the unveiling of the Superbird at the 2015

Performance Racing Industry trade show. The car was a traffic-stopper at last year’s event. “It is all state-of-theart underneath the graphics, and a fun

eye-catcher.” Craig finishes, “Our running gag is the phrase that no real Daytonas or Superbirds were harmed in the production of this car.” DRS

Chad Crawford and Craig Sullivan hang out on the Superbird wing. Note the vinyl graphics that make it appear to be a plank of wood.

XYGENATE

F U E L S

Many of VP Racing Fuels feature the technology of oxygen

82â&#x20AC;&#x192; Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

urpose-building fuels for specific needs is something VP Racing Fuels is known for. This includes fuels blended specifically for certain engines or for particular racing applications. One of those lines is their selection of oxygenated fuels. Oxygenated fuels contain one of a variety of additives that will create oxygen molecules when the compound is broken down and becomes vaporized. There are a number of distinctly different components, some of which include ether- or ethanol-based additives. The addition of extra oxygen in the combustion chamber allows the engine to accept more fuel. When the fuel containing the oxygenates is burned, the result should be extra power during the combustion cycle, as well as burning the existing fuel more productively. When used in the right way, oxygenated race fuel can help a race engine produce notably more power than the same engine on basic race gas. “The efficiency comes up drastically,” says Fred Turza, Research and Development Director at VP Racing Fuels. “It also helps in the way that fuel gets distributed within the intake manifold, by evening out the air/fuel mixture.” Don O’Neal is a racer who also represents VP Racing Fuels with his Top Sportsman Monte Carlo. He handles many relationships with VP customers, not only through his racing, but also as part of a VP fuels dealership. “VP came out with oxygenated fuels to provide more horsepower in a gallon. I became familiar with it by using Q16 in Super Comp racing and just flat fell in love with the ability to pick up horsepower just by pouring in a different type of fuel. In working with the fuel, I saw some applications where racers were able to achieve five to 10 extra horsepower just by changing fuel.

That’s horsepower that people sometimes spend a lot of money trying to find.” Fred points out that oxygenated fuels are also useful in lower compression engines because the fuel blend helps the efficiency of the engine. “This type of fuel is going to be the most advantageous when working with a weaker combustion chamber situation,” he says. “When used in a lower compression engine, the efficiency is typically lower because of carburetor limits, intake manifold, or the intake runners themselves. So, the oxygenated fuels and their higher efficiency can help these types of engines produce more power.” VP’s oxygenated fuel options include unleaded fuel MS109, as well as the leaded fuels including CHP, VP113, and Q16 among others. Generally speaking, an oxygenated fuel will generate the most power. With any of these

fuel options, tuning adjustments will be required to optimize performance. Q16 is recommended for use in engine applications, from naturally aspirated to nitrous to blowers, and is good for engines with compression ratios up to 17:1. “It gives excellent detonation protection so we can still be gaining some power by introducing an oxygenated fuel,” Fred says. “The oxygenates will accept nitrous well, so that makes it more powerful.” VP Racing Fuels recently came out with X16, which has been more of a Q16 type of fuel for the budget-minded racer. “X16 is a lower cost, but it still provides additional horsepower with the oxygenate options,” Don says. “That provides an advantage to racers who are trying to build horsepower, to go as fast as they can, and yet keep engine maintenance down with less wear and tear on their engines.”

VP’s oxygenated fuels contain a variety of additives that will create oxygen molecules when the compound is broken down and becomes vaporized. DragRacingScene.com 83

“We try to be a conservative steward of our customers’ dollars,” Don says. “The X16 costs less and for many racers, it won’t slow them down that much and still gives those performance capabilities.” There is a laundry list of questions VP tech support asks when talking to a customer to help them choose the proper oxygenated fuel for their application. “The first thing we know is that Q16 or any other oxygenated fuel does not like a lot of inlet air temperature, so we want to know that number,” Fred says. “It’s important because oxygenated fuel wants to get to a vapor as quickly as possible. By inducing hotter air, that happens a lot sooner.” If the fuel gets to a vapor before its time, it causes a disturbance in fuel flow. “The key to the whole objective is getting it to a vapor state at the right time,” Fred says. “So, if using a carburetor, you want it to get to that state while it is going through the booster and the venturi. In a fuel injected engine, you want it to start getting to a vapor state immediately once it is sprayed out of the injectors.” Another number to look at is the stoichiometric mixture for a gasoline engine. The measurement refers to the ideal ratio of air to fuel that burns all of the fuel with no excess air. Most racing engines are calibrated at 14.7:1. A guy will say I’ve run Q16, but it really likes to be rich. That’s not true. He’s saying that based only off of that 14.7:1 value. C16 is a pretty powerful fuel, but switch to Q16 and the stoichiometric value is 13.6:1. So if you’re going to try to tune with an O2 sensor and run that, you’d burn that thing up.” “The answer is we have to put more fuel to it to make the engine perform better. This is a common problem we face with racers. So when a guy says ‘I’m trying that fuel and my air fuel number is down to 12.8, that fuel likes to be run rich,’ it’s not really rich, it’s the fuel reaction. This is a number that is tough for many racers to understand.” “It’s not a one fuel fits all type of situation with the oxygenated fuels,” Don says. “Each racer needs to evaluate their best fuel applications. That may not necessarily be one of VP’s oxygenated fuels that work best for you, but you won’t know until you do your research or talk to one of the VP Racing Fuels techs. Examining every variable aspect of your engine combination and the type of racing you’re competing will help you make your decision. The oxygenated fuels were a definite game changer for the marketplace when they came out.” 84 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

“Using oxygenated fuel drastically helps the efficiency,” says Fred Turza, Research and Development Director at VP Racing Fuels. “It also evens out the air/fuel mixture to assist in distributing that fuel within the intake manifold.”

Fred Turza explained that many racers take great caution to stop vapor loss even when transferring fuel. It may be going to the next level, but to the other extreme, a racer who uses an oxygenated fuel and leaves the cap loose or off the fuel jug can alter the fuel.”

Don O’Neal is a racer who also represents VP Racing Fuels. “VP came out with oxygenated fuels to provide more horsepower in a gallon. I became familiar with it by using Q16 in Super Comp racing and just flat fell in love with it.”

One question tech support often hears is about the percentage of oxygenates in the fuel. “The percentage depends on which additive is used, and the application for which the fuel is designed,” Fred explains. “We normally don’t like to focus on the oxygen content in our discussions with racers because they’re always saying ‘The more, the merrier’ and that’s not always true.” Sometimes an engine application just won’t handle that type of oxygenator, and doesn’t necessarily need it. “It could be overkill,” Fred says. “The fuel system couldn’t handle that type of fuel, so their fuel system is already maxed out. Introducing a fuel with a higher percentage of oxygenate will need a minimum flow rate, meaning your flow rate has to increase with a higher level of oxygenate.”

“For illustration purposes, it’s like a chart of spark plugs,” Fred says. “That type of chart is just general to get you in the ballpark. When we publicize something that says ‘Okay you need to go up 10 percent on jets, or three or four jet numbers,’ that’s just a guideline. If everything is 100 percent accurate, then that’s what it will take. If just one thing is skewed in the fuel system, whether a fitting diameter change or needle and seat diameter change, that’s all relevant to the way the car operates and how it will run.” VP’s tech department often hears from racers who say that they switched to an oxygenated fuel and the results weren’t as good as another racer’s results. “The fuel may react differently to that application,” Fred says. “Referring back to that spark plug example where there are so many heat ranges. A guy may think he needs a colder plug, but does it really need a colder plug or is something else wrong? Spark plugs aren’t the same, so that heat range crossover chart is just an average to get you into the ballpark, and that’s the same with fuels. It’s a guideline, and it will take much more information to get things right.” Oxygenated fuels will require a little more care to keep from losing its effectiveness. “Any time you pop the top on a drum of fuel, you may see vapors coming out,” Fred says. “Those are ‘light end’ components such as the oxygenates. They will evaporate out quickly into the atmosphere.” To prevent evaporation, racers need to do what they can to prevent the vapor loss. “I have guys who run C25 who don’t pour it, they force it into their fuel

cells,” Fred says. “They push it right into their fuel cells using a nitrogen blanket on top of it. That may be going to the next level, but to the other extreme, a racer who uses an oxygenated fuel and leaves the cap loose or off the fuel jug can alter the fuel.” “There is some tuning work related to how the oxygenated fuels will affect your engine,” Don says. “The off-season is a good time to work out the kinks. If a racer is looking at making a change in the program for some performance gains, it may take some time to work with timing and fuel curves related to the oxygenated fuels.” DRS Source: VP RAcing Fuels, vpracingfuels.com

“VP Racing Fuels recently came out with X16 which is a lower cost, but it still provides additional horsepower with the oxygenate options.” DragRacingScene.com 85

WIGGINS

GROWING UP

Tracy is the patriarch of the family racing team. You can alway find him sporting this t-shirt which speaks volumes about his love for his son and daughter, who have spent their lives at the ‘strip.

Many values that describe this family were formed around drag racing

rag racing has much more meaning to some families and their character based on their time together within the motorsports. For the Wiggins family of Kevil, Kentucky, it is their love of ‘pulling, drag racing, and one another that justifies their lifelong endeavor across generations. Father Tracy Wiggins got involved in motorsports with his parents when he was just 10 years old. “My dad, brothers, and mother — we all truckpulled,” he says. “My dad competed with a truck, and when we all turned 16, we built more trucks, and we all basically grew up truck pulling as a family. Until about three years ago, we still pulled quite a bit, and I look forward to getting back into it sometime in the near future.” Tracy met his wife, Tammy, and got her involved in truck-pulling early in their relationship. “We dated for three years, and she traveled with us and got to know the entire pulling scene. We married in 1986 and have been together in motorsports for 30 years now.” 86 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Words: Todd Silvey Photos: Todd Silvey & Wiggins Family Their son, Cody, was just about 7 when the shift from pulling to drag racing began. Tracy and Tammy started looking into junior drag racing. “My middle brother, Tony, got me to go look at a couple of junior dragsters in Illinois,” Tracy says. “We came back from there with the cars, and the next thing you know, we were junior drag racing. Cody was just about to move up from T-ball to baseball, so I gave him a choice: He could either play baseball and we would play travel ball, or he could compete in junior drag racing. You see what he chose, and that’s the gist of it.” Tammy and Tracy both agree that the money spent on their race cars was a wonderful investment in their kids. “We started with them when they were young, and that’s what they still like to do,” Tammy says. “We enjoy racing with them, and they’ve learned so much about sportsmanship, friendship, and

Cody Wiggins started his drag racing life at the age of 7. Today, he is a mechanical engineer who has worked for a number of motorsports companies and operates a racing fuel dealership.

Hard at work on a hot day at Gateway International Raceway, the Wiggins family team of Tammy, Tracy, Cody, and Cydnie can be found competing all over the greater Midwest and Mid-South.

Cydnie Wiggins is the younger of the two siblings. Her racing career had the benefit of watching her brother, Cody, who grew out of the Junior Dragsters at the age of 15 due to his height of 6’6”.

camaraderie with the kids we’ve met at the races. It has also taught them discipline, responsibility, and so much more.” “It’s something we were relatively born into,” Cody says. “Being around motorsports in general is something that I’ve loved since I was a kid. I consider myself a fiercely competitive person, so I have always liked the level of competition in bracket racing. I’m always driven to do more; you’re never absolutely finished. There’s always something else to strive for, something else to achieve, to work toward.” “I like that it’s my family’s thing,” Cydnie adds. “It’s been what we’ve always done together. Drag racing is a great sport and a mental game that

keeps you on your toes. No two races are the same. It’s just what I’ve loved since they got me into it when I was seven years old.” There was a definite rivalry between the two kids from the start. “When I was young, of course I wanted to do what my big brother did,” Cydnie continues. “He was always a little faster than me, and Mom and Dad were always worried when we had to race each other. I always just wanted to beat him at something, but later on when he turned 16 and was too big to fit in a junior dragster, he got to watch me do it for a little while until his full-size dragster came about.” That competitiveness has continued into their adulthood and Super Pro racing. “One day we were in Paducah, racing at the local track,” Tracy remembers. “Cydnie goes up and cuts a .002 light trying to get the bye for Super Pro. I told Cody that, and he goes up and cuts a .001 light and takes her bye-run away from her. Those two are very competitive as ever I’ve seen in my life.” The two kids have a very different style of racing. “Cody is a hard worker,” Tracy says. “He is talented but analytical about stuff. Cydnie can fall out of a tree, right into her dragster, and can win on any given day. She’s just that natural at it. It’s very uncanny how she is a born competitor. They have raced each other

only a handful of times, but Cydnie has won more rounds against Cody. She is tougher than a pine knot because Cody pushed her growing up.” Cody raced junior dragsters until he was 15. “He had such a growing spurt at that point,” Tracy explains. “He grew to be about 6-foot-6 and had difficulty with fitting into the car. He would genuinely just fall back into the car, and we would take him by the helmet and just shove him back into the roll cage. At that point, we decided he would sit out until he was old enough to handle a fullsize race car.” Their first “big” race car was purchased in 2010 while Cody was away at Missouri Science and Technology College. “We bought a used roller from a friend, and we built a motor and put it together,” Tracy says. “It was a Jim Nelson 240-inch dragster and had a 540c.i. Chevy with a single four-barrel carburetor running about 5.0s. Cody ran it approximately two years and achieved a good learning curve with that car. That entire time, we had our eyes on ultimately competing with a supercharged car in the NHRA Super Quick Series, running 4.50 index and possibly Top Dragster.” Then, Cydnie aged out of the junior dragsters and Tracy went looking for a big car for her. “I am personally a DragRacingScene.com 87

Tracy and Cody work on their 500c.i. supercharged dragster piloted by Cody. The consensus when talking to any of the Wiggins’ is they look forward to going to different races because they know so many people from different parts of the country.

Corvette nut, and I found a tube-chassis drag Corvette,” Tracy remembers. “I went and looked at it and came home with a bunch of photos. The plan was that I would buy it, and Cydnie and I would split driving duties. She kept saying ‘yes it looks nice’ and I finally said, ‘what’s wrong?’ She told me, ‘it’s pretty and everything Dad, but I want a rail.’ I had to call the guy up and tell him I couldn’t purchase it, because it wasn’t what my daughter wanted. We bought

a new M&M chassis car from a friend for Cody, put a 500c.i. supercharged engine in it and started running it nearly five years ago. Cydnie took over the other dragster, which currently has a 604c.i. Steve Schmidt engine in it.” Cody knows drag racing helped him to decide on his career. He is now a mechanical engineer, as well as being a race fuel distributor for Renegade Fuels. “After I had got too big to fit in the junior dragster, I sat out for a couple

Cydnie is now married and a registered nurse. There is no fear from this girl to climb in the 604c.i. dragster, because Dad is standing beside each of his kids during every pass. 88 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

of years,” Cody says. “I decided to move away from home and go to college to pursue my mechanical engineering degree. Racing was a problem because I was four hours away from home, so this was a racing hiatus for me where I would concentrate on just getting my life going. My drive was to get my professional career going, then to go headfirst into racing as I am now. Racing is now, as much as ever before, our family function every weekend, somewhere as often as we can.” Cody takes responsibility for making the cars ready to race each weekend. “I enjoy the process of being able to go over a car from front to back. It helps me learn and stay up on the technology that is evolving in the sport. Mainly, it has taught me to set goals and know that you have to put in a lot of hours and hard work to achieve what you set out to work toward — that’s the main thing I’ve learned. I genuinely look back at being around motorsports my entire life as where I cultivated a mechanical aptitude. That’s what gave me the desire to learn how all things worked and ultimately toward an engineering career. I wanted to be able to take things apart and put them back together.” Cydnie, a registered nurse, is now married to Kyle Burchard, and they live further away from home. “Honestly, Cody is the lifesaver of all of it,” Cydnie says. “He is the guru on the cars. I just mainly help with cleaning up the cars and help Mom get food and everything together to travel. I want to learn all of it better than I do, but Cody and Dad are the gurus. It’s good that each of us four has different responsibilities as a team.” Cydnie’s husband didn’t grow up in motorsports. “Kyle likes that racing is our family thing,” Cydnie says. “He likes that he can call his wife a drag racer, and not many people can say that. Dad and I are trying to wear him down to get a car, but I think he’s afraid to try it because he’s afraid he’ll like it.” Thinking back through their years of racing, each has their favorite memories at the track. “In junior racing, my favorite event was always Cordova,” Cydnie remembers. “It was a big IHRA race, and I won Ironmen there twice. After the racing was done and everyone was settled, they would have this huge water fight. Being competitive drag racers as we all were, you couldn’t just have water guns and water balloons. People brought fire extinguishers pressurized for water and went all out.” “As we grew into bracket racing our dragsters, the Memorial Day event at Beech Bend Raceway Park has always

Dedication to drag racing also includes Tammy and Tracy’s country home, with what is probably the world’s largest built-in garage that can house all of the race cars, plus the entire transport rig.

The race shop includes a bathroom where the family history of racing photos are pasted onto the walls as an ongoing effort.

been my favorite,” she continues. “My little cousins, Greg and Eli Willis, along with my Uncle Trevor were there racing, making it the big family racing event. Each time you heard the announcer during eliminations, it seemed there was always a Wiggins on the track.” Cody also enjoyed the water fights at the Cordova race as one of his favorites. “We also enjoyed the Drag News Halloween Nationals at Gateway every year, with the trick or treating at the trailers and all of the picnic and fun with friends,” he says. “I’ve grown to love the big bucks bracket racing circuit now, and we go all over the eastern part of the country. We pack up and go somewhere for 3-4 days and spend the whole time with the family. I’m looking forward to heading to Montgomery this weekend for my first crack at the Million Dollar Race. It’s been a goal of mine to get the funds and the equipment together to go ahead and run it, so that will be a good memory as well.” Their parents have great memories of racing with their kids as well. “It’s been really fun traveling with them,” Tammy says. “The kids always looked forward to going to different places because they knew people from different parts of the country. That’s always been a lot of fun for us. I know it’s all about the families, in junior racing or in big cars with all of the people we’ve met

and seeing the kids have a great time and the good experiences they’ve had from it.” “Cody won his first IHRA Ironman at Etheridge, Tennessee,” Tracy says. “We had a truck pull the same weekend in Alabama and literally pulled on Friday night in Alabama. Then we drove up to Etheridge, Tennnessee, for the drag race on Saturday and Cody won the 8-9 year old group for the Ironman. Tammy took a photo of him in the hauler coming back to Alabama for Saturday night’s pull and he had fallen asleep with the Ironman in his arms.” Drag racing has taught lessons to everybody in the family. “This goes back to when I was a kid,” Tracy says. “My dad worked a lot of overtime, and he would direct things for me and my brothers to fix as a way to support our pulling habit. When schoolwork was done, you had

your butt out there in the garage. We’d buy a truck with a blown-up motor and we’d be out there fixing it and then sell it to make money for our hobby. With the kids, these cars were a teaching lesson as much as they were fun. If I heard a smart mouth during the week or heard somebody didn’t make the grades or do their homework, they didn’t race that week. I want my stuff to look nice and run well, but I also want my kids to be gracious, and I want them to win and lose with sportsmanship too. If I hear an attitude and I don’t like, it, they’ll tell you right quick that I am their father, not their friend. We love our children dearly, and we’ll be the first to put our foot up their tail if they cause havoc.” “Responsibility is a huge part of what we learned,” Cydnie says. “You don’t just get to take the car to race and then come home and forget about it. You have to spend time with cleaning and maintenance. I learned those priorities as well. If I wanted to run around with friends all the time, I would miss out on drag racing with my family. Our parents taught us from the time we raced juniors, which if you lost, you find them and shake their hand and tell them good luck for the next round. I think the best thing I’ve learned is the most important as well. Keep family close and spend time with them. Finding that one thing you all enjoy doing together is meaningful.” DRS

Cody is described by dad as the hard worker; talented, but analytical about everything to do with the cars. They all laughed when it was mentioned Cydnie can fall out of a tree, right into her dragster, and can win on any given day. She’s just that natural at it.

DragRacingScene.com 89

The simplest link could be your weakest. Words: Brandon Flannery

IS PUSHROD FLEX LIMITING

POWER?

im Cole of COMP Cams told a story of how his engine quit making power and he spent way too much time and money overlooking one simple component: His pushrods. Inspired, I asked him to write it down: “In the ’90s, I was struggling to get my Buick V-6 drag car to be competitive against the Chevy splayed valve headed motor. One Chevy in my NHRA class was faster, and I was bound and determined to catch up. I had spent countless hours and too much money in that quest…. but I kept plugging. My motor would go up to one rpm and then flatten out. I chased and chased heads, manifold combinations, carburetors, gear ratios, and cam grinds — but to no avail. There was a tech in our R&D department at COMP Cams who occasionally went racing with me. One day, he told me that I was not using a stiff enough pushrod, based on what Spintron testing was showing. He convinced me to try a new set of thick wall, bigger diameter pushrods.

90 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

We went out to Memphis Motorsports Park and tested. Data acquisition was used to monitor engine performance, as always. We made a baseline pass in the normal configuration, and the results were the same as always. (What do they say about the definition of insanity?) Then, we changed pushrods, rechecked valve lash, and went out for another run within the hour. The car picked up 5 mph, coupled with an .08 reduction in ET. Data showed rpm did not even attempt to flatten out! I had been fighting this pushrod flex syndrome for all this time. When the next opportunity arose, we set the national record and that Buick was not beaten for class again.” Now, pushrods are very simple things. All they have to do is transfer elevation changes from the camshaft to the rocker arm. They become compressed as the lifter rises on the cam lobe, and again by spring pressure as the valve closes. This “pole vaulting” action and battle of forces does fun-

A 3/8-inch .135-inch wall pushrod is the absolute minimum for any solid roller applications. COMP Cams Hi-Tech pushrods features seamless tubing that is heat treated to resist deflection.

ny things as rpm increases. Once the valve train goes out of control, the motor loses its ability to accelerate, as in Tim’s case where it flattened out at a certain point. The load and speed of the lifter changing direction creates tremendous bending forces that makes the pushrod deflect and cause problems. A pushrod under deflection stores energy as it bends and then releases that energy in an uncontrolled fashion. The pushrod is no longer a solid link transferring motion at precise moments. Instead it moves erratically, creating a wave of illtimed events that shortens duration and controls the valve differently from the shape of the cam lobe. The angularity differences between lifters and cups or adjusting screws on the rocker arms can also contribute to deflection, as will the additional load caused by increasing rocker ratios or spring pressure. These angles can cause side-loading, most of which is generated at the lower end of the pushrod. Deflection can result in harmonics that often cause the pushrod to “hula” around and rub the block and/or heads. Witness marks on heads have occurred over a half of an inch away from pushrods. Since a pushrod is longest when it’s perfectly straight, any change also affects length. Events of the valvetrain are carefully orchestrated to gain maximum performance, and altering the pushrod length means less lift (or erratic lift as it springs back into shape) that alters the scheduled events. The rocker will not see full travel in relation to the lobe profile, and the valve will not open correctly. This loss of control also affects duration (the time the valve is supposed to stay open.) Since the valve was supposed to open earlier than the time deflection is making it happen, and then snapping shut, duration is shortened. The valve will not be open long enough. This loss means the engine isn’t breathing to its full potential.

Factory pushrods are designed to operate within their lower horsepower limits. Increase lift, rpm, or spring pressure and they start doing the hula dance and deflecting.

Another by-product of reduced duration is that by the time the valve begins to open, it’s opening “late” and the cam timing is being retarded. This means the charge isn’t filling and exiting the cylinder correctly and combustion isn’t as efficient. This is equivalent to moving the timing. Deflection of the pushrods can also cause “lofting,” or valve float, especially in hydraulic applications where the lifters pump up and hang the valves open at high rpm. Open valves don’t build compression or create a one-way path for the intake and exhaust charges, translating into lost power or worse. At the other end of the cycle the release of energy causes valve bounce, resulting in reversion and possible valve failure. Stock push rods are generally made from 1018 steel tubing. Because they are

matched to their demands, they have a fairly low buckling weight and are not good beyond 320 psi of seat pressure, or 4,500-5,000 rpm. Performance applications use stiffer valve springs, more cam lift, and see higher rpm -- all of which increase valvetrain loads. If overlooked, it’s easy to see why the pushrod is a major fail-point. Exhaust-side pushrods also have to overcome extreme cylinder pressures, especially those that exceed the spring load when using power adders. The correct timing of this event is critical to performance. The solution? A stronger pushrod. Deflection can be reduced by increasing a pushrod’s outside diameter or wall thickness. Pushrods made from 4130 Chromoly also offer higher

tensile strength — 4140 even more so. Deflection can also be reduced with dual-taper pushrods. A tapered pushrod will withstand harmonic frequencies to a higher rate than a solid, straight tube. Guide plates that restrict motion are also popular, but need to be used with straight (non-tapered) pushrods hardened to withstand the wear caused by rubbing on the plates. Engine builders know that weight stalls rotating components, and they are hesitant to add any more to the valvetrain. This is why the pushrods may be overlooked. One thing to keep in mind: When saving weight comes at the expense of deflection, it’s not a savings. Thankfully, the pushrod is on the “slow side” of the valvetrain. The addiSerious street performance and race applications benefit from a 3/8-inch .080-inch wall setup like Lunati’s Signature Series. They are carbon-nitrided and heat treated.

DragRacingScene.com 91

tional pushrod mass is significantly outweighed by the benefit of having the correct duration and valvetrain stability. Weight savings on the faster valve side is far more critical and can show big improvements. Combining lightweight springs, retainers, valve locks, and rockers with a good pushrod can improve valvetrain accuracy and add horsepower. It’s not uncommon for engines to need a smaller-duration cam after upgrading to better pushrods. Additional duration may have been used to compensate for the loss in deflection, often with compoundingly negative results. It becomes a case where “too much is still not enough.” Once the right pushrods are using of all the duration, the cam may prove to be too big. We asked Kirk Peters of Lunati Cams for recommendations on proper pushrods for various applications. His first bit of advice was to make sure the rocker arm geometry was correct. “Proper rocker arm geometry cannot be achieved without the correct length pushrods; therefore getting a pushrod length checker is very useful. Lunati and other companies offer them in different incremental styles starting from 5.800 inches and ending up at 11.800 inches. He suggests a 5/16-inch, .080-inch wall for hydraulic flat tappets like Lunati’s Sportsman Series Pushrods and a .105-inch wall for those high performance applications where rules strictly mandate the use of a 5/16-inch pushrod. These are heat treated for strength and made from 4130 chromoly steel. Solid flat tappets should step up to a minimum 3/8-inch, .080-inch wall, while a solid roller application pushrod should be a minimum 3/8-inch, 135inch wall. Lunati’s Signature Series pushrods or COMP Cams Hi-Tech line gives you seamless carbon-nitrided tubing that is then heat treated to eliminate deflection and stress fractures. Kirk says those who need heavy duty pushrods, like solid roller applications or extreme Suitable upgrades for hydraulic flat tappets are heat-treated .080inch wall 5/16-inch pushrods. For performance roller applications with 5/16-inch rule restrictions, stepping up to a fatter .105-inch wall is the hot ticket. 92 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

Note the giant difference in size between a stock 5/16-inch and a ½-inch diameter pushrod often used on the exhaust valve of nitrous or high-boost applications where cylinder pressures greatly exceed spring pressure.

Pushrod checker tools like this one from Lunati allow accurate measuring for proper geometry. They come in one-inch measurable ranges starting from 5.800 inches and ending up at 11.800 inches. This one spans 8.800 to 9.800 inches.

duty solid flat tappets like NHRA Stock Eliminator, should use a .165-inch wall, double-taper 7/16-inch pushrod. “These extremely durable pushrods are double tapered and capped with 5/16-inch semi-spherical ball ends machined to 210 degrees to ensure ample clearance,” he adds. “They are made from chromoly and are case hardened through multiple heat treatments.” Finally, the big boys. Many solid roller applications with big nitrous or big boosted blower motors with crazy cylinder pressures should run a fat ½-inch,

.200-inch wall pushrod on the exhaust to help overcome those forces. If you have a high-performance engine and haven’t put a lot of thought into the pushrods, or just bought what somebody recommended, there is a chance you are leaving power on the table. Bigger isn’t always better, but a little invested pushrod weight in the valvetrain might increase horsepower or open the path to getting the most efficient cam for your application. DRS Sources: COMP Cams, compcams.com; Lunati Cams, lunatipower.com

Most extreme-duty applications, like this RHS big-block, use a thick 7/16-inch wall, double taper pushrod that allows clearance for the rocker arm and offers enough rigidity.

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Commitment, Control, & Challenge: Think Like a Winner!

ast time, I discussed ways to BEHAVE like a winner. It is even more essential to think like a winner. People who are successful in their careers, in sports, and in life have certain thought patterns that help them. Conversely, people who tend to be less successful have thoughts that are not helpful. All athletes have moments when your thoughts start to swirl out of control like a negative spiral. It is common for your brain to think unhelpful thoughts, but the secret is to learn to stop those thoughts and replace them with useful thoughts. When I work with an athlete, they are able to tell me the negative thoughts that sometimes pop into their heads. Some examples in drag racing include: “I hope I don’t go red!” or “I never drive well when it is this HOT!” So, if you are having negative thoughts that are not helping you think like a winner, you can help yourself by controlling your thoughts. There are ways to think more positively and be better able to handle the stress of our sport. In this article, I am going to focus on three specific ways to help you think more like a winner. Suzanne Kobasa researched people who were better at handling stress, and she stated these people had “hardiness.” The three thought patterns that help people through tough times include: Commitment, Control, and Challenge.

Commitment Successful people are committed to what they are doing. They understand it takes hard work, time, and money, and there will be ups and downs. Successful people commit to what needs to be done and don’t let anything get in their way. If you let your brain start thinking, “Maybe I should just quit drag racing,” or “Fishing would be so much more fun,” you may be letting your brain be less committed than it needs to be to win. There may be good reasons to stop doing certain things, but if you truly want to do something successfully, you need to be “all in.” Sometimes athletes try to act like they are not 100 percent committed so if they fail, they think they will feel better, but failure is always lousy. In drag racing, we win and lose by thousandths of a second, so you need your brain to be all in. Some people have more time, more money, so their “all in” looks greater than another person’s. This means for where you are in drag racing and your life, you have committed. You know it will be hard, you know it will cost time and money, you know you will lose, but you can’t imagine not drag racing. Yes, we all have rough weekends, and I have often thought “this was a crappy weekend!” But I rarely have thought “I want to quit” for 94 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 4

more than a moment. Many Monday mornings, Mike and I come home, regroup, plan, and decide what we are going to do. I have bought most of my new tires, carburetors, and converters on a Monday morning after I was disappointed in the weekend. We don’t give up, we double down!

Control Successful people have a clear understanding of what they can and cannot control. Winners know they are in control of preparing their car, cutting a light, driving the stripe. They know they are not in control of the pit conditions, the weather, the track conditions, what the opponent does. Here’s how I have athletes visualize control: Think of all of the things that may influence your thinking during a race that are uncontrollable (e.g., time, weather, track conditions). Then think of the things that may influence your thinking during a race that are controllable (e.g., focus, breathing, attitude). We only have so much mental energy, so all of your mental energy should be focused on controllables. When your mind starts to think about uncontrollable, try to refocus on something you can control.

Challenge Successful people aren’t content with something that is easy. If it is easy, it is boring. Part of the thrill of drag racing is that it IS challenging, whether you are in the high school class, racing Super Comp, or driving a Top Fuel Dragster. You can win and lose by a thousandth of a second. Winners thrive on challenge, and they enjoy working hard, getting better, meeting one goal, and then moving on to another. Challenges give our life purpose and excitement. People who don’t have anything challenging in their careers, life, or sports are missing out on what it means to fail, try again, and win. The reason winners often cry in the winner’s circle is because they know how much they have committed, how much they have worked, how much they have failed, and how good it feels to meet the challenge. Successful people look at life like a puzzle to be solved. Bring on the next challenge! Working on your thinking takes time and practice. Surround yourself with people who also think, talk, and act like winners. Once you are 100 percent committed, focus on only what you can control, and once you look at life as a challenge, you will also feel confident and think like a winner! Thinking like this won’t guarantee that you will win every race, but thinking like this will increase your chances of winning, and you will be a happier racer. That may be the most important aspect of being a success. DRS