USMTS HAS BIG PLANS FOR MODIFIEDS TODD STALEY SPEAKS OUT
THE DIRT TRACK RACING MAGAZINE
LIFE AFTER LEGENDS? DIRT RACING INSIDERS LARRY SHAW MICHAEL RIGSBY DAVE ARGABRIGHT
TRACTION CONTROL HAS IT BECOME THE NORM?
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HARDCORE ENGINE & CHASSIS TECH VOL. 1, ISSUE 2 PUBLICATION OF XCELERATION MEDIA
OD2014-2
OneDirt.com
GAIN AN OFFSEASON ADVANTAGE HOT NEW PARTS
JASON KROHN RACES ON AFTER UNTHINKABLE TRAGEDY
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Shop TALK FROM THE EDITOR
100% Dirt Track Racing
You meet the most interesting people at a dirt track race
Staff Group Publisher
It happened to me again recently while I was covering the World of Outlaws’ season-ending World Finals event at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. JE Pistons and OneDirt had teamed up for a great contest we called “The Ultimate Fan Experience.” The winner was given an all-expenses paid trip to the event for the weekend. You can read more about that in the news section of this magazine, but needless to say, it was a big deal. I found out the grand prize winners were a couple from California, Tom and Carissa Tilford, and they were being hosted by the gracious folks in the World of Outlaws suite at the track. My plan originally was just Jeff Huneycutt to swing by, say hello, offer my congratulations, maybe snap a quick pic of the winners and move on to the next thing on my to-do list. But Carissa and Tom turned out to be so cool I ended up spending the greater part of an hour hanging out and bench racing. When you name the winner via a random drawing you can wind up with anybody, but Tom is a third-generation racer himself, and some of the stories he told of his own racing experiences were quite entertaining. Take, for example, the fact that his first race car, a Pontiac Ventura, was originally built to race on asphalt. But one particularly hard hit bent the frame and, as Tilford says, “The car just wouldn’t turn left anymore.” Tilford says a friend jokingly told him to try it out on dirt because, “They’re always turning right anyway,” so he did and somehow it worked. The Ventura ended up finding new life on dirt and even won some races. Tilford and his family raced the Ventura—mostly at Placerville Speedway in California—until it met its end one Saturday night when Tilford’s father raced the car while his son was attending a buddy’s bachelor party. “My dad called me during the party,” Tilford says. “I thought he was going to give me an update on how his race went. But he said, ‘I’m your dad, and remember the most important thing is I’m OK.’ I knew something weird was going on when he said that, and he finally admitted that he spun out in front of another car and the race car was trashed!” After that Tilford purchased a Camaro from “a guy down the road for a hundred bucks and a case of beer.” That car has turned out to be one of the winningest Pure Street cars in Placerville history. Tilford lets others drive the Camaro now; three years ago he graduated to Late Models. He’s already got a Rookie of the Year title and a track championship under his belt, so we have our suspicions that this guy is quite at home behind a steering wheel. So even though I didn’t get everything done on my to-do list at the track that night, it turned out to be a pretty good night bench racing with a new friend from the other side of the country. USMTS HAS BIG PLANS FOR MODIF TODD STA LEY SPEAKSIEDS
Keep your foot in the gas,
OUT
Jeff Huneycutt jhuneycutt@xcelerationmedia.com
ON THE
LIFE AFT LEGENDSER ?
COVER
SAMMY SWINDELL I-30 SPEEDWAY, BRYANT, ARKANSAS
Photo by Woody Hampton
THE DIRT TRACK
RACING MAGA
HARDCORE & CHASSIS ENGINE TECH
2
PUBLICATION XCELERATION OF MEDIA OneDirt.com
JASON KR OHN RAC ES ON d 1
Contributors Ben Shelton Brady Alberson
Dan Hodgdon Manufacturers
Advertising Dave Ferrato
Brett Underwood
For advertising inquiries call 901.260.5910.
Production
Hailey Douglas
Art
Jason Wommack Zach Tibbett
OneDirt is published semiannually to promote the growth of dirt track 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 dirt racing participants and fans. Editorial content and advertisements for each issue can originate from partner companies participating in the magazine. OneDirt is a hybrid of content that was originally published at OneDirt.com and original content that was created for this biannual print magazine. Magazine distribution occurs through direct distribution from parent company Xceleration Media and partner companies. OneDirt 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.
SPECIAL THANKS
The staff of OneDirt would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the talented photographers that supplied the images found in this issue. Without their talents and willingness to help, there would not be a OneDirt print magazine. Rick Schwallie latemodelphotos.com
Bobby Kimbrough Jr.
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Senior Tech Editor Jeff Smith
Woody Hampton woodysracingphotos.com
TRACTIO N CONT
ROL HAS IT BEC OM THE NORM? E
VOL. 1, ISSUE
Editorial Director Jeff Huneycutt
Seth Lacewell slpracingpics.smugmug.com
DIRT RA INSIDE CING
LARRY SHA RS W MICHAEL RIG SBY DAVE ARG ABRIGHT
OD2014-2
ZINE
Shawn Brereton
GAIN AN OFFSEA N ADVANTSO AGE HOT NEW PAR TS
AFTER UN THINKABLE
TRAGEDY
CONTENTS FEATURES
TECH
12 INTO THE SUNSET
18 SHOCKING ADVANTAGE
24 THE WORDSMITH OF DIRT
20 PROCESSING PRECISE PISTONS
32 MODIFIEDS GO BIG TIME
26 SPRING INTO ACTION
38 YOUNG CHAMPION
30 THE TRICKLE-DOWN EFFECT
42 A VICTIMLESS CRIME
36 GAINING TRACTION
46 CARRYING ON
40 LET IT BREATHE
72 THE TIMELESS LEGEND
44 FORGING FOR DOLLARS
82 EDUCATED RACERS
52 SHOCKING DEVELOPMENTS
89 CHAMPION OF THE CHASSIS
64 CRANK IT UP
90 PLAYING GAMES
68 AN AUTOMATIC ADVANTAGE
93 DIRT ON DIRT
86 IT’S ELECTRIC
This season signals a changing of the guard Dave Argarbight covers dirt racing from all angles A look inside the USMTS
Bobby Pierce is making his own name The truth about banner thievery at the track Despite tragedy, Jason Krohn moves forward Remembering Hooker Hood
Why a college education benefits racers Quotes from Larry Shaw about a life in racing Pros and cons of dirt racing games Michael Rigsby dishes the dirt on the sport
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How to dyno test shocks
Re-engineering results in faster turnaround There is a lot to know about valve springs
Top-level piston ring technology comes to dirt Traction control systems are no longer taboo Using technology to tune your carburetor Get the best pistons on a hobby racer’s budget Getting the most out of your shock setup
Making of a Lunati Signature Series Crankshaft An automatic trans can help on the dirt track
Crane Cams answers common ignition questions
SPEED SHOP
Ultra HP 2 BBL Carburetors Holley...................... 56 Offset Sportsman Solid Roller Lifters COMP Cams........................... 57 BBC Open Chamber Gas Ported Lightweight FSR Piston JE Pistons...................... 57 SBC Main Stud Kit ARP......................................... 57 Sprint 602 Sealed Crate Engine Pace Performance...................................................... 58 Break-In Oil Crane Cams....................................... 58 Quik Rack Intercomp Racing.................................. 58 Oval Track TLR2 Solid Roller Cams Lunati......... 59 Powered Ring Filer Total Seal.............................. 60 M Series Interchangeable Cartridge Struts QA1............................................. 60 1.4 kW Ultra-Duty Starter Quarter Master........... 60 Pro Elite CNC-Ported Aluminum Cylinder Heads RHS........................... 61 Dual Conical Valve Springs COMP Cams........... 61 HEI Distributor Crane Cams................................... 61 Pro-Compact Series Fittings JIffy-tite................ 62 Electric Brake Shut-Off TCI.................................. 62 Next Generation FHR Pistons Icon...................... 62 13" Magnum Mini-Sprint 4-Pin Weld Racing....... 63 Speed Clean Foaming Degreaser Driven Racing Oil....................................................... 63 Rod End Boot Installation Tool Seals-it ............. 63
DEPARTMENTS 01 SHOP TALK
Letter from the editor
04 SPEED NEWS
All the “dirt” from the dirt racing world
06 DIGITAL GUIDE
The best sites, apps & social media centered on dirt
07 SOCIAL MEDIA SOUNDOFF
Your online comments to OneDirt topics
10 VIDEO REWIND Racing, product & entertainment videos
56 SPEED SHOP
Hottest products to hit the dirt
84 SNAP SHOTS
Dirt track racing defined
94 AUTOGRAPHS A place for keepsakes
95 FAST FORWARD
Schedule for dirt track racing’s main events
96 PARTING SHOTS On to the next race
Photo by Rick Schwallie
Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 3
Speed NEWS NEWS / HEADLINES / HOT TOPICS Xceleration Media Group Floors It! Xceleration Media (the parent of OneDirt) has been busy lately! XM is expanding our footprint to include three new titles: Street Rod Life, Drag Racing Scene and GearHeads4Life. Like XM’s other properties (Power & Performance News and OneDirt), each title will be a multi-channel effort to get industry information to the masses. But the good news doesn’t stop there: Not only are we adding titles, we are adding talent to keep the content flowing and fresh. We brought in Jeff Smith as Senior Tech Editor for Power & Performance News, Todd Ryden as Editorial Director for Street Rod Life, Shawn Brereton as Editorial Director of Gearheads4Life and John DiBartolomeo as Editorial Director of Drag Racing Scene. These guys know the industry and are valuable additions to our expanding catalog of content. Now with properties in five major automotive or motorsports segments,
Xceleration Media is ensuring we are at the forefront of today’s changing media landscape by using a variety of innovative delivery channels to ensure that hard-hitting technical content
reaches high-value enthusiasts, racers and hobbyists. Visit us online at xcelerationmedia.com or on YouTube at youtube.com/ xcelerationmedia.
Stop Spinning Your Wheels Online Weld Racing relaunches its website, makes it easier to find Sprint Car wheels Weld Racing is one of the most trusted brands for racing when it comes to wide five wheels and wheels for Sprint Car racing. Now the company has recently updated its website—weldwheels.com— to make it easier to use and find the information you need. The new site is broken down into sections so you don’t have to scroll through unnecessary information to find what you need, and the staff will continually be updating information. Now you can sort by wheel size, finish and even back spacing. “We recently reorganized our brands, so it was a strategic time to update the website to best demonstrate the individual strengths of each brand,” said Chris Bovis, vice president of marketing, Weld. “More than a design refresh, we wanted to improve the site’s functionality so we rebuilt the site infra4 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
structure to be more scalable to allow for future growth and increased customer interaction.”
If you are a dealer, the new site will also allow you to enter orders right on the site to make your life a little easier.
Speed NEWS
NEWS / HEADLINES / HOT TOPICS
New Sprint Car Series Kicking Off in 2015 Sprint Car racers will have an opportunity to run a new 410 series beginning next year. The new series is called the National Sprint League, and it is making a big push for relevance right away. It has announced that it has put together a point fund of at least $350,000 and even posted the majority of its schedule. The National Sprint League will kick off its season April 11, but as this went to press the location was still to
be determined. Next up will be a race at Eagle Raceway in Eagle, Nebraska, on May 8. The fledgling series will also make four stops at famed Knoxville Raceway and will be a part of the Knoxville Championship Cup Series, which pays out more than $250,000 in cash and contingencies. Overall, the series has plans for 47 race dates spread across several states throughout the Midwest.
Ultimate Dirt Track Experience Won Dirt track racer wins JE Pistons/OneDirt prize, VIP weekend in Charlotte This year JE Pistons and OneDirt teamed up to give away “The Ultimate Dirt Track Experience.” The Experience featured a complete weekend full of racing activities, but the big prize was a VIP weekend as a guest of JE Pistons and the World of Outlaws during the World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. The winner of the giveaway was chosen at random, but it feels a lot like karma that the winner was a longtime dirt racer who actually owns multiple track championships at Placerville Speedway. Tom Tilford and his wife, Carissa, were flown from California to Charlotte for a weekend filled with racing that
included a tour of Roush Yates Engines, along with visits to the Hendrick Motorsports Museum and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The Tilfords not only watched all three nights of racing at the World Finals, but they also had the chance to hang out in the pits with Late Model driver Dale McDowell and others. Tom even dropped the green flag on one of the heat races. “The whole thing was pretty phenomenal for me,” Tilford said afterward. “Being a third-generation dirt driver, getting to go to the biggest dirt race of the year and rub elbows with the best dirt drivers in the world was just a dream.”
Bringing Fuel Injection to Dirt Racing ARCA approves new engine configuration, allows Holley electronic fuel injections OK, it may be a bit of a stretch to connect ARCA to dirt track racing, but the touring series does visit dirt tracks a couple times a year, so it counts. In an innovative move, the ARCA Series has approved a fuel-injected engine configuration that was developed by Ilmor Engineering. The V8 engine displaces 396 cubic inches and is expected to produce 500 ft/lbs of torque and 700 horsepower. ARCA officials say it
should also be capable of running 1,500 miles between rebuilds. But the real news is that fuel delivery will no longer be handled by an old-school carburetor, but by an electronically controlled fuel injection system engineered by Holley.
Switching to fuel injection is expected to make tuning much easier and will be a part of the reason the new engine package will be able to go so long between rebuilds. “Holley carburetors have powered ARCA racers over two million miles in the last two decades alone,” said ARCA President Ron Drager, “so it is a natural transition for Holley fuel injection to deliver the fuel on the ARCA Ilmor 396.” Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 5
Digital GUIDE WEBSITES / FORUMS / APPS
HELPING RACERS
INTO THE
WINNER’S CIRCLE ONE CLICK @ A TIME
With all of today’s technology, the digital world can be overwhelming. Let’s face it—with so many websites, forums, apps, social media and everything else out there, it can be pretty tough to navigate through all of the nonsense to find the information you need. Not to mention how little time you have when every spare minute is spent trying to win races, right? Here at OneDirt, we’ve done the dirty work for you. We’ve waded through all of that nonsense and extra stuff for you to find some of the best sites, apps and other resources to help you make it to Victory Lane.
We’re easy, free and dishing all the dirt
OneDirt has made it as easy as possible for you to receive the information you seek in the format you feel most comfortable with. We have several avenues for you to get the latest dirt track racing information straight from the source. Our
content is updated daily, so check often with OneDirt through any of these avenues: facebook.com/OneDirtDotCom
twitter.com/OneDirt youtube.com/OneDirtRacing instagram.com/ XcelerationMedia
pinterest.com/Xceleration onedirt.com/feed plus.google.com/+OneDirt
We hate to see you leave, but if you do, go here We understand that sometimes you may leave OneDirt.com, so if you do here are some sites we enjoy and think you will too: 4m.net TheCushion.com
6 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
Gopro.com/channel MavTV.com
Social Media SOUND OFF
FACEBOOK / TWITTER / MULTIMEDIA
We recently posed the following question to the 145,000+ fans of the OneDirt Facebook page. Emotions run deep within the dirt racing community regarding the sanctioning of crown jewel events and our fans didn’t disappoint with their passionate comments. Below is a hand-picked sampling of the best responses. Got an opinion on this matter? We want to hear it at www.facebook.com/OneDirtDotCom or via any of our other social media channels listed below.
DO YOU PREFER CROWN JEWEL DIRT EVENTS TO BE UNSANCTIONED OR SANCTIONED, WHY OR WHY NOT?
Jason Markewitz Unsanctioned strictly
because the sanctioned events feel more like any other series event. The officials will generally lean towards series regulars and I feel provisionals hurt the feel of the event. If you’re not fast enough that weekend to qualify on your own merit you should load up like everyone else. 13 Like • Reply •
Charles Voss I don’t care, just as long as the racing is good.
Robert Claunch Unsanctioned or even co-sanctioned. The best of all the series should be racing Crown Jewels. Lou Puzio Unsanctioned because you will not see anybody holding back and not giving it their all to keep their spot in points or so that they stay just far enough ahead. Unsanctioned brings out all the best drivers in the country and beyond to compete for a ton of cash, putting everything on the line. That is what fans want to see… a little rubbing to earn your way to the top without being dirty.
WE REALLY GET AROUND!
OneDirt is active on all major social networks. Join us as we spread the word about hardcore dirt racing around the world.
Sheila Tillman Unsanctioned. When you have competitive drivers hauling 10-plus hours to the track and they get bumped out by a provisional driver that cannot compete, but they have the money to race, I say unsanctioned!
Jan Carter Unsanctioned. Bring what you got and hope you brought enough! Bret Sievertsen Unsanctioned. In most cases car counts will be higher. There are multiple reasons why. No license or sanction fees. No favorites/regulars, and no points to contend with just money. Todd Lincks Sanctioned because the car counts are falling by the wayside and at least with sanctioned events you know the top racers will be there.
Jason N Stephanie Carr Sanctioned. I want the rules enforced as well as stats recorded. I also like the fact that at a sanctioned event the playing field is level and the ringers are squeezed out or up to their proper class. 2 Like • Reply •
#MUSTFOLLOW
These are some of our favorite Twitter personalities. They’ll keep you entertained and informed about “all things” dirt track racing.
@J2Mayfield Embattled former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield
facebook.com/OneDirtDotCom
is attempting to resurrect his racing career in Dirt Late Models. Follow along to see how the story plays out.
@OneDirt
@joedirttrack This parody account embraces the redneck side of
youtube.com/OneDirtRacing google.com/+Onedirt
ALSO FIND US HERE:
the dirt track scene and will keep you trying to figure out which of your racing friends the admin is posting about.
@shanestewart_2 Sprint car driver Shane Stewart is a great follow for WoO race updates as well as regular updates from his crazy life on the highway.
Faster Than a Speeding Bullet Photographer Seth Lacewell captured Jarred Wallace in this Limited Dirt Modifed featuring the Man of Steel as a passenger at Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, Louisiana.
Photo by Seth Lacewell
Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 9
Video REWIND RACING / PRODUCT / ENTERTAINMENT Video Rewind is where we point out interesting videos found on the internet—whether historical, funny, dramatic or technical. We like them and thought you might, too.
SIGN UP TO KEEP UP Subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with our original and curated video content that is updated daily by the OneDirt editorial staff. youtube.com/OneDirtRacing
ONEDIRT EXCLUSIVE CONTENT Scan QR Code to watch now!
LARRY SHAW INTERVIEW OneDirt.com host Ben Shelton sits down one-on-one with affable chassis building legend, Larry Shaw. From biggest regrets to the early years with Mark Martin, this revealing interview is a “must watch.” youtu.be/jh4zlR9LAz0
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
BILLY MOYER JR. RACE HAULER TOUR Have you ever wondered what the inside of those big toterhome and double stack trailers look like? Billy Moyer Jr. takes us on a guided tour through his current hauler and discusses life on the road. youtu.be/hurQ98U-gdQ
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Tech
& TESTING
BEHIND THE SCENES
OIL VISCOSITY 101 & YOUR ENGINE Driven Racing Oil’s Lake Speed Jr. explains oil viscosity in easy-to-understand terms, and more importantly, discusses how different viscosities affect your engine. This is a must watch four-minute tutorial for all racers and engine builders. youtu.be/w6-fYeZpfco
SPRINT CAR CRASH TEST IMMI crash tests a Sprint Car into the barrier wall at its Center for Advanced Product Evaluation (CAPE) to see how safe a driver might be in an accident.
Scan QR Code to watch now!
BRIAN HOSFORD: GARAGE TOUR WITH CHRIS FORSBERG Formula Drift Champion Chris Forsberg takes us on a tour of Sprint Car racer Brian Hosford’s garage in Phoenix, Arizona. Forsberg gets the ride of his life in Hosford’s winged Sprint Car! youtu.be/UshoI-jx4Dw
DIRT TRACK PROBLEM SOLVING
youtu.be/WOsoNGwDTcg
WIND TUNNEL TESTING SPRINT CAR Watch as a Mini Sprint is put through wind tunnel testing at the AeroDyn facility in Mooresville, North Carolina. youtu.be/Idq1tiGnE2c
TIME LAPSE SPRINT CAR BUILD
CAROLINA SPEEDWAY FANS GET ROWDY Sometimes it isn’t the racers who feel the need to start a fight. youtu.be/uHcYXB0Oq2w
This video features a time-lapse of Jamie McDonald’s 2014/15 Sprint Car build. Watch as the chassis becomes a full-blown Sprint Car in a matter of minutes. youtu.be/iF_Y1G0WsN0
KART RACING ON DIRT EXPOSED Hang on tight and watch as this filmmaker looks at kart racing like never before. This professionally created video is one that you don’t want to miss.
ANGRY DRIVER VS CAR = INFIELD RUMBLE In this throwback video, an angry driver learns that fighting a race car never turns out well. youtu.be/AxLzZRiaBf0
youtu.be/oibqoqMiMGk Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 11
THIS YEAR MARKS THE END OF AN ERA FOR SOME BIG NAME DIRT TRACK DRIVERS 12窶グneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
“LONGEVITY” AND “ATHLETE” are two words that don’t often go together, but when they do, they are often combined with one additional word—Legend. There are so many intangibles to get there: genetics, skill, drive, ambition, physical health, mental health and even luck. Most sports are dangerous, and in order for an athlete to stay on top of their game for an entire career, all of these factors must align—along with a host of others. When just one starts to diminish, the risk begins to outweigh the reward and the athlete must realize it or accept the consequences. Photos courtesy of World Racing Group/World of Outlaws
For World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Car fans, the 2014 calendar year may very well go down in history as one of the most memorable with the announcement from two of its most storied drivers that they will be stepping out of the driver’s seat. The Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade show in Indianapolis was stunned in December 2013, when the “King of the Outlaws,” 20time World of Outlaws Champion Steve Kinser, announced that 2014 would be his last season competing full-time in the series. “Racing with the Outlaws has been my life for almost 40 years,” Kinser said. “It’s all I’ve known. My family has been around it. I’ve had the pleasure of running up and down the road racing all across this incredible country, and even in Canada, Mexico and Australia with this series. I knew it wasn’t going to last forever.” Kinser, who celebrated his 60th birthday on June 2, 2014, didn’t eliminate all chances of seeing him occasionally make appearances in a Sprint Car in the future.
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Racing with the Outlaws has been my life for almost 40 years... I knew it wasn’t going to last forever. – Steve Kinser “I can’t say for sure that I’ll never get behind the wheel of a Sprint Car again,” the pilot of the Tony Stewart Racing No. 11 stated. “I don’t have any definite plans, but I would still like to go wheel-to-wheel with my son Kraig on occasion. So I guess anything is possible down the road, but I’m definitely done taking part in a full schedule.”
So Long Sammy
While Kinser seemed to be just scaling back by explaining that he planned to run select events down the road, his long-time rival on the WoO tour left little doubt as to whether or not he would ever drive a Sprint Car again.
“I know that some of that edge is gone; my time has come, it’s over,” said Sammy Swindell about his abrupt retirement during an exclusive video interview with Ben Shelton of OneDirt.com. The Germantown, Tennessee, hotshoe abrutptly called it quits in August 2014, but said that he had been thinking about how to end his driving career for nearly a year. The three-time WoO Champion, known as “Slammin’ Sammy” nationwide, said that the decision may have seemed abrupt, but he knew the time was right. After struggling with engine problems at the Knoxville Nationals, Swindell said, “I pulled off and a real
calm came over me, and I thought ‘It’s time to pass this torch along here and for me to move on.’ “It was just a lot of things, and I’d been on the road racing for 43 years. Been on the road the last two years full-time. It’s hard, it’s a tough life and I didn’t need to go any further. I have had a great career, and I just decided that there is nothing left to prove.” Swindell did reserve one race for his calendar for as long as he can still have fun doing it—the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals. When asked why the Chili Bowl, the five-time winner said, “It’s really no pressure, no stress and it’s fun. I’ve always been competitive there; I still have the cars, still have all the equipment, so it’s like ‘Let’s go have some fun once a year.’” For Kinser at 60, and Swindell at 59, age was a definite factor in retiring from the driver’s seat. “I know that I can still win because we proved that over the past year, winning at some of the toughest tracks around, but I know deep inside that some of my edge and my reflexes are gone,” Swindell admitted. “There’s just some things that went away that I no longer have.”
It’s hard, it’s a tough life and I didn’t need to go any further. I have had a great career, and I just decided that there is nothing left to prove. – Sammy Swindell While Kinser didn’t necessarily indicate that he felt like some of his skills were waning, he did mention that some of his drive had gone by the wayside. “I haven’t lost the willpower to race, but some of the ambitions to perform well I’ve lost, if you want to know the truth about it,” he told the Daytona Beach News-Journal in February 2014. “I’ve somehow lost the willpower to starve myself and diet to be the weight needed to ideally perform in these cars.”
Time to Walk Away
While arguably two of the best Sprint Car drivers ever are stepping down due to the march of time, the Dirt Late Model ranks are being hit with some retirements for other reasons.
At 42 years old, Brian Birkhofer put the fans on notice that he might retire after finishing third in the opening round of the Lucas Oil Knoxville Late Model Nationals at Knoxville Raceway in late September. “I’m just burnt out, and this weekend might be the last time you ever see me in a race car,” said Birkhofer said at the time. “Right now I’m leaning toward retiring after this weekend, but I’ll let you know for sure on Saturday night.” Though he may not have achieved the same legend status as Kinser and Swindell, he has won the World 100 twice and has over 180 career victories. He is also one of the most charismatic and talented personalities that Dirt Late Model racing has ever seen.
Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 15
Scan for OneDirt’s interview with Swindell on YouTube: youtube.com/user/OneDirtRacing
Sammy Swindell at Eldora back in 1990.
On Saturday night, no one really expected the Muscatine, Iowa, veteran to follow through with the retirement announcement, but he did just that. Brian Birkhofer If that weekend truly does represent the last time Birkhofer would grace the track, he went out in fine style by charging past dominant race leader Scott Bloomquist coming to the checkered flag to claim the crown jewel win and a $40,000 check. Citing reasons including burnout, escalating costs and general politics within the sport, he said he needed to step away from everything for a while. “I think you folks just witnessed a fairytale ending here tonight because I’ve decided to step away from the sport,” Birkhofer told the attentive media. “I don’t want to be the guy whining about quitting, so I’m just going to walk away tonight. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone ... at least a year. I haven’t honestly 16 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
thought past tonight. Maybe a year, maybe two, maybe forever. I just don’t know how long, but I need to step away. Right now my heart and my mind just aren’t into it.” Another Dirt Late Model veteran, Brady Smith, surprised everyone and decided to call it a career after the weekend as well. “I just feel like for myself that it’s time to turn the page,” noted the 37-yearold driver. “I’ve been dealing with the frustrations and challenges of Brady Smith owning my own team, running my own team and being the driver. This has been coming on for a while, and it just feels like it’s my time.” When asked in an interview by Michael Rigsby from DirtOnDirt.com if he would ever get back in a race car again, Smith was a little more pessimistic on his outlook than Birkhofer. “I don’t know, but as of right now I would say no,” commented the Solon
Springs, Wisconsin competitor. “I just don’t see a scenario that makes it appealing for me to return to racing.”
Who’s Next?
With these big names leaving the sport, it has people asking “who is going to step up and dominate?” There is always a plethora of factors that can influence the answer to the question—and everyone has a different opinion or favorite—but there are a few younger drivers (near 40 or under) who are poised to pick up the torch and run with it. Looking at the points standings over the past two seasons, the first choice for the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars is pretty obvious. Donny Schatz is Steve Kinser’s teammate at Tony Stewart Racing and has already surpassed Swindell’s championship totals. Schatz just narrowly missed his Donny Schatz sixth title in 2013 by fourteen points but cruised to the championship in 2014.
That brings us to the second most obvious choice, Daryn Pitman. The 34-year-old from Owasso, Oklahoma, now resides in Pittsboro, Daryn Pitman Indiana, and drives for Kasey Kahne Racing. He won his first WoO championship in 2013 over Schatz and finished second in points in 2014. Between these two drivers, they have almost as many wins as the rest of the field combined. Are they the next Kinser and Swindell? Only time will tell, but the way they are dominating at the moment is a good indication.
Wide-Open Field
Late Models are a little tougher to predict. There are two dominant series between the WoO and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, which spreads the talent pool a bit.
Also, many of the consistent drivers do not show signs of dominance or aren’t in the age range. For the Lucas Oil Series, Jimmy Owens is probably the best bet. Owens, 42, finished second in the final points this year, after winning the previous three series titles. He also came in as runner-up in the two Jimmy Owens seasons before his championship streak started. For the World of Outlaws Late Models, the arrow points toward Josh Richards—if he is able to stay healthy. Since his inaugural year in 2004, the 26-year-old Richards has shown a steady progression: He was the 2005 rookie of the year, finishing eighth in the final standings; in 2008 he finished second; and was the series champion in 2009, 2010 and 2013. He also was sitting second in the standings in 2012 when he left to
try his hand at NASCAR with Kyle Busch Motorsports. Richards was forced to sit out out most of the 2014 season, suffering from Josh Richards nerve damage to his hands, but he has been cleared and will be monitored by doctors. There are many others that have the ability to step up, grab the baton and run with it, but in another 20 years, who knows what veteran we will be saluting as one of the best of all time. You can’t replace legends, but you can create new ones. To these retiring veteran drivers now embarking on a new chapter in their lives, we say thank you for all the memories we have grown up with. To all the up and comers, good luck on your journey to legend status. Who do you think is the next up-and-coming legend? Give us your feedback at OneDirt.com.
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NEXT-LEVEL
RACING
WHY BEING ABLE TO DYNO TEST YOUR OWN SHOCKS IS IMPORTANT TO A WINNING PROGRAM IN MANY WAYS, dirt racing is just like ordinary life:
Technology continually evolves and you either keep up or get left behind. Racers who refuse to embrace change are like the little old grandmother whose grandchildren show her how to use the camera on her cell phone, but always takes two pictures of everything so she has one to share. That may sound ridiculous, but racers who run the same setup year after year, rather than looking into new ways to go faster, are going to be at an ever-growing disadvantage over time. We’ve known racers who found success on the track and stuck religiously with whatever “secrets” got them those wins— even as other teams kept searching for new ideas and new tools to help make them quicker. Eventually those formerly successful racers found themselves struggling to stay with the lead pack because they refused to adapt. One of the biggest changes in the last few years when it comes to dirt track racing is the importance of shock tuning. In many classes the engines are capable of overpowering the rear tires practically anywhere on the track, so it has become a
18 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
game of making sure you have the absolute maximum traction available to make use of that power. Teams have also found that they can cut lap times by setting up the race car so it drives around the track a lot more like an asphalt car rather than sliding through the turns with the rear end hung way out. Lots of teams still try to get away with a single- or double-adjustable shock as a way to make shock adjustments for the conditions. But more and more teams are also using a shock dyno to help them build shocks that perform precisely to their needs. “To be honest, these days we are in an arena where shocks can be pretty expensive,” says Intercomp Racing’s Carter Gerlach. Besides being Intercomp’s technical representative for the company’s lineup of shock dynos, Gerlach also owns and operates his own race shock tuning company, Elite Shock Services, which helped driver Zach Johnson win the WISSOTA Late Model National Championship. “Touring guys can be paying $1,000 a corner for their shocks. If you have a set on the car and a set on the trailer, you basically have the cost of a new Intercomp shock dyno just in those shocks.
In past years a computer-controlled shock dyno was the exclusive domain of the big-money touring teams, but advancing technology has made options like this shock dyno from Intercomp affordable and incredibly useful to Saturday night racers.
“So if you’ve got a high-dollar shock and it isn’t working like you think it should—instead of setting it aside until your shock tuner can get to it—a shock dyno allows you to pull it off the car, work on it yourself and put it right back on,” Gerlach explains. “Nobody likes to have a lot of money tied up in the parts that aren’t helping them win races, and a lot of teams are realizing that having a shock dyno on hand can help them fix their own shocks right there at the track, cut lap times and [produce] better finishes.” Intercomp’s shock dyno is one of the more popular units in racing—with a lot of features for the money. It is a computer-controlled unit that, surprisingly, can be had for less than eight grand. Intercomp offers several options based on the same basic design. There is a tall-mast option for off-roaders, but oval track racers will almost always go for the standard 28-inch mast. All dynos utilize a high-strength, three-horsepower electric motor, but you can choose between standard shock travel speed (0.5 to 19 inches a second) or high-speed (0.5 to 55 inches a second). “Any of the four models will work for oval track racing,” Gerlach says. “But typically, the standard speed dyno works well for dirt racing because it is capable of pulling really high low-speed numbers, which are the most useful. We don’t look at high-speed numbers in the oval track arena. That’s for the off-road guys. If you need high-speed numbers, you are doing something wrong with your setup.” The computer control is what really sets this dyno apart from cheaper units on the market, and this is one of the least-expensive electronically controlled shock dynos you can get. Intercomp even throws in a laptop with the dyno. All the software is pre-installed and the cabling is already done, so there’s no connection issues, and you always have a computer dedicated to your shock program. “The dyno definitely comes locked and loaded with everything you will need,” Gerlach explains. “We pride ourselves on the simplicity of the dyno software, so you can concentrate on
Intercomp’s built-in software is designed to be extremely user friendly. The idea is that no one gets faster learning to use a shock dyno, they get faster actually using the dyno to learn to build shocks that improve traction all the way around the racetrack.
improving your racing program and not waste time scratching your head trying to figure out how the dyno works. We understand that smaller operations are purchasing dynos and the driver may be the one who is also building the shocks, so the equipment has to be simple and easy to use. When we train people on using our shock dyno, it usually takes 10 to 15 minutes to get them up to speed using the machine so that they are pretty fluent with it. Then the rest of the time we are working on tuning shocks.” Gerlach told us that the software also comes loaded with lots of different graphs. The idea is that if you are beginning to build your own shocks or upgrading from an older dyno, you can find the style of graph that your shock tuner or old dyno used and match your own tests up with that so you aren’t starting from scratch. The great advantage of a computer-controlled machine is that it is capable of running several speed runs back to back to help a shock specialist get the information they need quickly and accurately. Almost universally, when a racer starts building his or her own shocks, they begin simply trying to match up their shocks to dyno plots from older shocks that have proven themselves on the track. But they also quickly begin trying to understand how changes to a shock will behave on the race track using the information the dyno can provide. “The computer-controlled dyno allows you to run the tests at different speeds,” Gerlach explains. “You can tune on the shock and look at a lot of information from a single test. When testing and building different shocks, I will run 10 or 12 different speeds within that one run. It will take one minute to warm up and run the test. Then after that test is done, all that information is logged and I can look at all 12 different speed runs from just that one test.” There are cheaper shock dynos on the market, but they usually lack the computer controls. Instead, you must choose from among a couple of set speeds and run each test individually. Not only does each test take longer, but the ability to fine-tune shock travel speeds to what you are actually seeing on the track is hindered. We’ve noticed more and more teams at practically every level either working more closely with a shock tuner or purchasing a shock dyno and setting up their own shock program. “We are seeing an uptick in interest in our dyno,” confirms Scott Elmgren, Intercomp’s market specialist for racing. “I think people are getting more comfortable with the idea of tuning shocks. It is another area of the race car you can learn on and use to improve your racing efforts. “Shocks can be a bit overwhelming at first, but I’ve found that people get excited about taking control of their own shock program.” Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 19
FASTER
PRECISI JE PISTONS CHANGES ITS PRODUCTION MODEL TO PROVIDE THE FASTEST CUSTOM PISTON TURNAROUND TIMES IN THE INDUSTRY 20 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
RACERS AND ENGINE BUILDERS are notorious for working all hours of the day and night in order to make it to the racetrack and never miss a weekend of action. Of course, the biggest frustration when you are burning the midnight oil trying to get ready to race is when you realize you need a part but can’t get it delivered in time. That’s why we think it’s really cool to see the lengths that JE Pistons has gone in order to cut lead times for custom piston orders to a mere two weeks—the shortest in the industry. We spoke with JE’s Sean Crawford about how his company was able to achieve such a feat, and while there were a few areas where JE had implemented proprietary systems or processes that he couldn’t talk about in detail, he did confirm that cutting the custom piston turnaround time by a full
To make the most power with the greatest durability, engine builders often need something slightly different than standard shelf-stock pistons to match up with the rest of their engine package. But nobody wants to wait months while a piston manufacturer finishes a production run to fit in a small order of custom pistons. That’s why JE’s industry leading 10-day turnaround for custom pistons is a game changer.
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Because it has invested in several new CNC machining cells, JE can work several custom orders through at once without wasting a lot of downtime changing out fixtures.
third (from 15 business days to 10) did require rethinking the manufacturing operation from the ground up. “The one thing we didn’t change is on the front end; the customer is still speaking directly with a member of our sales team,” he said. “We are always trying to make sure our customers have a personal contact. We still receive information the way we normally do, whether it is our custom piston order form, or in many cases an engine builder can simply ask us to reference back to one of his past orders. “We keep all that engineering work on file, so if an engine builder wants to tweak a previous piston design we can do that without having to re-engineer everything,” Crawford continued.
“We’ve been working with a lot of high-end and well-known engine builders for so long that we have pretty much sorted out the majority of their combinations. If they want to manipulate that design, we can make tweaks based on their reference job numbers, which helps speed up the process. Our database of applications goes into the millions of configurations just for domestic pistons.” Although JE has a great foundation to start with, Crawford says that it is still capable of engineering every piston that comes through from scratch. After the custom piston is designed and approved by the engineering staff, production is ready to take over. And this is where JE is able to shave off a major chunk of time required to produce both custom and shelf-stock pistons. The company recently moved all of its production and machining facilities to one location in Mentor, Ohio. When it did, it also took the major step in producing its own forgings. “It is a big deal that we now have moved our forging manufacturing in-house,” Crawford said. “In the Ohio facility we are going from bar stock to finished pistons under the same roof. Now we can bring the raw materials in, we create the forgings in-house, and once the forgings are done they move 20 yards to the other side of the building where they are inventoried and then moved to the appropriate machining cell.” Crawford said that this not only reduces the lead time for custom pistons, but the setup also helps JE innovate new designs more quickly. When JE invested in the equipment to start forging all of its own pistons, it optimized the line specifically for pistons—and only pistons. This may seem obvious, but other manufacturers that outsource the expensive forging process depend on companies that may be forging many different products and the production can’t be optimized specifically to make pistons as efficiently or with the highest quality possible. Plus, if the forging plant is making a run of aluminum wheels or some other component, and the piston manufacturer wants a special run of pistons, it has to wait until the forging plant has finished the first order and is ready to move on. By doing its own forgings JE never has to wait on another manufacturer and is able to prioritize its forging production to the needs of its customers. Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 21
Most often, custom piston orders involve a change to the valve pocket depth or ring land size, but JE’s Sean Crawford says it’s engineers work with engine builders on everything you can imagine when it comes to building a piston that perfectly matches their requirements.
Every custom-ordered piston goes through the engineering department to make sure none of the requested changes will unintentionally introduce a structural flaw to the design.
Once the piston has been forged, it is ready to be finish machined. This is normally where the custom operations come into play. The most common requests for custom pistons usually involve a change in the depth or the position of the valve pockets, or a change in the width or location of the ring lands. On the high end, Crawford said JE’s engineers may work with an engine builder on what may seem like very minor changes as the builder tries to optimize a piston to his specific engine package. This can include everything from the shape of the skirt to affect how it contacts the cylinder bore, to the thickness of the material under the piston dome. “In the next phase of production, the custom pistons go into one of our machining cells. This is also something we’ve invested in heavily as part of our move to our new facility,” Crawford explained. “We’ve put millions into new CNC equipment and new fixturing, and we’ve looked at every opportunity to polish the process we already had in place. One of the big advantages here is we have several different machining cells, and each is dedicated to different needs. This means we don’t need to change out the fixturing as often, so we can spend more time actually producing pistons and less setting up a machining center to work with a different style of piston.” Because of the changes that came from refining the process of how a piston is made—from raw aluminum to the finished product—JE says it now has 98 percent of its custom piston orders complete within a two-week window. That means if an engine builder places an order for a custom piston on a Monday, all the engineering work will be done and the piston forged, machined, checked in quality control and boxed up by the Friday of the following week. And that’s just a standard custom order; if the engine builder chooses to request JE expedite the process, it can be cut to five business days. 22 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
This piston is going through some quality control checks before it is given the final OK. JE can even accommodate single piston custom orders in the event an engine builder needs just one for a rebuild or repair.
“The customer doesn’t really care when the piston is complete in our facility,” Crawford added. “He cares about how soon he or she can get them in their shop and they can install them in the engine. That’s why we moved our manufacturing facility from California to Ohio. This puts our pistons right in the middle of the country, so we are just two days by standard shipping away from a great majority of our customers. In most cases, they don’t even need to pay for overnight freight, so they get their pistons faster than practically anywhere else, and we can save them some money on shipping. “Uprooting and moving our entire production facility was a big deal, and it cost a lot of money,” he said. “But when it comes to taking care of our customers and getting them the pistons they need to keep racing as quickly as possible, I really think it was worth it.”
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GET TO KNOW Dave Argabright
MOTORSPORTS JOURNALIST AND TV PERSONALITY
Dave Argabright is one of the most recognizable figures in racing. He has been a feature writer specializing in motorsports and automobiles since 1980, while as an author he has penned over a dozen racing books. Meanwhile his broadcast work has been seen around the world from some of the sport’s most hallowed racetracks. Argabright has received numerous awards for his work in journalism and is a member of several notable motorsports halls of fame. He recently took time out of his busy schedule to talk with OneDirt about his life, career and racing in general.
1. Dave, in the motorsports world you are a true fixture. Your work over the years has covered just about every form of motorsports. When did you first become involved in racing as a fan and what was it that drew you into the sport? My dad took me to Sun Valley Speedway in my hometown of Anderson, Indiana, when I was just a small kid, I’m talking four or five years old, and I was instantly fascinated by what I saw. By my early teens I was a total gearhead, and by that time the whole racing deal—the noise, the action, the color, the danger—tipped me completely over. I
24 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
can’t really identify exactly what it was, but I’ve just always been drawn to racing.
2. When and what was your first job in the motorsports world?
I began working as a part-time sportswriter, called a “stringer,”at the Anderson Herald in 1980 and that allowed me to begin writing about racing. After a few years, I gradually eased away from stick-and-ball writing and focused exclusively on racing. It’s funny, I never had any desire to drive a race car. But I discovered that I really enjoyed finding the angle, the characters, the things that people were interested in, and telling the story.
3. Working in various roles as a broadcaster, a writer, and a television personality along with a host of other duties, we’ve seen you do just about everything imaginable. Which role do you most enjoy? Working in television is really fun because it’s spontaneous and very challenging. I really do enjoy all of it, but in my heart I’m a writer. There is nothing like getting the words flowing and feeling like you’re writing something meaningful and worthwhile. And there is no greater feeling in the world than having someone tell you that something you wrote was good…it’s impossible to describe that feeling.
4. With all of the races that you’ve attended throughout your tenure in the sport, what is the craziest thing you’ve ever seen happen at a track?
Wow, that’s a tough one because sometimes you think you’ve seen everything. One night at Lawrenceburg [Speedway in Indiana] about halfway through a Modified heat race the leader pulled off the track under caution and headed for the pits—I guess he had a mechanical problem—and the entire rest of the field followed him off because they
thought the race was over. That was funny. Another time at Anderson [Speedway] they had a Powder Puff race featuring ladies from the crowd, and the lady with long blonde hair who won the race turned out to be a guy who drove in the Figure 8 division every week. He climbed out of the car and took his helmet off, then held that blonde wig up and bowed to the crowd. Man, it was total chaos. But truly, the most amazing thing I’ve ever witnessed was Jack Hewitt winning all four divisions at the Eldora 4-Crown Nationals in 1998. I didn’t think it was possible but Jack made it happen. Very, very memorable.
5. We’re going to put you on the spot now. You cover just about every type of motorsports. What is your favorite type of racing and why?
Far and away my favorite is short track racing. I enjoy the big speedway stuff, but I love a fun little track that is competitive and entertaining. It fits me…shorter races, lots of competition, blue-collar people… that’s where I’ve always felt most at home. Lots of people get caught up in the Sprint Cars vs. Stock Cars stuff, but I don’t see that big a difference. I love a good short track race, regardless of what’s running.
6. You have worked as a co-author on autobiographies of some of racing’s most notable characters and personalities, such as Jack Hewitt, Brad Doty, Earl Baltes, Larry Moore and many more. Is there one particular person who especially inspired you with their life’s story? That’s like asking a parent which kid do they like best! Actually, I’m sincere when I say all of the book projects have been a great experience for me. It’s a good feeling to make that connection and earn the confidence of someone to help tell their life story. I will admit that Brad Doty’s book, Still Wide Open, was a particularly good experience. It was my first book, and Brad is such an amazing guy. Being around him actually helped me realize the importance of looking at the positive side of things and finding inner strength to push through the tough times. He probably doesn’t realize this, but Brad
If you build a reputation as an honest person who treats everyone with fairness, you will develop a ton of valuable contacts and sources because people will trust you. helped me work on being a better, stronger person. Really, all of my book partners have been a big influence on me in one way or another. I wouldn’t trade anything for the time we spent together.
7. If you could choose anybody to collaborate with for your next book, who would it be? I’m working on getting a book started with Jimmy Owens, and I’m excited about that. I’d love to write a book with Steve Kinser, and Scott Bloomquist is another very compelling character in our sport. Sammy Swindell, Billy Moyer, Donny Schatz, Shane Hmiel…there are a lot of interesting subjects out there. One of these days I’d like to write a book about my life and travels and the people I’ve met, but I’m probably a few years away from that project.
8. Staying as busy as you do with constant projects, I’m sure you sometimes have to pass on opportunities. Is there a particular one in your career that you regret passing up?
I haven’t really had anything I’ve passed up, but I have missed some opportunities. I think the story of the Weld family—Greg, Kenny, their dad Pappy and the rest— would have been one of the greatest racing books ever written. But when I got to know Kenny and Greg in the early 1990s I didn’t yet know how to write a book, and by the time I was ready Kenny and Greg had both passed on. But I realized early on that books take a long time and you can’t write ‘em all. That’s just the way it is.
9. When Dave Argabright isn’t at the track or working, what does he like to do for fun? It’s tough to find time for hobbies, but I’ve learned that it’s important to spend some time away from racing to avoid burnout. Burnout isn’t a good thing for creative work. I have a ’69 Camaro SS I restored, and banging second gear at about six grand while listening to classic rock is the best stress relief I’ve ever found. I enjoy listening to live music and I like to read. I like classic films like you see on Turner Classic Movies. I’m big on being outdoors, and riding my bicycle is fun.
10. For a young person who may be reading this, what is your best piece of advice on building a career in the media realm of the racing world? Treat people with respect, whether they deserve it or not. Sometimes you have to write (or tell) the tough story, and that usually isn’t pleasant. But regardless of the circumstances make certain you are being absolutely fair. If you build a reputation as an honest person who treats everyone with fairness, you will develop a ton of valuable contacts and sources because people will trust you. Using people up for short-term gain is a sure formula for having a brief career in any profession,especially the media business in a tight-knit industry like ours.
Photos by Rick Schwallie
ALL
WOUND UP
HOW TO CHOOSE, MEASURE AND OTHERWISE OBSESS OVER PERFORMANCE VALVE SPRINGS (Editor’s Note: This article originally ran on the website of our sister publication, Power & Performance News. The information about performance valve springs was so good, we thought it would be useful here, too.)
BACK IN THE EISENHOWER DAYS of the late ’50s, everyone thought by 2015 we’d be piloting flying cars, living on the moon and sending men to Mars. Clearly that was a bit optimistic, but if a writer had taken a shot at 21st century performance engines he would have expected at the very least that hot rodders would be using pneumatic or electronic valve control by now. Yet as we plow midway through the century’s second decade, our engines still rely on valve springs and even pushrods just like our grandfathers did a century ago. The big difference is this century’s engines spin a wee bit faster. But do not be fooled—there’s plenty of science in valve springs. The evolution of cam lobe profiles is really a study in 26 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
the ability of the spring to control the valve. So this means as valve spring quality has improved, so have engine speeds and durability. As engine speeds increase, all this places even more demand on the valve train to maintain control over the valves. Engine builders are forever referring to spring catalogs and each spring’s specs, so it’s best to know the terms that will be referenced in this story. Spring rate is expressed in pounds per inch (lbs/in) and is determined by a multitude of factors including wire diameter, overall spring diameter and the spring’s height. A typical spring might have a rate of 500 lbs/in. As you can imagine, as the spring is compressed, the load increases. A spring’s installed height load is the amount of force created by the spring at a specific height. As an example, a spec of 120 pounds at 1.700 inches means when the spring is compressed to the height of 1.700 inches, it will require a force of more than 120 pounds to open the valve. It’s important to emphasize that spring pressure or load is expressed in terms of pounds of force—which is not psi. The
term pounds per square inch (psi) is used to express pressure exerted in all directions as in pressure in an air tank. When expressing spring load, the pounds of force we are talking about are exerted in a single, uniform direction.
Spring Selection
Valve spring selection is first determined by the type of camshaft the engine will use. Flat tappet cams do not demand nearly as much valve spring pressure as roller cams, and hydraulic rollers are typically less radical than their mechanical cousins. Much of this demand for valve control is based on lifter velocity rates. The big issue is flat tappets are limited to a finite rate of lift (in terms of fractions of an inch of lift per degree of cam rotation) that is defined by the tappet diameter. Smaller diameter lifters have a lower velocity limit than larger lifters. This gives an advantage to Ford lobes, which enjoy a 0.875-inch tappet over the Chevys that are only 0.842-inch. Chrysler engines are better yet with a 0.904-inch diameter tappet. Each larger tappet allows a higher lifter velocity, which increases the tappet’s maximum velocity potential. This can be viewed in terms of greater lift for the same amount of duration. Roller followers as a family will require more spring mainly because of the roller’s ability to generate very fast valve opening rates. It’s beyond the scope of this story to get much deeper into this, but it is the dynamic conditions imparted on all the components in the valvetrain (especially on the spring side of the rocker arm) at high engine speeds that place very high loads on the valve train. It’s the spring’s job to maintain this control. As you might imagine, it’s a tough job.
Installed Height
Most professional engine builders will agree that the installed height—dictated by the cylinder head and valve length—is the most important criteria in the process of selecting a spring. The installed height is defined as the distance from the spring seat in the head to the bottom of the valve spring retainer. When a spring is compressed to this height, it creates the seat load exerted on the valve to keep it closed. Most enthusiasts think that valve float occurs when the spring loses control of the valve and launches the lifter off the nose of the lobe of the cam in a ballistic curve. This is referred to as lofting, which can and does occur, but Spintron research has proven that the most common loss of valve control begins when the valve bounces off the seat upon closing. This is a critical event, because when the intake valve bounces after the de-
Installed height has a tremendous effect on spring performance if set up properly. Height mics are an inexpensive and very fast way to deliver the proper measurement. These tools are readily available through Powerhouse or Summit Racing.
sired intake closing point, a certain amount of pressure already building in the cylinder is lost. If this loss of control continues—the valve bouncing several times—more cylinder pressure is vented back up into the intake tract and power drops dramatically. So based on this, seat pressure is a very important part of blueprinting valve springs to ensure that this loss of control does not occur within the engine’s intended powerband.
Coil Bind
Coil bind is another critical valve spring spec that helps define the total amount of valve lift possible with a spring. Coil bind is the height of the spring in its fully collapsed position. This is an important spec because the spring must be compatible with the overall lift created by the combination of the cam lobe and the rocker ratio. As an example, take a big-block Chevy with an installed height of 1.900 inches. Our camshaft maximum lift is 0.65inch. We found a spring in the COMP Cams catalog that seems to fit the requirement for the seat pressure (part no. 26094), but we need to know if it will handle the 0.650-inch valve lift. The coil bind figure for this spring is 1.200-inch. If we subtract the maximum valve lift from the installed height: 1.9000.650 = 1.250-inch. This tells us that we will have 0.050-inch of clearance at maximum valve lift before the spring goes into coil bind. COMP’s recommendation is 0.060-inch, but many engine builders tell us that they will tighten this clearance for high-rpm engines. They’ve found a shorter stack at peak lift tends to help dampen spring oscillations at high engine speeds. Generally speaking, a clearance of 0.050-inch ends up roughly 0.012-inch in between each of the active spring coils.
Retainer to Seal
Besides coil bind, selecting a valve spring also requires a dedicated retainer. Generally, the bottom of the retainer will come closest to the valve seal located on the guide. The best time to measure for retainer-to-seal clearance is when measuring for installed height. This is a simple procedure where the distance between the retainer and the seal should be at least 0.050-inch more than the total valve lift. This prevents the retainer from bottoming on the seal and causing damage to the seal or preventing the valve from opening fully. Otherwise, the result could be major damage such as bent pushrods, damaged seals, cracked or broken valve guides and a host of other maladies that will be expensive to repair.
Note that the retainer is small enough that it drops inside the top of the mic. Depending upon the style micrometer, this step will be either 0.100- or 0.150-inch. This must be subtracted from the indicated height because the retainer height is reduced by the depth of the step. Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 27
If you have a spring of unknown origin, you can measure coil bind by carefully placing the spring in soft aluminum jaws in your vise, collapsing the spring and measuring the height. Sometimes you may discover your spring binds at a slightly lower number than listed in the catalog. That’s why it pays to measure. Never place a spring in a vise where the jaws can contact the outside of the coils—this can damage the spring.
One of the latest innovations in spring design is the conical spring. This is a slight deviation from the beehive with the same advantages. A conical spring uses a gradual reduction in outside diameter over a greater distance than a beehive. This can be viewed as an improvement in strength and durability, yet the conical still enjoys the benefits of a variable rate and a smaller retainer vs. a conventional spring. In this photo from left to right is a conventional dual spring, a beehive and a conical spring.
Production cylinder head valve guides are often too large and too tall. COMP offers arbors and cutters that you can use to reduce both the outside diameter and the height while also cutting the guide for a performance Viton-style seal. These tools are especially useful when modifying a production small-block Chevy head. Note that the guide in the foreground has already been cut.
Specific springs also require dedicated retainers both to adequately locate the spring and to ensure optimal performance. It’s important that the step in the retainer contacts the inner spring on a dual spring application to create the proper spring loads. The retainer should fit snugly into the spring. Never use a screwdriver to pry on a spring. Use only a soft plastic pry tool to free the retainer.
Retainers and Locks It’s important to always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for matching the retainer to the springs. This is important not only for the outer spring, but also because the step in the retainer is used to locate the inner spring on dual- and triple-spring applications. We could probably do an entire story on just retainers and all the different variations and materials. A critical issue is retainer weight, especially when it comes to big-block engines with large diameter springs where the weight of the retainer is especially important. A common misconception is that locks use the tang to prevent movement of the retainer. The reality is that the tang is 28 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
only used to temporarily position the locks. Once load is applied, the taper angle (7 or 10 degrees) serves to nest into the matching angle in the retainer and the whole assembly binds itself in place. The more force applied to the locks, the more load is applied to retain their position. The important consideration is to choose a lock intended for the size of the valve. With so many different valve stem diameters, from 5/16 to 3/8 and metric sizes like the 8mm LS valve stem size, a specific lock is required for each valve size. Retainers are also intended for a given valve stem size, so choosing these components is critical to ensuring your valve train will function as intended.
Valve locks must be matched to a specific valve stem diameter. When the locks are correct, there will be a small gap in between the two halves. If there is no gap, the valve diameter is too small or the locks are for a larger valve stem. Note the step in these locks. These are designed to accommodate a lash cap that fits over the end of the valve.
Spring seats can be either I.D. or O.D. style and come in a variety of sizes. The O.D. style (under the spring on the engine) is shaped like a cup and may require head machining to fit in the spring pocket. More common are the I.D. style (left) that locate the spring using an inside step that is sized to snug up to the spring’s inside diameter. These seats can also be used as spacers to reduce installed height if necessary.
Blueprinting Techniques When it comes to installing a valve spring, you can run into all kinds of small issues that may require creative solutions. A common issue is a 0.100-inch taller valve is added to the heads, which now makes the installed height 0.100-inch too tall. While purchasing new valves with a lower lock position is one solution, this can be expensive. Another avenue is to use a spring seat. Spring seats are used to locate the spring, but they can also be used to decrease the installed height. Spring seats are differentiated from basic shims in that seats also locate the spring either from the inside or outside diameter. Some engine builders may prefer one over the other, but the idea is to securely position the bottom of the spring to minimize the chance of it “dancing” or moving its seat location at high engine speeds. Another technique that can be used to adjust installed height is with different height valve locks. For example, within
Shims can be used to dial in the installed height. Thinner shims should be placed at the bottom. If combined with a spring cup, the spacers should be placed under the cup to allow the guides to help locate the spring.
Simply choosing the proper valve springs and related components can have a positive impact on your racing program.
the 10-degree Steel Super Locks, COMP offers two different locks that can adjust the installed height either up or down by 0.050-inch. These locks are only for 11/32-inch valves, but they do provide another option for adjusting the installed height. Keep in mind that adding 0.050-inch of install height will reduce the clearance between the retainer and the underside of the rocker arm, and also the distance that the valve tip is above the level of the retainer. What is undesirable is the rocker arm hitting and possibly unloading the retainer from the valve stem. Lash caps can be used in this case to increase the height of the valve stem tip to increase this clearance. So as you can see, there’s a large amount of material to deal with when selecting and blueprinting valve springs. If you pay attention to these tips you will be leagues ahead of many other racers who don’t realize how important valve spring selection and installation are to engine performance. But now you know, which makes you powerful in your own right. Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 29
CUP
TECHNOLOGY FOR
SATURDAY NIGHT
TOTAL SEAL’S NEWEST RINGS INNOVATE WITH TOP-TIER RACE TECHNOLOGY FOR REAL-WORLD PRICES 30 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
DIRT TRACK RACERS and fans often
enjoy a little harmless griping about the big-league asphalt racers that show up Sundays on TV. “Sure,” we’ll say, “it’s easy to look good when you have all that money to spend.” Or, “What do you do with all those engineers, anyway?” And we won’t even point out that dirt tracks all over the country put on a show practically every Saturday with more drama, passing and action thanks to teams operating on just a sliver of the budget the Cup teams are spending. (OK, maybe we just did exactly that.)
But even so, we still owe a great deal to those big-budget teams and all the cash they throw around like it really does grow on trees. That’s because they are regularly working with the top manufacturers in the performance industry to develop the next generation of technologies to help us go faster. The most innovative of those manufacturers are taking what they learn in the crucible of competition in NASCAR’s Cup Series, Formula 1 and even World Rally racing and finding ways that can benefit motorsports in the “real world” where money is just a bit scarcer.
A perfect example is Total Seal, which has just released a brand new ring set that bears an uncanny resemblance to the unobtanium rings Cup engine builders were using just a few short years ago. Total Seal is calling this new line their AP or “Advanced Profile” ring, and it is a direct descendant of the company’s top-of-the-line Diamond Finished rings which start at over a grand for a set and go up from there. The difference is Total Seal’s next-generation AP piston rings will be competitive in terms of price with the current crop of competition rings already on the market. “This ring set measures at 0.9mm for the top and second rings and two millimeters for the oil ring,” explains Total Seal’s Keith Jones. “In inches, 0.9mm is 0.035 inches, so you can see that these rings are quite a bit smaller than a standard 0.043-inch ring that many Saturday night racers are running. “These rings are also held to a much tighter specification than practically any other ring on the market and use much better materials,” he continues, “and that comes from our work with our Diamond Finished rings. “For example, our rings are lapped and not ground. For the typical 0.043-inch ring the height variation is plus or minus 0.0005 inches. That means from the low to the high end that ring can vary as much as 0.001 inches, which is a big deal. But with the Advanced Profile ring we are able to hold that tolerance down to 0.00015 inches.” That difference may not seem like much, but when it comes to piston rings it is very important. The top ring depends on combustion pressure to push it out and help create the seal against the cylinder bore. If there isn’t room for combustion gasses to move between the ring and the piston’s ring land there won’t be enough pressure to maintain a good seal, and you will wind up with power-robbing blow-by. “The top ring is high-grade stainless steel and the face is a full barrel face. To create the best possible seal with the cylinder, the face is also lapped,” Jones continues.
“We’ve patented all these lapping systems that we’ve developed to be able to do this, so it’s not something that just anybody can do. And we check that every ring is right using light tests and fixture bores that are exact to the millionth of an inch. I mean these fixtures are dead perfect. And this check isn’t automated; there is a person checking every ring to make sure the ring seals up just like it should.” Total Seal’s engineers have also found a way to machine a Napier face onto the 0.9mm second ring. Instead of the usual cast iron material, they are made from ductile iron which is much denser and more resilient to wear. The advantage of the thinner rings comes from several factors. The reduced thickness means there is less material coming in contact with the cylinder bore, creating less friction. Thinner rings also mean less weight moving up and down the bore. We’re talking about a difference in grams, but when you are talking about the rpm levels a race engine is capable of, those grams can have a real effect. A smart engine builder can use the narrower rings to order a piston with the ring lands packed a little tighter so he can use a long connecting rod and still not have the wrist pin groove extend into the oil ring land. Finally, a thinner ring is more flexible so it will conform to any imperfections in the cylinder bore.
This wasn’t much of an issue when rings like this were going into NASCAR Cup blocks, but with the much more affordable price of the AP line, Jones thinks these more forgiving rings will be a big advantage in stock blocks where imperfect cylinder bores and core shift is more common. So the big question is—what are these next generation rings really worth? “In testing when we’ve gone from a piston using a set of 0.043-inch rings to the new 0.9mm AP rings the engine has picked up 15 to 20 horsepower,” Jones says. “And that’s horsepower without any cost. The low-tension thin rings last just as long as heavier rings and are very easy on the bore. The cost is very reasonable. “Just a few years ago this was Cup technology and came at a Cup price, but we’ve been very aggressive with our material technologies and we’ve come up with a way to produce what I believe is a great ring at a great value.” We can see a technology like Total Seal’s AP rings being a big advantage in several dirt racing classes. Jones says there are already piston manufacturers working on shelf-stock pistons designed with lands to fit the thinner rings. With a comparable cost to what we’re already spending on piston rings, we think these can be a big hit in everything from Late Models to Modifieds, Sprints and even Midgets.
This isn’t an AP ring, but we are told the stainless steel top ring and ductile iron second will file just like standard rings, so no extra tools will be necessary.
Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 31
MODIFIED
FUTURE TODD STALEY HAS HELPED DIRT MODIFIED RACING MAKE BIG GAINS SINCE STARTING THE USMTS 32 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
DIRT MODIFIED RACING used to be considered a class for
racers that didn’t have enough money to race anything else. Rules were designed to help keep costs to a minimum and the cars were developed along those lines, while Sprint Cars, Dirt Late Models and Big Block Modifieds evolved with more expensive components and costs involved. In contrast, Dirt Modified’s $500 claimer engines, stock front clips and other cost-containment measures have made for a lower barrier to entry and allowed larger fields at race tracks. Restrictive rulebooks also reward the innovators when it comes to chassis and suspension designs. Lots of great drivers and builders have come from the Modified ranks that graduated on to the upper levels of racing. Still, there are many who believe Dirt Modified racing can be viable as a big-league professional touring series on its own, and the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) is proving that to be true.
I really do feel that we are one of the top racing series in the country—especially thanks to the quality of our drivers. – Todd Staley President USMTS
Photo by Bruce Nuttleman
If you have been to an IMCA or UMP Modified racing event, then the USMTS cars will be very familiar to you. Other than a few small changes, the only real difference between the cars is the more powerful racing engines allowed in the USMTS. By going with less-restrictive engine rules, the race cars in the USMTS certainly push the traction limits of the tires. That means being fast in a USMTS race requires a lot of driver skill and a precise setup. USMTS President Todd Staley is not only the big cheese, he also gave birth to the series all the way back in ’99. Staley says of the early days, “There was a series that started out in 1995, I think. It was the USMS, or the United States Modified Series. Two guys that had worked for the IMCA split off and started it. “The series did okay for a few years. I helped them out—flagging for them one year—and then the last year, I ran the series.
“But then the series went belly up. The guys that owned it wanted me to buy their stuff, but they didn’t really have anything to buy. So we just went out and started the USMTS in 1999 and we’ve grown from there. I think the first year we ended up having like 18 or 19 races. After that first season, we were able to get a bunch of great sponsors on board like Casey’s General Store and Swan Energy, and those sponsors have really been key to our success. Now we Todd Staley do about 90 races a year, which is a lot.” Staley is also quick to point out that the success of any racing series depends on the quality of racers and teams running the events. Great racers make for great racing and the USMTS certainly doesn’t lack either. “With our special events and everything we do,” Staley says, “I really do feel that we are one of the top racing series in the country—especially thanks to the quality of our drivers. “We went to a racetrack one time and I remember people asking, ‘We just had an IMCA Modified race here last week. Why would we want to go see another Modified race?’ The people I talked to weren’t very impressed with the [IMCA] racing action. They said those guys couldn’t go six laps without somebody bringing out a caution. Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 33
Photo by Rick Schwallie
(Above) The USMTS waves the green flag on around 90 races each year. (Left) Dirt racing’s traditional four-wide salute occurs before every USMTS A-Main race.
“Well,” he remembers, “when our guys got out there they put on a 50-lap show, running wheel-to-wheel the whole time, and they really put on a great display of driving talent. Race fans can appreciate good driving when they see it, no matter what class is racing. When we were leaving that night all I heard was ‘When are you coming back?’ “We do hang our hat on the quality of our racers,” Staley continues. “I think anybody that considers himself a good Modified driver wants to come race with us because of the level of competition we offer. There is no doubt our travel schedule is brutal—we do put on a lot of races. But we’re looking to help the racers that race with us by setting up different regions. “Now you can pick a region, go race just that region and still qualify for our championship. Not many people can go race 90 nights a year, so we don’t want to run good teams off by making it too difficult or expensive to compete for a championship.” Staley says that he and everyone at the USMTS are very aware of the cost required to go racing. Travel expenses are at the top of the list when it comes to expenditures for practically every race team, but no sanctioning body can do anything 34 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
about the cost of fuel for the hauler and hotel bills. That’s the major reason the USMTS has broken its races into regions. “The USMTS can’t do anything about the hit a racer takes at the pumps,” he says, “but it can do something about the miles they have to travel.” While he will happily welcome any team that wants to travel to every event on the USMTS schedule, he’s also a realist and knows that such a feat is difficult for most teams—especially if racing isn’t their full-time job. Travel costs are mostly the same no matter what class of car is raced. Where folks can save a buck is choosing the class that works best with their driving style and budget. Although the more-open motor rules in the USMTS mean more expensive power plants versus the typical IMCA or UMP Dirt Modified, the overall cost is still significantly less than a competitive ride in a Super Late Model, a Sprint Car or even a Big Block Modified. Even though the engines can be an investment, the chassis maintains the traditional Modified layout which is actually pretty economical. This includes a stock (or reproduction) frame up front, original equipment spindles, stamped-steel lower control arms, single-piston brake calipers, OEM-style transmissions— the list goes on, but you get the idea. USMTS also requires every car to be on a very affordable eight-inch American Racer tire that can be grooved or siped but not chemically altered. “The engines typically produce between 600 and 650 horsepower, but everybody is on an eight-inch tire.” Staley says. “That’s what I believe is one of the plusses of this series. The tire is the great equalizer. If you want to come and race we’re glad to have you, but everybody is on the same tire, and they are all running the same compound. So it isn’t about get-
When our guys got out there they put on a 50-lap show, running wheel-to-wheel the whole time, and they really put on a great display of driving talent. – Todd Staley
Todd Staley tries to convince Cup champ Kevin Harvick to try his luck behind the wheel in some USMTS races.
ting lucky and hitting on the right tire or compound—it’s your driving ability that wins races. “No matter what class you are in, racing is an expensive hobby,” he continues. “But I think compared to the Late Models, a competitive race car in USMTS is about half the cost. The biggest expense is the engine. What racers are really paying for is dependability. We really don’t break motors much anymore. You can get by with a $10,000 or $15,000 motor and still make power, but you are probably going to break. “We did put in an rpm chip that helps cut the cost on the engines a little bit, by helping keep the revs down, and we’ll keep an open mind to other things that help keep costs contained but won’t hurt the racing. Still, overall I think a full-scale Late Model
program is going to cost twice as much as a competitive USMTS car, and to race a Sprint Car is probably twice that again.” Over the years, the USMTS has had several drivers graduate from the series to Late Models, and Staley says he’s fine with that. In fact, he says he’s happy to see former USMTS racers find success in other big-money series. But his group is also working to make the USMTS even more viable as a series, so racers can spend a career racing and even support their families doing it. Currently, he estimates that 30 to 40 percent of the teams running the series race as their primary occupation. With its growing popularity, the USMTS has been able to add more big-money races to its schedule—with plans to do more for the racers in the coming year. “I’m really excited about what we’ve got planned for the 2015 season and beyond,” Staley says. “We are trying really hard to make sure we always put on a great show for the fans and take care of our race teams. And like I said, we’re going to have some great announcements about what we’ve been working on coming up here in a couple of months. I definitely think our racers and teams will appreciate what we’re going to be doing for them.”
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GET RID OF THE
SPIN
Traction control isn’t going to turn a bad driver into a worldclass champion on a dirt track, but what it will do is help a good driver get the most out of his car. – Shannon Davis Davis Technologies
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS are a subject circle
A LOOK AT TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS
36 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
track purists don’t really want to talk about. But the technology exists, and in many dirt track racing classes they are even legal. We wanted to find out more about these systems and how they work. Shannon Davis is the owner of Davis Technologies, one of the leading manufacturers of affordable traction control systems for all types of race cars. Most of Davis’ business comes from systems designed for sports car and drag racing, but he also has developed traction control systems that work well for oval track racing on dirt. “It’s just another tool in your toolbox,” he says. “Traction control isn’t going to turn a bad driver into a world-class cham-
Incredibly, this self-learning unit is packed with every feature Davis Technologies offers for an oval track traction control module and is just barely larger than a quarter.
Davis Technologies’ least-expensive traction control unit has a street price of less than $1,900, requires just three wires to be hooked up for installation and is not much bigger than a 9-volt battery.
pion on a dirt track, but what it will do is help a good driver get the most out of his car. It won’t do much to help the new driver or a bad driver who just wants to mat the gas pedal and turn left. You can overpower the system, so you’ve still got to go out there and drive like you’ve got some sense.” Davis also contends that traction control shouldn’t have the stigma that many in oval track racing have attached to it. “It is comparable to a cam change, or an ignition change to help the driver keep from spinning the wheels accelerating out of the turns,” he says. “You can build a motor for maximum power, and it can just be crazy responsive and really difficult to drive. So the smart engine builder will do something with the carburetor linkage, or he will make a cam change, or do something to help calm that motor down so it is easier to drive. And everybody is like, ‘Hey, great idea!’ But if you do it electronically, that is some sort of mortal sin. “It’s really all the same thing,” he continues, “but I think it’s because people understand the camshaft and carburetor and stuff like that, and they don’t understand electronics.” Davis Technologies’ traction control systems work by monitoring the crankshaft speed and picking up any acceleration spikes as soon as they happen. Since the rear wheels are directly linked to the crankshaft, a sudden acceleration at the crank means the rear wheels have broken traction and are spinning. The system can actually measure crankshaft speed on circle track cars as fast as every one-quarter of a turn of the crankshaft, so it is capable of detecting wheel spin practically as soon as it happens. Once the box has detected a spike in crankshaft rpm, which probably means the rear wheels have broken traction, it makes a correction to reduce slip by retarding the engine timing. This kills the power to the rear wheels and helps regain traction. But to keep the engine from lugging from a big power loss, Davis’ system can actually work so quickly that it retards ignition timing on a cylinder-by-cylinder basis. As soon as the rpm spike at the crankshaft is under control the engine is returned to optimal timing, and it happens so fast that it is barely noticeable. Of course, traction control is pretty straightforward in asphalt racing where tire slip is really never a good thing, but in dirt track racing drivers control the car with the throttle practically as much as they do with the steering wheel.
When using very small units like the one in photo above—or one that is installed on the car in a location that isn’t easy to get to—a Bluetooth programmer like this one can be used to make a change to the module’s sensitivity without actually having to touch the module itself.
However, Davis says this isn’t an issue with his self-learning systems which learn the average rate of acceleration of the driveshaft and adapt lap after lap. There is also an option to tune the system to your needs. The traction control unit has an adjustment called “mode” that sets the system’s sensitivity to tire slip. Racers can adjust the mode to correct for larger slips while not reacting to smaller levels of tire slip which can be useful in dirt track racing. “The mode control has sensitivity settings,” Davis explains. “It is [a scale] between one and eight. The real world settings are four, five and six, which is where most people are going to be. Seven is if you are really bad and need a lot of help from the unit, and three is if you just need a little help. So the sensitivity is how often—or how likely—the unit is to come on. You set the sensitivity to match your driving style.” It turns out that installation of the control module isn’t that difficult. The unit uses a simple three-wire hookup. One wire goes to a power source to power the box, a second naturally goes to ground, and the third monitors the signal that controls the spark and is spliced into the wire lead from the distributor to the race car’s ignition box. “If you can maintain a race car, then you can install the unit,” Davis says. “I’ve never had anybody in my 17 years that couldn’t handle the installation.” Overall, Davis makes a strong case that traction control systems should be more widely accepted in dirt track racing. He points out that fuel injection—and all the computer controls that come with it—are already gaining traction in racing. And the costs aren’t actually as prohibitive as some would make it sound. “Technology surrounds us,” he says. “It is a part of all of our lives. We have a traction control unit that sells for $2,195, and dealers are selling them for like $1,895. Everybody with a race car can swing $1,895 every five or 10 years. Think about what it costs if you get loose and scrub up against the wall one time—especially if you break an axle and bend a hub. That stuff is going to happen anyway, but if you can minimize that and get the whole field running a little more competitive, then I don’t see the harm. “Basically, traction control is just another tool. If you can use it to benefit your racing and put on a better show for the fans in the stands, I think that’s a good thing.” Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 37
PROFILE OF A CHAMPION
BOBBY PIERCE
Photos by Rick Schwallie
AT JUST 18 YEARS OLD, BOBBY PIERCE has already
made a name for himself in the ultra-competitive world of Dirt Late Model racing. A winner dozens of times over, his redand-black No. 32 is a regular contender to reach Victory Lane at tracks around the country. It’s not really fair, however, to call Pierce a “young gun.” For starters, the guy already has close to 125 feature wins and a national championship under his belt. Secondly, by now he is a seasoned veteran who has been behind the wheel since age eight. He’s been around the sport even longer than that, as his dad, Bob Pierce, is a well-known former driver and chassis guru who supplies some of the sport’s brightest stars. “It’s kind of cool to [race against] those big names, you look at the lineup and they’ll be in the heat race or feature and you start right next to them or something,” Pierce explains about his standing in the Dirt Late Model ranks. “I don’t really look at it as intimidating though, I kind of look at it as I can learn a lot of stuff from those guys. They always say that racing against the best will make you better. That’s really important for a young driver. I always kind of looked up to those guys and watched them and what they did. And you can just learn so much. Most of them my dad raced against and now I’m racing against them.” Long before he was making a name for himself at Eldora and East Bay, Pierce was piloting quarter midgets and various other types of entry-level race cars around his home in Oakwood, Illinois. He drove those vehicles for his first three years in the sport, racking up numerous race wins and championships along the way. In 2010, he stepped into a
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Crate Late Model for the first time and promptly won track championships at both Farmer City Raceway and Vermilion County Speedway in his home state, along with the State of Illinois’ Crate Late Model title. By 2011 he was the UMP Late Model Rookie of the Year, and in 2013 was catapulted into the realm of a bona fide Dirt Late Model star with four wins during the UMP Summer Nationals—also known as “The Hell Tour”—and a second-place finish in that series’ final point standings. He claimed second place in UMP DIRTcar Late Model national points, finished fourth in the World 100 and won $50,000 as the grand prize winner of the Champion Spark Plugs “Search for a Champion” contest, a fan-voting program that not only provided a hefty chunk of money, but lots of free exposure.
They always say that racing against the best will make you better. That’s really important for a young driver. – Bobby Pierce In 2014 Pierce and team made it a goal to win the UMP DIRTcar Late Model National Championship and the grueling Hell Tour. The Pierce team cruised to the national title in the former and finished fourth in the Summer Nationals, winning a couple of races but also enduring some bad luck in the form of mechanical problems and one vicious flip. Pierce won 14 DIRTcar-sanctioned races over the course of the year, and also claimed two Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victories to push his win total to 16 for the season. A hard-nosed competitor, Pierce admits that he frankly gets upset that he doesn’t win every race, although he knows that just isn’t going to happen. And although he obviously has been a quick study, he says that his dad still gives him plenty of advice. At each track the junior and senior Pierce look at the straightaways to determine which gear to run in their car, and they try to compare the facility to a track they have been to before. Bob Pierce also provides Bobby with encouragement, or when he needs it, criticism. “When I was first starting out, Dad’s favorite thing was to take a piece of paper and a pen and he’d draw a racetrack on it,” Pierce remembers. “He’d start showing me the line on the track, where to lift and pick up the throttle. “It seemed like whenever we were having a bad night he always whipped out the paper and pen and he started going over step one again. “I was getting kind of frustrated because even though I thought I understood it, he still showed me anyway. That’s kind of what you need to have. He can get on me quite a bit sometimes, but in the end it’s kind of what you need. You kind of need that person that’s there yelling in your ear, making sure it’s in your brain.”
In addition to the bond shared between Pierce and his father, the operation is a complete family affair for the Pierces. Bobby’s mom, Angie, and sister, Ciara, can often be spotted in the pits or in the stands supporting the operation at whatever track the family happens to have marked on its calendar. “We kind of just bounce around, if there’s not really a big UMP race, and there may be a close Lucas [Oil Late Model Dirt Series] race or World of Outlaws race then we’ll definitely go to that,” Pierce explains about his schedule. “We kind of like to go to the races that pay some good money. This is my fifth year racing Super Late Models and we’ve just been progressing a lot. We’ve got to the point where we can kind of run with the big dogs and almost go anywhere and look to have a winning car.” Pierce is a high school senior this year and his plans for the future remain a bit up in the air. One thing is for sure though; the young man called “Smooth Operator” will still be racing. He plans to continue in the dirt ranks, and after having made one pavement Late Model start at Memphis International Raceway, says he hopes to try his hand a bit more on the pavement side as well. He isn’t necessarily looking to chart a path to NASCAR; rather Pierce just looks at each race on any type of surface as a unique challenge. When asked to look into his crystal ball, he doesn’t have a specific plan, but rather an idea of a simple goal he hopes to accomplish. He smiles as he says, “Five years from now hopefully I’ll have my name on a lot more big checks.”
CARB TUNING MADE EASY
SQUINTING AT SPARK PLUGS THROUGH A MAGNIFYING GLASS? THERE’S A BETTER WAY TO DIAL IN YOUR CARBURETOR IN THE OLD DAYS one of the reasons
engine tuners had to be part scientist and part magician was due to the fact that reading spark plugs felt like a dark art. Some folks spend years trying to learn to read a set of plugs so that they can make the appropriate adjustments on a carburetor—only to wind up getting nowhere. But even if you have picked up the practice, the increasing use of unleaded fuels in racing means all that goes out the window since unleaded fuel simply doesn’t leave the same clues on a set of plugs. Thankfully, modern technology has made it possible to read your air/fuel ratio in real time using a setup that is affordable for the race team on a budget, light enough to leave in your car, and efficient enough it doesn’t require a huge draw on your battery for those of you running without an alternator. One of the most practical systems for racers is Holley’s Wideband O2
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Controller, which comes complete with a sealed, weather-tight gauge you can mount in the cockpit. Holley’s system is built for racing environments and is designed to withstand heat, dirt and vibration. The controller, or brain, is also quite small—approximately the size of two packs of playing cards stacked on top of each other—and lightweight. With just a single O2 sensor, the wiring is minimal. Although most dirt race cars run dual exhausts without a crossover, having one sensor reading just one bank of cylinders is usually enough to get an accurate feel for any adjustments you need to make with your carburetor. While it may seem like the combustion process would destroy all the evidence, an O2 gauge can actually tell you what’s going on at the carburetor by measuring the amount of oxygen left in the exhaust gasses. The right systems
can also be quite accurate—even capable of monitoring to the tenth of a point how the air/fuel ratio changes when you get on the gas and the accelerator pump kicks in. To get the most efficient burn, air and gasoline should be mixed at a ratio of 14.7 parts air to one part fuel. This is known as the stoichiometric ratio. For optimum power, however, you want to be a bit richer than that—usually around 12.5:1. In the real world, to protect against detonation many teams will run their carb even richer at 10.5:1. Being able to push that limit and get closer to the 12:1 ratio to make the most power without detonation is the key to getting every ounce of horsepower out of your engine. So you can see that being able to accurately determine the ratio at which your carburetor is mixing air and fuel is practically an unfair advantage. Installing the O2 Wideband Controller is relatively simple. The toughest part
Holley’s Wideband O2 Controller system is an easy way to check your air/fuel ratio so you can make quick, accurate carburetor adjustments and get the most out of your race engine. Not only is it compact and lightweight, but it is also vibration-resistant and sealed against dust.
is drilling a hole (normally 7/8-inch) in the exhaust somewhere downstream of the collector and welding in a bung for the oxygen sensor. If you aren’t confident as a welder, most muffler shops will do it for a few bucks. Make sure the sensor is installed on top of the header pointing down— somewhere between 10 and 2 o’clock— so any condensation that collects inside the tubing won’t ruin the sensor. After that it is simply a matter of wiring 12volt power to both the controller box and the digital gauge. The gauge itself is the small 2 1/16-inch diameter size, so it will mount in any standard gauge location (and will even blend in so your competition won’t catch on to how you upped your game). On the track, using the Wideband O2 Controller and gauge to tune your carburetor is just as easy. The gauge has a digital numerical readout that provides the specific air/ fuel ratio, and there is also a color-coded bar that offers a quick visual reference (blue is rich, green is good, yellow is slightly lean and red means your engine is in danger of detonation). The colored bar is actually programmable so you can set each zone exactly where you want it. This is especially useful if you are running methanol (which has a stoichiometric ratio of 6.5:1, by the way). We suggest beginning by checking your ratio at idle. For a race engine, it should be between 13:1 and 14:1 (but it can be hard to tell at idle if your engine has a cam with lots of overlap). Next, check the ratio at constant throttle. If the
You will need to weld in a bung to your headers so that the oxygen sensor can be threaded into place. If you aren’t comfortable with a welder your local muffler shop should be able to handle the job.
ratio is too high (above 13.5:1) your engine is running lean and the carburetor needs larger jets to make more power and keep the engine from detonating. If the ratio is too low the carburetor is rich. Installing smaller carburetor jets will help with the power and fuel efficiency. Holley recommends a ratio between 12.5:1 and 13.5:1 for running at part throttle. For wide-open throttle a ratio between 12.5:1 and 12.7:1 will usually provide peak torque, and 13 to 13.2:1 will make peak horsepower. Next, watch the gauge to see what happens when you get on the throttle coming out of the turns. When the accelerator pumps kick in the engine should go rich momentarily but then even back out. If you are struggling with a stumble on turn exit it can be because the fuel in the bowls is sloshing around, which uncovers the lower jets and starves the en-
The first step in the install is to drill a hole in the exhaust either at the merge collector or slightly below for the oxygen sensor.
The digital readout Wideband O2 Gauge provides the precise stoichiometric ratio, while the colored bar at the top allows a visual check when you don’t have time to concentrate on numbers.
gine for fuel. Or it can be that the accelerator pump is flooding the engine with too much fuel. The Wideband O2 Controller will help you make a quick determination of what is going on so you don’t waste any valuable laps on the track. Don’t forget that a race carburetor isn’t simply a “set-it-and-forget-it” device. Your carb may need small adjustments depending on air density, which can vary with elevation, humidity and temperature. In other words, what works for you in the heat of August probably won’t be the ideal carburetor setup in October when championships are on the line. Thankfully, having the right tools—which include an accurate way to determine your air/fuel ratio— can take the guesswork out of tuning your race engine and allow you to concentrate on your racing. Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 41
By Ben Shelton
I HELPLESSLY WATCHED the radar updates on my laptop as a zero-percent chance of rain overachieved into a thirty-minute track drencher at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pennsylvania, during this year’s 8th Annual Firecracker 100 festivities. As rain pelted the southwest Pennsylvania oval, I settled down into my perch in the announcer’s booth and impatiently awaited the next reload of the trusty Doppler radar at Wunderground.com. Sometimes in that situation you just have to laugh to keep from losing your mind. As I cracked a few jokes with other officials in the tower, a glance down at the fence on the frontstretch grandstands quickly provided me with a much-needed release. Rain thoroughly drenched a group of four or five fans as they worked feverishly to remove sponsor banners from the fence. STP, Armor All, COMP Cams ... these folks didn’t discriminate as they tried to remove the banners before being caught by security. While they thought they were acting in a rebellious fashion, the comical—and realistic—part of the whole situation was that they were falling straight into the marketing plan of each and every company whose banners they recklessly tore from the fence. “We actually have our banners mass produced for events with the intent and hope that they will ultimately
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We actually have our banners mass produced for events with the intent and hope that they will ultimately hang in a racer or race fan’s garage one day. – Chris Douglas Vice President of Marketing, COMP Performance Group hang in a racer or race fan’s garage one day,” COMP Performance Group Vice President of Marketing, Chris Douglas, says with a smile. “It’s all part of our marketing plan for maximized visibility.” Representing more than a dozen brands that now fall under the COMP Performance Group umbrella—including COMP Cams, Racing Head Service, Quarter Master, TCI Automotive and an ever-growing list of others—Douglas is always looking for ways to have his product placement maximized. “I was a racer once too, and I remember how much I wanted banners for my shop,” Douglas notes. “One day it occurred to me that I should use our own banners to provide a little extra promotion. As long as people want to hang them at their house or their man cave where people will see our name, I’ll gladly keep having them made.” For series officials who are responsible for hanging the banners, the thought of not having to remove them or re-use a dirt-covered banner seems like more
than a fair trade. In fact Tyler Bachman, who works with the World of Outlaws (WoO) Late Model Series, doesn’t mind seeing the parade of departing banners at the end of each race night for the tour. “If the fans are taking them home, then I’m not having to take them down and reuse a muddy banner the next day at the next event,” the 24-year-old official comments. Of course there is a flipside to everything, and some banners are not meant to be taken. That’s where things get cloudy for fans. My amusement at the determination of the soaked souls removing the banners from the fence at Lernerville was brought to an abrupt halt when General Manager Gary Risch Jr. came over my headset asking me to immediately instruct fans to please not remove the costly Lernerville Speedway banners that are hung about the facility. “Those sponsor banners that are hung for an individual event are easily replaced, but we have very expensive track banners that are made to last the whole season, so it can get pretty costly
1Ad2EXM
to watch those disappear,” he later said. “Most fans know that those are off-limits, but there’s always one or two folks who want to grab everything.” Working with several series over the past few years, I’ve watched the “banner game” unfold on countless occasions at the end of each night. On that note, I’ll provide my own personal insight to anybody craving a five-finger discount on some new swag for the walls of their garage. Before wasting time trying to rip the banners from the fences, go by the series trailer and ask if they have any extras. Many times they will be glad to share an extra or two with you if they have them in stock. This saves you the effort and possible embarrassment of trying to wrestle a piece of plastic loose from the4:02 fencePM in front 11/11/14 Pageof 1thousands of onlookers. In addition, some-
times the banners end up destroyed as they are recklessly ripped from the fence, so why waste the effort if you don’t have to? While most sponsor banners at special events are expected to end their run as parting gifts at the end of the night, some are not intended to be taken. It’s not a bad idea to ask a track official permission to take one home at the conclusion of the program. This also reminds me, unlike the vigilante squad that cleaned house at Lernerville Speedway during the rain delay, at least try to have the self-restraint to wait until the end of the night so that the sponsors can get their money’s worth in terms of eyeballs from fans in the stands. I know that most
people won’t adhere to this request, but if just one does, then I’ve accomplished something here. As a side note, I would like to mention that we were thankful to sneak in 90 of the scheduled 100 laps before rain arrived again at Lernerville that night. Fans got to see almost the entire finale and no travel arrangements were disturbed. I also want to thank those banner bandits for making me smile during a very stressful rain delay. Without your relentless pursuit of these possessions, I likely wouldn’t have found my comic relief for the night. And ultimately, the marketing plan of several companies would not have been achieved either. It’s funny how things work sometimes.
RAISE YOUR
HP/DOLLAR R
SMART DESIGN MEANS UEM’S FHR PISTONS CAN HELP YOU MAKE GREAT POWER WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK EASILY ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS sayings in racing is the oft-repeated quote by the one and only Smokey Yunick that goes, “Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?” And in many ways that is true. There’s no denying that racing can be an expensive sport, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to limit your expenses by strategically choosing components and only spending money where it actually does help you cut seconds off your lap time. In other words, avoid the trap of assuming that just because something is more expensive, then it must be better. Street Stock and Hobby Stocks are examples of classes where you can race well and have fun without sacrificing the house payment, as long as you are smart about it. Your hero in the Late Model class may actually need the high-dollar stuff to stay competitive, but race classes running original chassis with stock pickup points are usually so traction limited that you don’t need the latest and greatest of everything to stay competitive. This is one of the reasons why United Engine and Machine offers its FHR line of pistons for many classes in Saturday night racing. 44 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
FHR stands for “Forged Head Relief,” which means when the piston is created the forging dies actually form the valve pockets right in place. Normally with high-end forged pistons the valve pockets are machined in after the forging is complete. Creating the valve pockets during the forging process saves UEM a machining step which allows the company to sell their FHR pistons at a lower cost. UEM’s FHR pistons have been around for a while, but the company has recently re-engineered the lineup with upgrades to make them more useful for dirt track racers. “We’ve made an update to them so that they now accommodate round wire locks,” UEM’s tech specialist Marko Glush explains. “Before, they were made to work with the True-Arc lock rings. The True-Arcs work fine, but the round wire locks definitely have their advantage. As the pin pushes on the lock, it actually spreads the lock out to help keep the wire lock in its groove.” UEM has also upgraded many of the pistons in its FHR lines to accept lightweight 1/16-inch rings versus the standard 5/64. Crafty engine builders have known for years that thinner piston rings help make power because they create less drag as they move up and down the cylinder bore. Thin-
RATIO This is UEM’s FHR piston. FHR stands for “Forged Head Relief.” UEM actually puts the valve pockets into the piston tops during the forging process, eliminating the need to cut the pockets later. By cutting out this step in the manufacturing process, UEM can also cut a significant chunk of the cost while maintaining the strength and light weight of a forged aluminum piston. Many Pure Stock classes require a “stock or stock-replacement” piston in the rules. This means a flat-top piston with four symmetrical valve pockets, which reduces compression. To keep you legal while helping you gain an advantage over heavy cast pistons, UEM offers a forged FHR piston that meets those requirements.
ner rings can also have a real advantage over thicker rings in the more entry-level classes, because they are usually better at maintaining a seal when the cylinder bore isn’t absolutely perfect. This is often an issue for Street Stock racers that must use an OEM engine block casting which can suffer from core shift and thin walls. “And then there are other properties that have always been a part of our FHR pistons that also make them a good candidate for racing,” Glush adds. “The material we used to make the FHR is 4032 aluminum. There are two major types of aluminum typically used in pistons. 2618 aluminum has one percent or less silicon in it, which makes it a very ductile piston and a good choice for high-compression, nitrous or boosted applications. “Meanwhile, the 4032 has 11 percent silicon, so it has better wearability and typically lasts longer. The 4032 still has some ductile properties, so it is not as hard as a cast piston. If you were to break a valve spring and the valve hit the piston, the piston wouldn’t shatter. You could probably see the mark it would leave behind, but it is very likely that it wouldn’t destroy the engine.” Glush says the extra silicon in the 4032 pistons is a good fit for racing at the hobby level because it has the ductility already mentioned; the piston isn’t brittle and won’t shatter right away like a cast piece will if the engine goes into detonation. But on the other hand, the extra hardness that comes from the additional silicon versus the 2618 aluminum means the piston has very good durability. “This is a good choice for classes where the engine usually has to stay together all season long without getting looked at,”
Glush notes. “I know in the real world a lot of racers want to be able to run their engine at least a full season between rebuilds, so having a piston that lasts is a big deal. And if the engine is well-maintained and kept in proper tuneup, these pistons can actually last for several seasons.” Overall, we think that an FHR piston is a great choice for a racer looking to build an engine on a budget. UEM has found a way to incorporate many features found in the highest-quality (and high-dollar) forged pistons while keeping the costs lower. For a set, we are told that UEM holds the weight tolerance to plus or minus two grams, and the pistons come pin-fitted from the factory. But the big question remains, how much money can really be saved by going with an FHR piston? Glush looked up comparable sets of pistons from UEM’s Icon forged line and its FHR line—both flat-top configurations for a small block Chevy—and gave us a price comparison. Please note that these are UEM’s suggested retail prices, and the actual street price for these pistons from a place like Summit Racing is probably significantly lower. For the Icon forged pistons the cost is $689, while an equivalent set of eight FHR pistons comes in at just $477. That’s a savings of $212 for a set, and the FHR piston weight is within 20 grams of its high-dollar cousin. That’s $200 extra that you can spend on fuel, tires, taking your crew out to dinner or anything else you need to help keep your race operation moving forward. And that’s a pretty good deal in our book. Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 45
DAY at a
One
TIME
AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES we are all guilty of be-
lieving that our current problem is the most important or worst possible thing we will ever encounter. Whether it be issues at work, relationship problems, or even disagreements with family members, sometimes we all lose focus on what’s really important. Sometimes, things just aren’t as big a problem as we think they are. Sometimes, something suddenly happens to us, and we immediately realize that all of our other worries were truly trivial. For Jason Krohn and his family, this dose of cold reality came in the form of the sudden and tragic death of Natalie Anne Krohn on September 29, 2012. The Krohn family didn’t just lose a beloved relative that day. Jason and Jennifer Krohn lost a seven-year-old daughter, while siblings, Samantha and Aaron, lost a little sister. It was a horror that is just unimaginable for any family to have to endure and forever changed the Krohns’ way of thinking.
Photo by Rick Schwallie
Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 47
Photo by Rick Schwallie
When something like this happens...you are forever changed, but you find a way as a family to cope and persevere forward with a new way of seeing things. “When something like this happens, you don’t move on for six months,” Jason Krohn says thoughtfully. “You relive the hurt every morning that you wake up, and you just do your best to get to the next day to fight through the pain all over again. You never truly mend. You are forever changed, but you find a way as a family to cope and persevere forward with a new way of seeing things.” Jason Krohn has been around racing since the early 1990s. The Slayton, Minnesota, farmer became involved in the sport when a friend bought a race car. Jason spent a few years turning wrenches before getting behind the wheel for the first time in 1993 when the local Murray County Fair held an Enduro race. “I was registering at the local NAPA Auto Parts, and they assigned me the number seven since I was the seventh registrant,” said Krohn. “I was really nervous come race day, but somehow I went out and outran 63 entries and won the deal. I was instantly hooked and No. 7 became my permanent number.” Over the next few years Krohn began to expand his racing career. Working his way through the IMCA Hobby Stock and IMCA Stock Car ranks, he claimed dozens of wins in the late 1990s. By 2002 he was looking for a new challenge and bought his first Modified. And just as he did in the Stock Car world Krohn quickly excelled by finding Victory Lane early and often. The 2005 season found Krohn traveling frequently as he pursued big money shows. “I enjoyed traveling to new tracks and taking on tough competitors in the Modified ranks,” remembers Krohn. “I had big plans for 2006, but as often happens in life, my plans were abruptly changed.” 48 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
Jason’s father, Bill Krohn, passed away at the age of 88, and the younger Krohn was forced to park the car for the year to focus on obligations to the family farm. “Not only was I busy at the farm, but honestly I lost a little of the drive to race without my dad around. Early in my racing career he didn’t care much for going to the track, but by the end he wouldn’t miss a race. It almost didn’t seem right to go without him.” Despite not racing his own car in 2006, Krohn ran a few races in a friend’s car. He quickly discovered that not only did he miss going to the track every week, but that his children missed it, too. They were hooked on the sport as much as he was.“At the time, losing my dad was the hardest thing I had gone through,” Krohn says. “He lived an amazing life, but it still hurt so bad to lose him. I thought that I might give up racing altogether, but then I came to the realization that I didn’t want to look back twenty years down the road and regret not enjoying life to the fullest. So we decided we were going to go full bore in 2007 with an aggressive racing schedule.”
Jason Krohn’s daughter, Natalie, lost her life in an ATV accident on September 29, 2012.
In a true triumphant return to racing, Jason Krohn tackled the national scene in 2007 with the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) in a car built by Kelly Shryock. Krohn not only won his points region, but he also raced to the coveted USMTS National Championship in the season-ending “Hunt.” Through the pain of losing his dad, Jason had learned to be stronger than he ever thought possible, and he learned to focus on new goals. With these lessons learned Krohn felt like he could handle anything dealt to him, but he would learn a few years later that for some things in life you just can’t be prepared. While maintaining the family farm Krohn continued to race as much as possible, and his family loved every minute of it. His wife, Jennifer, attended the races as much as she could, while his children, Samantha, Aaron and Natalie, all loved going to the track. It gave them all a chance to spend quality time together as a family. “Looking back, I obviously had no idea at the time, but those were truly the most amazing times of my life,” Krohn notes. “I’m truly blessed to have had those special days with all of my loved ones around me. Those are the memories you never forget.” Seasons came and went on the track and in the farm fields. September 2012 found Krohn taking to the fields for the harvest earlier than normal due to a year of drought. By late September he was nearly done with his season’s harvest, and everything seemed to be moving along according to plan. However, life chose to cruelly intervene once again. On September 29, 2012, Krohn was busily working while his seven-year-old daughter, Natalie, and her friend rode around the farm in the family’s Ranger ATV, as they often did. Jason let Natalie know that hauling trucks would be coming down the road soon so she should go park the Ranger to make sure she didn’t get stuck on the road with the trucks approaching. After their brief talk he ran into town. That was the last time he talked to his daughter. Soon after, Jason received word that the Ranger had rolled over in a ditch. Natalie had not been wearing her seatbelt and was ejected from the driver’s seat, while her friend remained secured in the vehicle. Sadly, the vehicle landed on Natalie, resulting in severe injuries. Her friend ran a half mile to the Krohn family home to get help.
Probably the biggest thing I have learned is that the greatest gift you can give others is your time. By giving someone your time you are giving something you will never get back. It’s truly life’s most precious resource. – Jason Krohn Natalie was rushed to the emergency room, and despite the best efforts of the physicians, she passed away from internal injuries. At only seven years old, Natalie Anne Krohn was laid to rest. “I had seen friends deal with losing a child, and I thought that I had a pretty good idea of how they felt and what they were going through,” Krohn explains. “However, I quickly learned that I had no idea how bad it was going to hurt. It was tough losing my dad, but he lived a nice full life. To lose a child at just seven years old—that’s something totally different.” The Krohns did their best to find a way to deal with their loss, and it wasn’t long before Jason realized what he had to do to get through it. “In a situation like this, every member of the family grieves in a different way because we all lost an individual, specific part of our lives when we lost Natalie,” he says. “I decided I had to do something productive to take my mind off things, so I decided to go back racing in late October. It proved to be the best thing that I could’ve ever done.” Jason Krohn and his family had experienced an outpouring of love and sympathy from the local community, and they also received extensive support from the racing community as well. But, the Krohns were soon to see exactly how special the racing family can truly be. “We decided to go and run the big Modified show down at Southern New Mexico Speedway [Las Cruces, New Mexico] in late October 2012,” Krohn remembers. “[Track owner] Royal Jones found out we were coming and told me he wanted to pay tribute to Natalie. He found out her favorite song, which was ‘Call Me Maybe’ by Carly Rae Jepsen and that she loved fireworks. From that he put together this amazing fireworks display that was set to her favorite song. It was beautiful. It meant so much to us, and I know Natalie was smiling down upon us as she watched it all from heaven.” Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 49
Photo by Rick Schwallie
Yet that wasn’t the end of the story. The Krohns learned that sometimes tragedy leads to something meaningful and productive. As they continued to deal with their loss, Jason embarked on another busy season of racing in 2013. During his travels early in the year, he sat at the airport one day, preparing to head to Texas, when fate found him crossing paths with Jessica Miller from the organization Karsyn’s Krusaders. “I had heard of Karsyn’s Krusaders, and I knew that they helped families dealing with childhood cancer,” Krohn says. “As I sat there at the airport that day talking to Jessica, my heart was moved to hear what they did to try and ease the pain for these afflicted families.” For Krohn it was a no-brainer that this was the type of effort he could really support. “I immediately knew that this was a cause I wanted to help,” he explains. “In Natalie’s memory I wanted to do whatever I could to raise money to help these parents during their darkest of times. From my own experience I knew I could never take the pain away, but if I could help lessen it for even a little bit, then my goal would be achieved. Since that fateful meeting in February 2013, the Krohn family has now raised thousands of dollars for Karsyn’s Krusaders, as well as other charities. A recent promotion in 2014 found Krohn and Rodney Sanders, who just happens to be the boyfriend of Jason’s daughter Samantha, competing in a good-natured rivalry that raised over $8,000 for the foundation. Just as when his father passed away, Krohn made the decision to forge ahead in racing and try something different after his daughter lost her life. He purchased his first Dirt Late Model in 2013 and began sharing the seat with Sanders, when not competing in the Modified ranks. “I was reminded again that you just have to live life and make the most of it,” Krohn says. “I always wanted to try driving a Dirt Late Model, and my family encouraged me to keep going, so I got one. I realized that you can’t look back and wish you had done something, and it just happens. At the end of my time I don’t want to have any regrets, so I’m going to live life.” While Krohn recognizes that most friends and other racers seem to feel guilty when they accidentally mention Natalie’s name to him, he actually has a perspective that often catches most off guard. 50 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
When Jason isn’t at the track or in Victory Lane, he loves spending time with—and spoiling—his granddaughter Bella.
“I know people don’t want to mention Natalie because they worry that it will upset me, but the reality is that I already think about Natalie every day. When they mention her name it just makes me happy because it shows me that they still think about her, too. She was a very special little girl, and now she’s my special little angel.” While the farm is still top priority for Jason, he loves spending time at the track with his family as much as ever. His 18-yearold son, Aaron, now races regularly, and his daughter frequents the track as much as possible. A relatively new addition to the family is Samantha’s daughter, Bella, who is now four years old. “Any grandchild is going to get spoiled, but Bella is really spoiled by me,” Krohn says with a laugh. “She is very unique, but also in so many ways she reminds me so much of Natalie. I greatly value our time together, and she is a true blessing.” Speaking of time well spent is Jason’s best piece of advice to families in their daily life. “Probably the biggest thing I have learned in dealing with the loss of Natalie is that the greatest gift you can give others is your time,” he says. “You only have a certain amount of time. You can always go and make more money to buy worldly items. However, by giving someone your time you are giving something you will never get back. It’s truly life’s most precious resource.” karsynskrusaders.org
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TIPS ON IMPROVING YOUR RESULTS AT THE TRACK WITH THE SUSPENSION SPECIALISTS AT W.A.R. SHOCKS 52 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
THERE’S NO DOUBT that shocks have become a very important part of every winning racing program. As dirt track racers are becoming more savvy, many are figuring out how useful a properly tuned race shock can be to helping maintain traction, and even to tuning the car for a dirt track’s constantly changing conditions. Willie Allen, owner of suspension specialist shop W.A.R. Shocks, certainly understands this.
A Dirt Late Model on W.A.R. Shocks’ pull-down rig.
Besides running his company, Allen remains a racer himself—although he prefers to run on that silly black stuff called asphalt. But W.A.R. Shocks assists many dirt track racers, including Kenny Wallace’s Modified operation, and Allen has seen firsthand just how important a quality shock program is for a winning dirt racing team. “I got started in shock tuning around 2008, when I ran in the Truck Series in NASCAR,” Allen says. “I was friends
with the shock guy on the Truck team, and we started doing our own shocks and definitely had some success. From there I started building shocks for our friends, and they started winning, so it is just snowballed. “I’ve definitely seen the dirt market grow since I first got started. Dirt track racing has just gotten so popular. The perfect example is there’s probably five or six dirt race tracks within an hour or so of our shop [in Centerville, Tennessee] but there’s only one asphalt track. “From working with dirt track racing teams, we have definitely seen that it is more of a challenge on the suspension side. There is so much going on there. With an asphalt car you are mostly just fine tuning, and you mostly just work on the left-front corner. “Dirt track racers are working more off the left rear and the right rear; there’s so much going on with the back of those cars with four-link suspensions. On dirt you are up on the left rear and down on the right front trying to maximize traction and get around the track, and on an asphalt car you’re basically down all the way around.” The shock, Allen points out, is just one part of the suspension. The goal, he reminds us, is to maximize the traction between the tires and the track. To do that properly requires looking at the race car as a working system, not simply concentrating on the shocks, springs or bar placement individually. That is why W.A.R. Shocks has recently added a pull-down rig to its arsenal of tools. A pull-down rig can simulate the forces a race car sees as it travels through the turns so that you can accurately see how the entire chassis and suspension are affected.
“We have worked with a lot of dirt cars [on the new pull-down rig] and this is a new area where they are finding gains,” Allen explains. “I feel like this is one thing that puts us on a different level with data acquisition and being able to capture shock velocities like you see on the track.” “A pull-down rig allows you to see your actual wheel loads through the turn. If you go to say Volusia or East Bay and get data on a lap and your shock travels, you can come back and put your car on this machine and it lets you look at a lot of different factors such as your dynamic bump steer and camber all the way through the turn. “It is one thing to set your bumpsteer with the car on jackstands, but when the car is under load—and things are flexing and moving around—your bumpsteer may actually be quite different than what you thought.” We spent a lot of time talking with Allen about everything from maintenance at the shop, to shock adjustments at the track, to current setup tricks for Street Stock racers. Honestly, they gave us so much great stuff we could make a couple articles out of it all. But to help pack as many helpful tips as possible into the pages we have available, we thought we’d just give you the best nuggets of information straight from the source.
Weekly Maintenance 1
“If you have single- or double-adjustable shocks, to go back through your clicks sometime during the week. It is so easy for a crew guy while he is taking off or putting on a shock to bump the clicker. It can also happen while you’re doing any Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 53
Among the top racing shock manufacturers there isn’t really a must-have brand. Owner Willie Allen says he can work with most brands. It’s more about matching the right shock setup for your driving style and conditions, not spending money on brand X.
number of things under the car. Then you’ve changed your baseline and don’t know it, and that may be why you’re struggling. Even on our house car this happens sometimes. So while you’re doing your weekly maintenance, make sure your adjustable shocks are still on the right settings.”
From working with dirt track racing teams, we have definitely seen that it is more of a challenge on the suspension side. – Willie Allen W.A.R. Shocks
“If you aren’t one of the big-time touring teams, once a year is usually about right. Sometime in the winter guys will normally send back their shocks, and we will go through them and change the o-rings and seals, replace the shock oil and put them on the dyno. That way when the team starts the season they know that everything is back where it should be.”
to the right front to keep the car turning positive off the corner. That is because we’re going to hang that left side weight a little bit earlier. “Now if I’m trying to loosen up the car on corner entry but it is really tight while I’m on the throttle, I’m going to take rebound out of the right rear. That will cause the car to sit on the right rear spring earlier, but it won’t affect the on-throttle situation as bad.”
Too Tight on Corner Entry
Tight in the Center
Shock Rebuild Schedule
“If I am wanting to loosen up the car on corner entry, I’m going to roll rebound into the left front to make the car pivot harder in the corner. “On the flip side, it is also going to tighten me up when I pick up the throttle. If you add rebound into the left front and the track is smooth, you generally have to add a little bit of rebound 54 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
“If I am tight in the center of the turn and want to loosen it up a bit, then I’m going to open [take out] rebound in the left-rear shock to allow the car to get into roll-steer more quickly. And I’m going to put rebound into the right front to make the car stay over there and keep the roll steer in it through the center of the corner.”
Shock vs Spring Changes
“One problem I have seen is when guys go from a flatter track to a banked track. Instead of doing a spring change and putting more spring into the right front in the car at the track they will try to make a shock change. This is because that extra spring is going to loosen the car in the corners. So instead, they will throw 150 pounds of gas into the right-front shock and also close the compression off. “The problem with that is by adding the gas pressure you are mimicking spring rate, and then when you throw the compression at it you are slowing how quickly you can get into that spring rate. You are keeping the left rear in the car longer on the entry so instead of loosening the car and helping it rotate properly, it is actually keeping it from getting into the right front longer and not loading the tire.
A W.A.R.-tuned shock built and ready to race.
the corners like we used to. Cars are rotating through, and when the driver picks the throttle up they are launching like an asphalt car. And that’s just because we’re making the front ends more efficient. We are not able to get the front end geometry correct, we’re just getting the correct damping on that big old spring.”
horsepower and you know you’re going to have trouble getting it to hook up. But in the lower classes the horsepower can vary a great deal. If I’ve got a guy that doesn’t want to admit he’s got a cheated-up motor that’s got an extra 100 horsepower, that changes what types of shocks he needs compared to the guy that just got into racing and has a motor that is down on power compared to the rest of the field. So honestly, knowing where their motor program is helps me hook up their car better. That’s more important than knowing what stagger they are running.”
Weekly Maintenance 2
Track Changes
There are lots of different moving parts to any race car suspension. To be effective, you can’t look at just one component like the shocks. You have to see how everything works together to affect how well the tire grips the racing surface.
“If you think of shocks versus springs, the shock retards the timing of what happens on the corner, while the spring just changes the dynamic load that gets into that tire.”
Latest Street Stock Setups
“A good shock program will absolutely help a Street Stock racer. With those chassis you don’t have the luxury of being able to set your own bumpsteer or your roll center where you want like you can with a tube-frame car. So now we are running big springs to kill travel. It’s to keep the car from rolling over four and a half inches on the right front like a Late Model because we can’t control that bumpsteer that it throws out. “The point is to try and make the front end of the car as stable as possible, because then it is more predictable. And if you’re running a big spring to try to keep the front end more stable, you have to have the right shock matched to it. “All of my dirt setups are now going back to a lot of the things I learned on asphalt. We are not jacking the cars up now. On my Street Stocks and other street chassis cars, we are not backing them into
“If you’ve got the time to do it, take the shocks off and work them through their travel. With either a twin-tube or a monotube shock, you should have smooth travel. You should be able to push it in and pull it back out without any type of rough spots or tight spots. So make sure the shock shaft goes all the way into the canister and comes all the way back out properly with a smooth motion. That is an easy way to ensure your shocks aren’t damaged and are doing their job.”
Shock Tuner Communication
“With Street Stock racers, one of the best pieces of information I can get is their motor package. When you’re talking about the Late Model or open motor guys, everybody has got big
“What I run into a lot is guys will want to change every shock setting when transitioning from a heavy track to a slick track. That may be fine, but if they hit an intermediate track, they think they need to go to every shock and put it in the middle setting. But that usually doesn’t help. If they are just a tick tight on the intermediate track then they probably just need to take some rebound out of the right rear as opposed to trying to change everything. Often, it can be just a single change in one corner that helps with the intermediate stuff, not changing every corner. In other words, it’s more important to know what each adjustment does and just go to that corner where the change is going to be most effective.” Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 55
Speed SHOP PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES OneDirt has compiled a list of some of the hottest products to recently hit the dirt track market. On the following pages of our Speed Shop, 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!
Ultra Upgrade Holley, Ultra HP 2 Barrel Carburetors Racers always want more—more tuning ability, more durability, more weight savings and the list goes on. Holley Ultra HP 2 Barrel Carbs offer all of this right out of the box, without major spending. These carbs deliver the proven results of the popular Holley Ultra HP Four Barrel lineup but now in a 500 CFM 2bbl configuration. All-aluminum construction provides nearly 50% weight savings, plus there is no choke tower. Each carburetor features a new air entry area for smoother air flow, yet retains the critical venturii and throttle bore dimensions to keep it legal in most rulebooks. Other upgrades include large capacity fuel bowls, a wedged float, a race-only throttle lever, billet metering blocks and base plates. They are available in two finishes—either a tumble polished or hardcore gray, hard-coat anodized. holley.com 866.464.6553 56 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
Get Offset COMP Cams, Offset Sportsman Solid Roller Lifters COMP Cams® Offset Sportsman Solid Roller Lifters are premium-quality, high-value components designed for sportsman and professional racing. They are offered in two configurations: a traditional needle bearing axle/wheel design or an optional bronze bushing axle/wheel setup. They are available with left and right offsets for race heads that have had pushrods relocated to maximize airflow. Each rebuildable design features two pressurized EDM oil feeds as well as an edge-orifice feed to the wheel. This delivers a more reliable oil feed than most competing options. Offset Sportsman Solid Roller Lifters are also designed with a shallower oil band than competitors’ versions for increased strength and rigidity, while internal machining reduces weight. They are available for Small and Big Block Chevy applications in pairs (2) or sets of 16. compcams.com 800.999.0853
Open the Chamber JE Pistons, BBC Open Chamber Gas Ported Lightweight FSR JE Pistons has developed its Big Block Chevy Open Chamber Gas Ported Lightweight FSR as a great option for engine builders and racers running Modifieds. FSR means “Forged Side Relief,” which is JE’s method for creating a super-strong slipper skirt design with minimal drag against the cylinder bore while providing ultimate stability. These pistons incorporate all the latest design technology for making power—including lateral gas ports to help the rings maintain a good seal to the cylinder bore, accumulator grooves to keep the second ring from fluttering, brushed domes to eliminate sharp edges that can cause detonation, and hollow domes to keep compression up without any extra weight. These pistons are available in bore sizes ranging from 4.500” to 4.625”, as well as a wide variety of dome volumes. The rings included are 0.043/0.043/3.0 millimeter gas nitrided with a Napier second ring. jepistons.com 714.898.9764
Hold Strong ARP, Small Block Chevy Main Stud Kit This Four Bolt Main Stud Kit is sized to work in Small Block Chevy stroker applications and also secure a windage tray. The kit will work with four-, five- or six-bolt aftermarket windage trays and 3.50”- to 4.00”-stroke crankshafts. It includes six inner main studs, six windage tray studs, six outer main studs and all the fasteners necessary to hold everything down tight. Also included is a pack of ARP’s Ultra-Torque Fastener Lubricant to help ensure proper torque loading. The studs are centerless-ground and heat-treated prior to rolling the threads for strength. According to ARP, this method produces studs rated at 200,000psi—which is 20% stronger than OEM main bolts in terms of tensile strength. arp-bolts.com 800.826.3045 Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 57
Speed SHOP PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES Seal the Deal Pace Performance, Sprint 602 Sealed Crate Engine This affordable, sealed Sprint 602 crate engine has proven to be both reliable and competitive in winged and wingless Sprint Cars. The factory-sealed engine offers outstanding quality and durability, complete with its four-bolt main block, nodular iron crankshaft, PM connecting rods, cast aluminum pistons, hydraulic flat tappet cam and the famous Vortec cast iron cylinder heads. GM finishes it off with a high-rise dual plane intake, an HEI distributor, circle track valve covers with breathers and an eight-quart circle track oil pan assembly. It comes in a base crate engine option or full-dress, ready-to-race version. An option to convert a GM 602 crate engine to a Sprint 602 is also available. paceperformance.com 888.748.4655
Break-In Good Crane, Break-In Oil The proper break-in of flat tappet camshafts and other engine components is paramount to longevity and performance. No one understands this better than Crane Cams. Because of government regulations in recent years, many important ingredients necessary for longevity and performance have been reduced or removed from oils. Crane recently introduced a line of break-in oil which contains a heavily engineered grouping of oil additives, including proper levels of ZDDP (Zinc and Phosphorus) to eliminate harsh wear during break-in procedures and to optimize performance potential. Crane Cams 10W-40 Break-In Oil is suitable for all engines and valve train systems. cranecams.com 866.388.5120 58 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
Weighing In Intercomp Racing, Quik Rack Few dirt track racers invest in a personal scale rack due to cost. Scale racks constructed from aluminum can be expensive, and as a result are usually only employed by professional race teams. But now Intercomp Racing has an innovative solution with its Quik Rack: A lightweight, scale-rack system precision-machined out of solid, super-dense foam able to hold up to 6,000 pounds. It is a lower-cost alternative to metal rack systems. The high-grip, rugged exoskeleton provides additional reinforcement, won’t slip or slide out and won’t scratch your shop floor. The modular design is easy to set up at the track or in the shop. It is fully adjustable to accommodate a wide range of wheel bases and track widths, and it can be used with or without scale levelers. intercomp-racing.com 800.328.3336
Solid Performance Lunati, Oval Track TLR2 Solid Roller Cams
Oval Track TLR2 Cams from Lunati are designed to pull hard off the corner and have a broad powerband to accelerate down the straights. The right fit for dirt, these small-block Chevrolet camshafts will give you the power and control that you need. They are designed using the latest technology and are specifically developed for Dirt Modifiedss, Dirt Late Models and Sprint Cars. Depending valvetrain weight, _POSTCARD_2014_V2_Layout 1 9/3/14 4:50 PMon Page 1
these camshafts provide stability up to 8,800 rpm. They are available in standard or smaller base circle designs that provide extra clearance in stroker engines. Custom grinds are also available for all engine families.
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Speed SHOP PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES Back to the Grind Total Seal, Powered Ring Filer Anyone who builds engines regularly agrees that filing piston rings can be tedious and time consuming. And grinding rings with a hand filer can also make it tough to precisely set ring gaps. That’s why a quality powered ring grinder is one of the most valued tools in any engine builder’s arsenal. The Total Seal Power Ring Filer is extremely accurate and includes an integrated dial indicator for precise read out. It features an exceptionally smooth, high-output 1/15 HP ball bearing motor that operates at 3000 rpm. Also included are a 3” x 1/8” grinding wheel, a 2-1/2” x 1/2” deburring wheel and a diamond wheel dresser. Available in 110V and 220V versions, this is a “must have” tool for serious engine builders. totalseal.com 800.874.2753
Adjust Your Strut QA1, M Series Interchangeable Cartridge Struts QA1’s M Series Struts have a unique inverted design where a cartridge is inserted into the strut housing and acts like the piston rod. This increases the strength of the strut over traditional designs, providing superior steering control and keeping the tires in correct alignment in any race setting. It also provides less unsprung weight to speed the suspension’s response and allow for precise handling. The 2” O.D. cartridge is revalveable and interchangeable, making it easy to change valve settings without needing to alter caster or camber. The struts are also offered with a rebuildable option that provides the ability to tune or repair the strut yourself, and a sealed option that is perfect when rules require a sealed strut. They are available in multiple valving options and each is 100% dyno tested and serialized. The struts are available in a variety of configurations for various model year. QA1.net 800.721.7761
60 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
Starting Off Right Quarter Master, 1.4 kW Ultra-Duty Starter for Idler Gear Clutchless Bellhousing Kits Quarter Master has poured years of racing experience into its new starter. Quality components are selected by racing experts—there are no inferior imitations here. Each starter mounting block is CNC-machined for a perfect fit, and a race-purpose solenoid is designed to endure vibration and heat, while being able to engage in low-voltage situations. Quarter Master installs its own pinion gear featuring a lightweight head as well; the result is much tighter tolerance in runout and makes for efficient flywheel engagement. Gear-reduction engineering also produces increased torque output at the ring gear. Meanwhile, ball bearing construction is utilized to withstand extreme engine temperatures and operating conditions. Each part is inspected and tuned before being hand-assembed and tested for quality assurance. Made in the USA. quartermasterusa.com 888.258.8241
Thick Headed RHS, Pro Elite CNC-Ported Aluminum Cylinder Heads for Small Block Chevys The accuracy and durability of these 23-degree cylinder heads are derived from the CNC-porting of the intake and exhaust runners, as well as the combustion chamber. The 228cc intake and 82cc exhaust runners optimize volume, atomization and velocity, while the 69cc combustion chambers relieve valve shrouding that occurs in “as cast” chambers when the edge of a valve is too close to the chamber wall. CNC-machining the combustion chamber also improves airflow efficiency. The 2.055" multi-angle intake and 1.600" radiused exhaust valve seats allow for superior airflow, thereby increasing horsepower. Finally, these heads feature a refined water jacket for better water flow to reduce engine hot spots, while an extra-thick deck allows angle milling and improves head gasket retention in boosted and nitrous applications. racingheadservice.com 877.776.4323
Adding Another Twist COMP Cams, Dual Conical Valve Springs What is the most common cause of failure in a racing valve spring? The answer is a combination of heat, wear and friction at the highest stress location of the outer spring. The engineers at COMP Cams found that by changing the cylindrical shape to a cone, the progressive frequency design provides far better valve control with a lower dynamic mass. And now the conical valve spring line has been expanded to include Dual Conical Valve Springs for lifts up to .800”. They offer improved valve train stability, an increased rpm limit and dampen coil oscillations without an interference fit. The springs are vailable individually or in sets of 16 (retainter not included). compcams.com 800.999.0853
Tight Tolerance Timing Crane Cams, HEI Distributor Because the distributor gear mates to the camshaft, who better than Crane Cams to introduce a high-quality HEI distributor that is sure to light your fire? Crane saw the need for a high-quality distributor that will meet the demands on the track without draining your wallet. The standalone HEI comes with a Crane-exclusive coil and module made specifically to higher performance standards. Mechanically tighter tolerances also mean an increase in timing stability and longer life. cranecams.com 866.388.5120 Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 61
Speed SHOP PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES
Braking Better The Perfect Fit Jiffy-tite, Pro-Compact Series Fittings Avoid the common problems of stripping, cross-threading and over-tightening fittings. Comparable in size to threaded AN fittings on the market today, Jiffy-tite’s Pro-Compact Series is the perfect choice for anywhere that valved technology is not a requirement. With a lightweight 6061-T6 aluminum construction, these fittings require no tools—they easily connect and disconnect by hand. They are available for most fuel, water, oil or transmission applications and can replace nearly any fitting in any location. They are available in straight, 45° and 90° options in gold or stealth-black anodized finish. Made in the USA. motorsports.jiffy-tite.com 888.605.7788
TCI, Electric Brake Shut-Off Racers want every advantage possible, and this electric brake shut-off provides one as it allows the electrical shut-off of the right front brake caliper to enhance corner-entry handling in dirt circle track applications. It easily mounts directly into the brake line, anywhere between the master cylinder and caliper, and with a flip of a discreetly mounted interior switch activates the lightweight, 6061-T6 aluminum-encased continuous duty solenoid. This component blocks fluid flow to the right-front caliper, eliminating the common “push” or “tight” condition experienced under corner-entry braking. The heavy-duty solenoid handles up to 3,000psi and incorporates a waterproof seal to handle frequent high-pressure washings. Best of all, it only requires a single amp of current and works with all hydraulic brake systems, making it perfect for Stock Cars, Modifieds and Late Models. tciauto.com 888.776.9824
The Next Generation Icon, Next Generation FHR Pistons United Engine and Machine’s (UEM) Icon piston line is perfect for performance on a budget, especially when using FHR (Forged Head Relief) Pistons. Instead of cutting the valve pockets in the top of the pistons after the forging process is complete, Icon completely eliminates this step by using forging dies that actually press the valve relief into the piston itself. The result is a piston that looks great and costs less because there are fewer manufacturing steps. And now UEM is unleashing its next-generation FHR Pistons that feature high-strength 4032 aluminum alloy. They use 1/16"-inch compression rings, 3/16"-oil rings and are also supplied with round wire locks. All pistons are machined from dedicated in-house forging blanks. They are available for Small Block Chevy and Ford applications, with or without a ductile iron moly ring set. uempistons.com 800.648.7970 62 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
Wheels for Your Mini Needs Weld, 13” Magnum Mini-Sprint 4-Pin The 13” Magnum Mini-Sprint 4-pin wheel has a forged aluminum CNC-machined center for accurate sizing and strength. Weld Racing only uses forged aluminum to provide greater strength, lower weight, and greater consistency from wheel to wheel. This wheel exceeds the USAC standard and specifications for all racing applications. It comes standard with Weld’s Roll Forged wheel lip for better bead seal. Bead-loc and mud cover versions are also available. Replacement parts are available from their newly designed website. All Weld Wheels are made in Kansas City, USA. The magnum Mini-Sprints are a made-toorder product that take 3-4 weeks to build. Weld Racing’s oval race wheels won over 130 track championships in 2013 and should top that by the end of the 2014 season. It is estimated that 50% of national caliber dirt oval track races were won on Weld wheels. Not only that, but Damion Gardner drove the World’s Fastest Sprint Car to a top speed of 211.58844 MPH on the Bonneville Salt Flats in September 2014 with Weld Racing wheels. weldwheels.com 800.788.9353
Clean It Up Driven, Speed Clean Foaming Degreaser Driven Speed Clean Foaming Degreaser. adds to the Driven line of cleaners and waxes that currently includes Brake Cleaner, Race Wax and Speed Shield. A powerful foaming agent designed to be used for all automotive, industrial and even home cleaning chores, Speed Clean Foaming Degreaser is a powerful solution which bursts through and dissolves grease for better and faster clean-up than other products on the market. Great for cleaning tire rubber and other grime, it is available in an aerosol can and is safe to use on plastic, decals, paint, aluminum and steel, while leaving no residue. drivenracingoil.com 866.611.1820
Put Your Boots On Seals-it, Rod End Boot Installation Tool Flexible rod-end boots are a great tool for dirt track racers. They protect the rod ends from dust and grit, and prevent disassembly and cleaning after every race. The problem with the boots, however, is they require a good, tight fit to keep the dirt out. As a result, they can be difficult to install by hand. The temptation can be to use a screwdriver to help stretch the boot over the rod end, but that’s also a good way to tear a boot. The solution is Seals-it’s Rod End Boot Installation Tool, which stretches the boot opening evenly from four corners to make installation a snap while vastly reducing the chance of a tear. sealsit.com 860.979.0060 Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 63
HOW IT’S
MADE
BEHIND THE SCENES AT LUNATI FOR THE MAKING OF ITS SIGNATURE SERIES CRANKSHAFTS 64 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
Lunati has been in the business of manufacturing high-quality engine components since the 1960s. Every one of its products goes through extensive testing and analysis procedures to ensure a quality product that can handle the rigors of any demanding racing environment. To find out more, we visited Lunati’s facility in Olive Branch, Mississippi, to get an inside look at how a Lunati crankshaft is made.
Each Lunati Signature Series Crankshaft is completely detailed by hand.
After the crankshaft forging has been roughed in, one of the first steps is to round off the lead edges of the counterweights, which helps reduce power-robbing windage.
Considered the backbone of any engine build, the crankshaft is the crucial part that translates combustion into rotation. The first step of this process is rough machining the raw crank forging. Once the forging has been set up for machining, the next few steps of the
process take place on a multi-axis CNC machine. Oil holes are drilled, main and rod journals are roughed, and counterweights are roughed in. One of the first machining operations applied to the semi-finished crank is cutting the contoured wing on the counterweights. Lunati’s Signature Series Crank-
shafts use the special contoured wing to reduce windage and rotating weight. After the contoured wing is machined, the crankshaft is put into a lathe. The snout has a deep hole drilled into it and then tapped to accept the crank bolt. The thread extends all the way to the center of the first main, which helps to put the thread load where the increased material can really decrease the stress on the crankshaft’s snout. Next, the crankshaft is moved to an even larger lathe. Using a very long drill bit, the operator gun-drills the crankshaft. Gun-drilling the crankhelps to remove excess weight which has the added benefit of reducing the overall weight of the engine. Each Lunati Signature Series Crankshaft is completely detailed by hand. Pneumatic sanders are used to smooth out each of the unmachined rough edges left by the forging process. During this step of the operation, the contoured wing is also blended with the rest of the crankshaft to create smooth transitions so that oil won’t have places to get caught on the crank, further reducing windage. In the next operation, the crankshaft is placed in a grinder to begin the precision-machining processes. Ensuring the snout is precisely centered provides a solid reference point from which the rest of the crankshaft grinding is driven. It is imperative that this step is done correctly. Once the crankshaft is aligned in the machine, the machinist zeroes the crank grinder for accurate linear location. Now the crankshaft’s snout and seal surfaces can be ground. After the snout and seal surfaces are machined, the crankshaft grinder wheel is changed to a special wheel that is the exact finished width of the main journals. For this step, the crankshaft is held by the snout and the flexplate pilot flange, and before grinding can actually begin, the entire setup is again checked for zero. This step is where grinding the crankshaft’s snout perfectly true becomes Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 65
The crank is completely detailed by hand so that there are no hard ridges or transitions which can cause windage problems or even potentially create a stress riser.
most important. Each main is ground to a tolerance of less than 0.0004 of an inch. The rod journals are ground next. The crankshaft is again held by the snout and flexplate pilot flange to ensure perfect straightness, and the machine is precisely adjusted to ensure the stroke is accurate. These small details all add up to a single outcome—a Lunati Signature Series Crankshaft that has an accurate stroke and very consistent surface profile that is unparalleled in the industry. After the crankshaft grinding processes are complete, it’s time to head to the QPAC polishing system. Each ground surface is thoroughly polished to ensure that the journal surfaces carry a surface finish of 5Ra or less. Without getting too technical, Ra is a measurement of roughness of a surface and stands for arithmetical Mean Roughness. Essentially this is a highly polished surface. This step is also completed before the nitride-hardening process since it is much more difficult to polish a hardened part. 66 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
Grinding the cranks main and rod journals is a tedious process and requires an experienced hand to operate the custom machinery in order to get the best results.
The crankshafts are then processed in a state-of-the-art Eltropuls Nitrider using an advanced pulse plasma nitriding process. Nitriding treats the crankshaft in an environment where the atmospheric air is completely removed and replaced by nitrogen and other gasses during a highly controlled heating process to increase the metal’s surface hardness and lubricity—which is a fancy way of saying how easily something will slide across the surface. The final detail is to precision-balance the crankshaft. Bob weights are adjusted for each application and then mounted to the crank. The crankshaft is then rotated in the machine to find any imbalance. If any imbalance is found, Lunati craftsmen machine the crankshaft to remove it.
Building a crankshaft to Lunati’s exacting standards is a long, tedious process that involves multiple machines and lots of expertise. It is painstaking work that requires dozens of precise measurements down to the tenths of one thousandth of an inch that must be constantly checked and rechecked during the process. Every last detail is checked during the inspection process. Each crankshaft needs to be perfect before it goes into the box and earns the Lunati seal of approval. All of the steps used during inspection—combined with incredibly precise machining and high-quality engineering—result in a finely finished crankshaft that is incredibly strong, lightweight and able to handle immense power. Only then is it a true, Lunati Signature Series Crankshaft.
Whether you’re building a small block, a big block, or a vintage flathead - UEM has your piston. As North America’s largest piston manufacturer, our technology, processes and equipment feature the latest designs for OE replacement or high-performance pistons for every type of engine you are building. We have been manufacturing aftermarket pistons for automotive, light truck, popular import and heavy duty applications since 1922. Why go anywhere else?
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GOING
AUTOM GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 68窶グneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
MATIC IN MANY FORMS OF CIRCLE TRACK RACING, the ability to “grab a gear
Photo by Seth Lacewell
and go” is an important element of the setup. However, where track or series rules specify the use of stock or stock-replacement parts, it is often beneficial to use an automatic transmission in dirt cars. Four-cylinder Mini Stock, eight-cylinder Street Stock and SportMod or similar applications can especially gain an advantage in lap times through the use of an automatic. They are the preferred transmissions for the aforementioned classes running under the IMCA and WISSOTA banners. And believe it or not, automatics are also often available at a lower price point than manuals—sometimes at a savings of as much as $500-$600. The venerable GM Powerglide is the top choice for most automatic race cars.
Automatic transmissions are a perfect choice for IMCA classes like this one.
“There is less rotating weight when compared to a stock-type manual clutch assembly, so [a Powerglide] is easier to drive deeper in the corners and allows the motor to come up quicker when coming out of the turns,” says TCI’s Scott Miller, whose company produces a popular Circlematic package based on a stock Powerglide. It is completely remanufactured and updated in several areas with high performance clutches, bands and a steel clutch hub (where applicable), along with a modified planetary gear set designed to work with the latest in rear-suspension technology. “A Powerglide also has fewer rotating parts than other automatic transmissions and the overall weight is around thirty pounds less,” he adds. This reduction in weight when compared to both manual and other automatic transmission options means that less wear and tear is inflicted on the drivetrain and valvetrain components. There are a few areas to keep in mind that will allow you to get the most out of your automatic transmission package. 70 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
There is less rotating weight when compared to a stock-type manual clutch assembly, so [a Powerglide] is easier to drive deeper in the corners and allows the motor to come up quicker when coming out of the turns. – Scott Miller Product Manager, TCI The biggest advantage to be found on the racetrack is through the use of a good torque converter. Contrary to popular belief, a high stall speed is actually not beneficial in circle track racing. A higher stall means more slippage, which results in less power getting to the ground when accelerating. A high-stall converter can also cause problems like wheelspin because it doesn’t completely engage until the engine has reached a high rpm level. Therefore, you don’t want to put a converter for a drag or a street application into your dirt car as the desired result from each one is much different.
Circle-track-specific converters, such as those built by TCI, are very low stall so they lock up quickly with very little power wasted. When a car using this type of converter comes out of the turns, and the driver gets on the throttle, there won’t be any slippage. The power is getting to the ground where it belongs. Automatic transmissions also use a fluid coupling, which allows the car to idle while the transmission is in gear. The problem here is that this generates heat, which as all racers know is a detriment to performance, or worse, can lead to failure. The easiest solution to a transmission running too hot is to use a cooler.
This TCI Circlematic Transmission Package is based on a stock GM Powerglide that is completely updated.
“We strongly suggest running an external transmission cooler, even if you do not use a working converter,” Miller explains. “The transmission will still build heat without a converter. A cooler will extend the life.” The cooler you keep your transmission fluid and the components in the transmission, the better and longer they are going to work. However, remember to stay away from one-way coolers that can get plugged up, and mount the cooler where it will receive direct air flow while driving. The optimal operating temperature is about 175 degrees Fahrenheit. If you run a two-piece coupler, also be sure to keep the coupler and flange lubricated with a high-temperature grease. TCI’s Miller brings up the need for proper transmission mounting as well.
“Run a rubber rear mount or a ‘cradle-type’ rear mount and make sure that you have plenty of yoke movement by utilizing an extra-long yoke,” he explains. The proper transmission mounts will act as shock absorbers and prevent cracks or breakage as the chassis flexes during hard cornering or when slapping or brushing the wall. Finally, as in any application, routine maintenance is extremely important in an automatic-equipped race car. Be sure to run a high-quality automatic transmission fluid. Miller suggests changing the fluid and filter every 175-200 laps, which equates to roughly a month of racing if you count hot laps, heat races and features. When you change the filter you will also want to check for metal particles.
Metal in the transmission filter could mean that the planetary gears are going bad and need to be replaced. Check the fluid level as well, as loss of fluid can indicate worn or damaged seals. You’ll also want to check the torque on the pan bolts weekly, as rough tracks can literally shake the bolts loose. The transmission should be checked for cracks in the mounts, too. So there you have it. Gaining an advantage with an automatic transmission is a relatively simple and cheap process. Essentially it just comes down to using the proper components, mounting them correctly and remembering to perform basic maintenance. All that’s left for you to do is drive into Victory Lane and pose for the cameras.
are the parting words—thoughtfully shared by the ghost of Babe Ruth—to an aspiring young baseball player in one of my all-time favorite movies, The Sandlot. Whether or not you share my same love for this 1993 classic, you just can’t deny how true the words are. Our world has heroes that are found in every walk of life. They achieve this status for various reasons, and often times rightfully so. However, the status of legend isn’t very easily claimed. It’s an elite status, and maybe it’s debatable from person to person who should or shouldn’t receive this daunting title. When I think of legends from the racing world that are near and dear to my heart a host of names comes to mind, but one stands clearly above the rest—the one and only Hooker Hood from Memphis, Tennessee. Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 73
From winning in just about every form of motorsports imaginable, to hanging out with Elvis Presley, to his countless acts of debauchery on and off the track, Hooker Hood truly did it all. His annual tribute race takes place at my home track every spring, so he’s on my mind a lot. I thought I would put it all down on paper and share it with anyone who wanted to hear my take on a true legend. Clarence “Hooker” Hood was born to this world on April 9, 1926, and he took his final lap on December 24, 2012, after a lengthy battle with various ailments. In his 86 years on this planet he did what many of us couldn’t do in 860 of them. There are people who go through life and and there are people who live it. Hooker really, really lived life.
What’s in a Name
Fans always wondered where Hooker got that very nickname. The story behind the name happened early in life and truly set the stage for just who this man would grow up to be. At the age of six he was petting a calf, and his dad warned him to be careful because the calf ’s mother might come after him. He ignored his dad and sure enough a few minutes later the mom head butted him through the fence, knocking him for a loop. His friends began calling him Hooker because he got “hooked” by the cow. Hooker said he got in a fight with every one of those friends because of the ridicule, but when it was all said and done he decided it wasn’t such a bad nickname and let it ride.
Several years later while in the Navy he became a Golden Gloves boxer, and that just made the name stick even more. Even from an early age Hooker had the bravery, fearlessness and desire to push the limits that turned him into the racing legend he would become.
Victory Lane
Hooker’s career in motorsports began in 1948 racing motorcycles and Midgets in the Memphis area. He would become best known for his dominance in Sprint Cars and other Open Wheel divisions, but he definitely wasn’t limited to those ranks as he made a handful of starts in a fledgling series called NASCAR in the 50’s. The mid to late 60’s were some of his best years behind the wheel. In 1966 he won 20 out of 22 starts, mostly on dirt. In 1967 he won 57 of 63 races, about a third of which were at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Arkansas. In 1968 he won an impressive 48 times. These stats alone propelled him into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa, in 1999. It was an honor rightfully deserved. I’m not sure one person from the racing world has ever had a more storied career than Hooker Hood.
Win Some, Lose Some
Over the past several years, as I’ve traveled this country from one end to the other announcing races, I’ve gotten to meet a lot of great people. It’s always amazed me that no matter where I’m at or what type of race I’m
attending, when people learned that I’m from Memphis, many of them ask if I knew Hooker Hood. I’ve always smiled with pride when I’ve indicated that I did indeed know this great man. On countless occasions, whether it be from a fan or former racer, I’ve heard accounts of things that people have seen Hooker do in a car. I’ll never forget four years ago in Eagle, Nebraska, when this old-timer told me a story of how Hooker rolled into town and beat him in a head-to-head match race for pink slips. The old-timer went on to say that not only did Hooker leave town with his race car, but to add insult to injury, he also left town with his girlfriend. In true racer fashion, from the tone of his voice, I still think the old-timer was more upset about losing the car than the girlfriend. Another of my favorite stories about Hooker also involved a pink-slip race. Apparently he was on another of his hot streaks and was feeling confident, so he offered to put his hot rod up against any other driver’s hot rod. I forget what area track it was, but they were having a special, and this guy came in from New York and beat Hooker, and everybody else for that matter, pretty handedly. Even though he didn’t like it, after the race, Hooker went over to the guy that won to give him his car. He asked the man “What’s your name, cat?” The guy looked at him and said proudly, “My name is Geoff Bodine.” To which Hooker replied, “Well, cat, I ain’t never heard of ya, but you sure are fast.”
The Lonely Man When asked once by the great motorsports journalist Dave Argabright what the toughest moment of Hooker’s life was, he recalled 1957 when he was arrested for running moonshine—allegedly, of course. He was incarcerated for almost four months in Montgomery, Alabama, and on Saturday nights he could hear the race cars at the Montgomery Fairgrounds. He said that was probably one of the most painful and lonely experiences of his life, to be so close to a racetrack but not able to go. I mean, how could you not love this guy? I’ve heard so many of these great stories regarding the great Clarence “Hooker Hood.”
Getting People Excited
I’ll selfishly admit that I’m more than a little sad I didn’t get to see Hooker race more than I did. By the time I was born in late 1979 he was already well over 50 years old, so I just didn’t get to see him race much. I do remember one night back in the early 90’s or so, at Riverside International Speedway, after Hooker had recently started racing again. He won his heat race in his familiar black No. 99 Sprint Car—to a standing ovation, I might add. He then started on the front row of the feature and led something like the first 15 laps of the 20-lap main event,
SOME CAME TO SEE ME WIN, AND SOME CAME TO SEE ME LOSE, BUT YOU ALL CAME TO SEE ME. but late in the race Eddie Gallagher passed him to claim the win. I’m not sure that I’ve ever been so disappointed at the outcome of a race in my life because the place was electric in anticipation of Hood— who was nearly 70 years old at the time—winning again. In retrospect, maybe it’s better he didn’t win because the fans might’ve torn the place down from sheer excitement.
That’s just what Hooker did. Whether it be early or late in his career, he had a way of getting fans excited. Every lap of every race he gave 110 percent. In fact, he raced on occasion until he was 75 years old. This guy really lived.
More Than Just a Legend
For most lifeong fans, Hooker Hood is a legend and a hero because of what they saw him accomplish in a race car.
Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 75
WELL, CAT, I AIN’T NEVER HEARD OF YA, BUT YOU SURE ARE FAST.
His racing heroics no doubt make him a legend, but to me he is a hero for a much different reason. For the last 15 or so years of his life I watched Hooker battle health issues. They were the type of issues that most people just can’t overcome, but he always found a way to win. He got knocked down many times, but he always found a way to get back up. I remember going to a car show in Memphis less than a year before he passed. Upon arriving, his daughter Stormi told me that Hooker was actually there that night.
76 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
I envisioned him sitting in a wheel chair with a blanket covering him in a desolate state. Boy was I wrong! I found him laughing and smiling with a long-neck beer tipped back. I was amazed, but knowing how tough that man was, it just wasn’t that shocking. In May 2012, a little over six months before he left us, Hooker attended his final Hooker Hood Classic at Riverside. Per his adamant request, his family smuggled Hooker out of the hospital to come make an appearance at the racetrack. What started as a thirty-minute appearance turned into a five-hour affair that included Hooker in Victory Lane with Tim Crawley at the end of the night. The family told me that once Hooker got to the track he refused to leave until he saw who won the feature. There was just no stopping this very special man.
Inspiration Lives
Hooker’s fight and determination through the good times and bad will always inspire me to try and be a better man. In fact, on an end table in my office, I have a trophy from Hooker that I purchased at a charity auction ten or so years ago. It’s from the 1965 season at the old Lakeland Speed Bowl. On more than one occasion when I’ve been tired, frustrated or feeling sorry for myself, I’ve taken a long look at that trophy and thought about who and what it represents. It’s helped me to endure more than one or two tough situations over the years. Hooker Hood never gave up, and no matter what odds he faced, he always smiled, gritted his teeth and dug in for a
fight. It’s just how he was made. We can all learn something from that cat. Having spent twelve years of my life working in the racing industry, I’ve had countless honors and great opportunities which have left me humbled and speechless. However, there is one moment that will forever be the most proud and special in my heart. A few days before his funeral, the Hood family asked me to be the final speaker at Hooker’s memorial service. I obviously agreed to accept such an honor, but at the same time I was overwhelmed. I spent several hours composing the exact words that I wanted to say because it had to be just right. I’m pretty sure I didn’t sleep the night before the service. At any rate, as I put this article together I found my notes from the words I said that day as we paid homage to this legend. I’ll end this piece with the same words that I used to end his eulogy on that cold December day in 2012.
“In closing, everybody knows Hooker’s old saying that ‘Some came to see me win, and some came to see me lose, but you all came to see me.’ Well, today my friend we all came to see you once again … to pay respect to you … a true legend … the one and only Clarence ‘Hooker’ Hood.” Photos courtesy of Dennis and Melendy Kelly
PROVIDING RACE WINNING PRODUCTS AND UNMATCHED SUPPORT FOR 45 YEARS Lunati® offers a full line of valvetrain components featuring race winning technology, quality and craftsmanship. Each component is tailor-made with the racer in mind to produce maximum horsepower, torque and reliability.
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Lunati has the perfect camshaft for your race application. New state-of-the-art computer lobe profiles provide higher lift under the curve, resulting in increased power and throttle response. Tailored power bands also create more usable horsepower and torque when it matters. Each camshaft utilizes a premium core made in the USA – and all adhere to strict quality-control standards to ensure reliability lap-after-lap.
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Lunati offers a wide range of flat tappet lifters for your race application. Our Hydraulic Race Lifters are held to higher tolerances for superior performance. With a tighter fitment for the plunger, along with heat-treated one-piece pushrod seats, these lifters are designed to reduce wear and increase durability in your race engine. Lunati Solid/Mechanical Lifters are designed to meter the exact amount of oil for optimum performance, while maintaining the precise lash needed to allow the camshaft to perform at its best. Our Solid/Mechanical Lifters are available in three versions: standard, micropolished and micropolished with center oiling.
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BREAK-IN
SO YOU DON’T
BREAK DOWN
78 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
7 Steps of Proper Engine Break-In THE SMALLEST PARTICLE YOU CAN SEE with the
naked eye is about 40 microns. For reference, a human hair is about 80 microns. That is still super small. But can something so small really cause problems in your racing engine? The answer is most definitely, “yes.” To put things in perspective, .0015" is equal to 32 microns. These particles are small enough to get into that space just ahead of the cam lobe and lifter contact area. Small particles can get in between the roller and the axle on a roller lifter. Even worse, hard particles can score the bore of the plunger in hydraulic lifters, which can cause hydraulic lifters to bleed down. This leads to lifter “rattle” on start-up. In any case, the cams and followers (both flat tappet and roller) need to be properly cleaned and lubricated prior to installation and break-in.
Photo by Rick Schwallie
Photo by Rick Schwallie
Here are a few practical steps you can take during the assembly and initial break-in of an engine to rid yourself of these unseen assassins. Wash off the rust preventative coating that is on the parts prior to installation. Parts are shipped with a rust preventive coating, which seals out moisture, but it also traps fine particulate. That film needs to be removed for the lubricant to function with maximum efficiency. A foaming degreaser is recommended to really lift the greasy film from the part. You don’t want abrasive particles working on your flat tappet lifters, so make sure the metal surfaces have been degreased before you apply the assembly lubricant.
Apply a calcium-sulfonate grease instead of ZDDP before assembly. While ZDDP (or Zinc) is a critical player in the break-in process, it is not the best assembly lube. Why you ask? ZDDP requires heat to activate, whereby calcium-sulfonate activates at room temperature. Calcium-sulfonate grease provides extreme pressure protection and lasting lubrication during the assembly process and at initial start-up. After cleaning the camshaft and flat tappet followers, apply the calcium-sulfon80 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
Using a high-quality foaming cleaner and degreaser such as Driven’s Speed Clean ensures your parts are ready for installation. You should always use a calcium-sulfonate-based grease which activates at room temperature and provides extreme-pressure protection and lubrication during initial start-up.
ate grease to the camshaft, flat tappet followers, distributor gear, pushrods and rockers. Grease is not needed for the lifters, but you still need to prepare them for break-in. Because roller lifters roll, they do not require the same wear-in as other parts—you just need to clean and soak them in break-in oil. For hydraulic lifters, immerse them for several hours on their side in the break-in oil with the oil hole pointed up so that any air trapped inside will escape ( just like bleeding your brakes) to keep your lifters from collapsing.
Use a finer micron filter during break-in. A production car filter will have a finer micron rating than a racing filter will have. For example, a WIX 51061 small-block
Chevy filter has a nominal micron of 21 with a flow rate of 11 GPM. A WIX 51061R racing filter has a nominal micron of 61 and a flow rate of 28 GPM. WIX even offers a specific break-in filter for dry-sump systems. This is also true of motorcycle and powersports filters.
Prime the pump before firing the engine. It is critical to have a supply of oil to the cam and lifters at initial start-up, so the oil system must be primed to avoid a dry start. If you are not able to prime the oil system, use a lighter viscosity grade break-in oil. This will improve oil flow during those critical moments at initial start-up. Testing reveals a 50% reduction in valvetrain wear on break-in using a 5W-30 break-in oil versus a 15W-50 break-in oil.
Do not idle the engine. Upon start-up, bring the engine up to 2,500 rpm. Vary the speed of the engine by a few hundred rpm for 20 to 30 minutes. 2500 rpm is critical for windage and getting the oil to where it needs to go. Varying the rpm is also important for setting the heat cycle of the springs.
After the initial 30 minute break-in, change the oil filter. Now you have removed all the larger particles that could cause problems. Next you need a high-flow-rate filter when you start making dyno runs or go to the racetrack. The tighter the micron filter, typically the less flow you have. Ideally, you want a screen tight enough to filter out clearance-sized particles and a flow rate high enough to supply the required volume of oil to your engine.
Change the oil. Most of the metal particles will be cast off from an engine during the first hour of operation. While everyone hates to throw away something that looks perfectly good, it is cheap insurance to change the oil after the initial break-in. High ZDDP break-in oil is like primer for your engine. It builds off the anti-wear film established by the calcium-sulfonate grease. This matched chemistry provides the foundation for lasting protection. This is especially true for a hydraulic lifter engine. Any particle that gets trapped in the lifter can cause the lifter to bleed down and make noise. Always use a high ZDDP break-in oil to reduce the amount of particulate created during break-in, and then change the oil and filter after initial break-in. After that, use high-quality oil designed for that application and follow normal change intervals. Keeping clean, high-quality oil in the engine is insurance against lubrication-related problems—because what you can’t see can hurt you.
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HIGH SCHOOL GEARHEADS:
By Ben Shelton
USE YOUR
BRAIN
IT WAS THAT TIME of year when
just about every trip to the mailbox rewarded me with high school graduation invitations from friends, family and other acquaintances from across the country. It never fails to make me feel old when I’m reminded that individuals who are permanently burned into my brain as five-year-olds are graduating from high school. It further reminds me that it’s been over 16 years since I donned the cap and gown for my own high school farewell ceremony. In some ways it seems like it was just yesterday, while in other ways it seems like it was truly ages ago. I vividly remember the relief of being done with high school accompanied by the impending dread of starting four years of college. For me, not attending college was never even a thought. Not only did I aspire to become something great, but I also wanted to be the first person from my family to graduate with a college degree. It’s good that I felt this way, because my immediate family threatened me with death—daily—if I even pondered the thought of bypassing college.
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So in the fall of 1998, I embarked on my first semester of my freshman year in the civil engineering department at the University of Memphis. It was a daunting task that lay in front of me. However, in the fall of 2002, I not only became the first member of my family to graduate from college, but I also walked across the stage as the valedictorian of my engineering class. It was a proud moment for me, and while I did look forward to putting my degree to use, the thought of one day working in racing to make a living always sat in the back of my brain. I wasn’t sure how I would make it happen, but I was determined to solve the mystery. It took me nine more years to make it a reality, but in 2011 my dreams became my profession. Today, I’m incredibly blessed to get to live a life that allows me to tour the country as the World of Outlaws Super Late Models Series announcer, while also overseeing the daily operations of my own company, MSR Mafia Marketing Solutions. While the path that I took to get to my dream might seem a little “out of the way,” looking back I know
that it all began with getting a college degree I could fall back on if necessary. In the racing world I’m definitely not alone. Batesville, Arkansas’ Billy Moyer Jr. is the son of Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Billy Moyer, and the young man—just like his dad—has never wanted anything but Billy Moyer, Jr. to race for a living. With that said, the 26-year-old Moyer Jr. knew that he had to have a back-up plan in place in the event racing didn’t pan out. “I can remember counting down the days until I got out of high school, because part of me thought that I didn’t need college—I just wanted to go turn left for a living,” Moyer Jr. remembers. “However, I knew in the back of my mind that I needed to get a degree in case one day racing went away.”
Billy would achieve his goal by graduating with a degree in Business Management from Arkansas State University in 2010. “More than any race I’ve ever won, to walk across that stage with my diploma, and to see the smile on my mom and dad’s faces, was just the best feeling ever,” Moyer Jr. says. “Clearly, I hope to get lucky enough to be able to race forever, but if for some reason it doesn’t work out it’s nice to know that I’ve got this college diploma in my corner. “Racing is a business, and many of the skills I learned from my college days have definitely allowed me to successfully manage my finances and operations in a professional and efficient manner.” In the NASCAR ranks, former Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman took a similar path to that of Moyer Jr. as he earned an engineering degree from Purdue University in 2001 before going full steam into his racing career. For me, I had a vision of where I wanted to be, but I just wasn’t sure what it would take to reach my goal. So while I figured it out I obtained a degree, built a stable life for myself and worked on reaching my dreams in my free time. Today I’m more successful than I could’ve ever imagined, but I’m also
Talk about dreams coming true: That’s me interviewing Jared Landers LIVE on Pay Per View. Photo by Rick Schwallie
realistic that it can all fall apart in the blink of an eye. Three months from now I might be back sitting at a drafting table designing an airport. I hope with all of my might that it never has to go that way, but I like to think that I’m prepared for whatever life may sling my way. Racing isn’t an easy business and it’s tough to make a living working in this sport. So to all high school seniors who will graduate this year, I congratulate you on reaching your first educational milestone. If you feel the way I felt 16 years ago, you just want to go racing all
the time now. However, please listen to my words when I say that racing will always be there waiting. Focus on what is most important today. Go get your ducks in a row and sacrifice some of your precious time to go to college. A degree in this world opens so many doors for you—doors that you might not even see without one. A few years of sacrifice now might help make the rest of your life filled with your wildest dreams. It can—and does— happen, but sometimes you have to initially go the opposite direction to get to where you ultimately want to be.
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ELECTRIC
THE
FIX
CRANE CAMS’ TERRY JOHNSON ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO IGNITION PROBLEMS THAT LEAVE RACERS SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS WE’VE SEEN IT TIME AND AGAIN: Racers who are absolutely genius with a wrench in their hands are left cussing and spitting when an electrical problem crops up on the race car. As mechanical people, we are trained to think when part A moves, part B should react in a specific way. And when part B—whether it is a suspension component, or a throttle linkage, or whatever—doesn’t respond the way we want, we observe what’s going on and fix it. But electricity doesn’t work that way. You can’t watch it work and you can’t even hear it unless you count the maddening sound of an engine misfire. With the exception of the moving parts in your distributor, an ignition system doesn’t behave mechanically, so work86 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
ing with one requires a different way of thinking. Thankfully, here at OneDirt we’ve got the connections to get the answers you need. Terry Johnson is the brains behind Crane Cams’ ignition systems and he agreed to help us answer some of the most common questions he hears from racers. If you don’t see the answer to your particular problem here, he also suggested you give Crane’s tech department (866.388.5120) a call no matter what brand ignition you are running in your race car.
Crane’s optical trigger distributors maintain great accuracy even at high rpm levels because they use light as a trigger. A wheel with holes in it spins between a light emitter and sensor. When the end of the hole—or “window”—breaks the beam, the ignition knows to send a spark to the appropriate chamber. This technology is also incredibly resilient against vibration and heat, which can be a big problem with traditional distributors.
What is an optical trigger distributor? How is it different from a standard distributor? An optical trigger distributor is where we utilize a light emitter and sensor instead of the usual magnetic reluctor wheel because it is much more accurate, especially at the high rpm levels normally seen in racing. There is a metal disc or wheel that spins between the light emitter and the sensor. Holes spaced in the disc allow light to hit the sensor, triggering the ignition to send a spark to the appropriate cylinder. Because we are talking about operating at the speed of light, the ignition timing is incredibly stable all the way through the rpm range. A traditional system with a magnet and reluctor wheel has trouble maintaining accuracy as the rpm goes up. Our optical pickup distributors have near crank trigger accuracy of +/- .01-.05 degrees. And the proof is simple. When you put a timing light on an engine using one of our optical trigger distributors, it looks a lot more like a crank trigger ignition because it is so stable. Like I mentioned, it moves only a half of one degree maximum. But a magnetic trigger signal can jump as much as three or four degrees. When you set your timing you want to be absolutely as accurate as you can, so why would you be willing to allow your distributor to move that setting around by four degrees when you are on the racetrack? Photo by Rick Schwallie
I’ve heard a crank trigger ignition is supposed to be better than a standard distributor, why? It is better in that the accuracy is increased compared to conventional distributors. A crank trigger times the ignition off the position of the crankshaft instead of using the camshaft to spin the distributor on a more traditional system. When the distributor is spun by the camshaft you can potentially reduce timing accuracy due to several factors, including slack in the timing chain, flex in the camshaft and even wear in the distributor gear. By timing the system at the crank, you cut out all those areas that can be a problem.
I use a pressure washer to clean my car but am always worried about using it near the engine. Any tips on cleaning my car without ruining the electronics?
It is never advisable to directly spray any of the ignition components with water, regardless of the manufacturer. If you can, remove those components or put plastic bags over them and seal the bags as best you can. However, I will say that Crane’s ignition components are all very resilient to water. Our product line is completely sealed in soft urethane to help protect the interior components from any liquid contamination.
Is it better to lock out the advance or leave it functional? That totally depends on the application. I can’t give a blanket statement here, because it really depends on many factors. Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 87
Crane’s HI-6RC ignition box has proven extremely popular among dirt racers and engine builders because of its durability, as well as its builtin timing retard, which makes firing a hot race engine a lot easier.
Generally speaking, a traditional mechanical advance system can present problems over time as the bushings and springs wear, and you will wind up with erratic timing. On the other hand, simply locking the timing out leaves you with maximum advance at all rpm levels. If you have ever raced with a lockedout distributor, you are probably aware of how hard it is to crank a hot race engine with lots of compression when the timing is locked at 32 degrees. I’ve seen racers who stalled on the racetrack; nothing was wrong with the car but they couldn’t get it restarted. They had to get towed back in to the pits and that ruined their night. The good news is modern electronics allow you to have ignition advance without dealing with the often troublesome mechanical advance system. For example, our HI6RC ignition box is really popular with dirt track racers because it has a timing retard baked right into the circuitry. The box automatically pulls 20 degrees of timing out of the ignition up to 600 rpm. At 600 rpm the timing retard is cancelled and you are back to your ideal timing for maximum power. This eliminates the complex mechanical systems normally required to advance the timing but still makes it easy to crank a hot engine—eitither in the pits or if you have spun out and stalled on the racetrack.
I’ve been fighting a miss for weeks and can’t figure it out. Any tips for determining if it is electrical?
This is another one that’s really tough to answer without more information, but I can give you some problem areas that often seem to be the culprit. Is the wiring harness high quality with proper connections? Do you have a quality ground in multiple places? Are the plug wires in good condition? If they are questionable, have you used an OHM meter to check for excessive resistance? Have the cap and rotor been replaced lately? Have you made any changes to the system prior to the misfire that can be traced back? These questions are generally a good place to start.
An easy test for an ignition system is simply to hold your timing light on the damper’s timing scale and watch. If it jumps around while the engine is maintaining a consistent rpm level, just imagine what it is doing on the racetrack.
Any tips for accurately setting engine timing? One tip is is to make certain that you set the base timing with the engine revved higher than 4,000 rpm. This is because many ignition units use a multi-strike system that sends more than one spark to the combustion chamber at lower rpm levels to help combustion. That usually stops around 3,000 rpm, and the ignition goes into single-strike mode. The multi-strike feature can create an erratic movement in the timing light, so you can avoid that by revving the engine beyond that range.
Where should I put the CD box?
Mount it in a well-ventilated area away from exhaust and other forms of heat. Make sure it is in a protected area away from mud and debris. Most racers mount theirs in the cockpit or in an enclosed area behind the gauges. Besides the mounting location, one of the biggest issues I see is having good leads to and from the ignition box. A digital ignition requires a clean signal. If you have poor-quality connectors it may not matter with an analog ignition box, but that can cause real problems with a digital unit. Weatherpak or Deutsch connectors are both good options, just make sure you are getting a good connection so that a clean signal can get through. Poor grounds are also a problem I see on a lot of race cars. You’ve got to be able to provide an adequate ground in order for the ignition system to work properly. It doesn’t hurt to have multiple grounds. I think racers don’t think about it because adding another ground won’t make you any faster, but insufficient grounding certainly can make you slower.
I built my engine myself and it hasn’t been on a dyno. How do I determine the right advance?
You almost always get optimum performance at the maximum amount of ignition advance—degrees before piston top dead center—right before the engine begins to go into detonation. If you are comfortable that you can spot engine detonation, advance your timing in small increments. Once you begin to notice detonation happening, back off several degrees to give yourself a safety margin and go racing. 88 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
Here’s a setup for the ignition in a Dirt Late Model. All the electronics are protected from heat, dirt and track debris in this spot between the firewall and gauge panel. Also notice that high-quality Deutsch connectors are used (right) to help maintain a good, clear electrical signal to the digital ignition box.
IN HIS OWN WORDS Larry Shaw OWNER, SHAW RACE CARS
Anyone who follows dirt racing has probably heard of Larry Shaw. The Batesville, Arkansas, native knew nothing about race cars when his friend Julian Martin approached him to help build a car for his son Mark in 1973. Yes, that Mark Martin. Little did Larry know that one single phone call would lead to a life in racing. Now going on 35 years in operation, Shaw Race Cars is one of the premier builders of Modified and Late Model chassis. Larry sat down recently to talk about his career with OneDirt.com host, Ben Shelton. Shaw shows no sign of slowing down and continues to churn out turn-key race cars and chassis with the help of his sons and dedicated employees. In all, Shaw Race Cars has built nearly 5,000 race vehicles. Here are some quotes from Shaw that you can see on our YouTube channel, – OneDirtRacing.
“
Winning the Dirt Track World Championship, I think that was the biggest thing at the time. For us to be a little bitty company out of Batesville, Arkansas, and go up there and win that deal in Ohio, that was probably the biggest deal. That was huge.
”
“When I was in high school, I probably didn’t get a whole lot of information, but one of my school teachers—she wore them glasses on the end of that nose—I asked her why she was a school teacher and she says, ‘Here’s the way I feel about things... I don’t feel like anybody should go through life doing something they don’t really enjoy doing. Why would you put yourself through that much pain?’”
“We went out and found a ’55 Chevy and bought a roll cage kit, and made part of it work. But then Mark’s [Martin] mother didn’t really want him to race, but if he was going to, [she said] he had to be in the middle of the car. That was a pretty big deal to spring on us in the middle of building the car.”
“
My employees, I’ve had very little turnover. I’ve got people who’ve been with me since 1980. I got good people ya know. There’s just so many of them that do a good job.
”
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“Hey Shaw, this kid of mine is wanting me to build him a race car and want to know if you’ll help me.” “First year we won the Arkansas state championship in a six-cylinder. [We] won 13 features from the back at I-30 and that still stands.” “I don’t know how many chariots the Romans built, but from what I know, I might have built the most race cars. If you line them up bumperto-bumper, it would be like 30 miles. That’s a lot of tubing, that’s a lot of work, that’s a lot of time.”
“I want to build 5,000 race cars; we’re 94 cars out. I didn’t know that I had built the most race cars until a couple of years ago.”
“I’m not planning on getting out of it. I probably like to be like a motor—run wide open down the back straightaway. Just blow up! That’s the way I want to go out, just all at once. I’ve really had a good life. Unreal.” Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 89
VIRTUAL
DI REVIEWING THE WORLD OF DIRT RACING VIDEO GAMES
By OneDirt intern, Brady Alberson
90 OneDirt.com / Vol. 1, Issue 2
IF YOU’D KNOWN MY BROTHERS and I while we were growing up, you might say we were obsessed. If we had a free minute from homework or chores around the house (or in the race shop), there was one place we could always be found: gathered around the computer trying to beat each other’s lap times. In the early 2000’s, my brother Garrett got the first licensed dirt racing game for PC, called Dirt Track Racing, for Christmas, and the obsession began. After my two brothers and I mastered this game, we moved onto more realistic games with more
IRT life-like steering wheel and pedal configurations. It got to the point where we were using an old racing seat for our chair and zip-tied our race car’s removable steering wheel to the computer steering wheel. OK, obsessed may be a bit of an understatement. My brothers and I have a short list of racing games that we consider to be good dirt racing simulators, and almost all of them share the same quality; they were made before 2004. The game we used most when practicing for real racing was actually a NASCAR game called NASCAR Racing 2003
Season. Ironically, compared to all of the other games out there, this pavement game best simulates the feeling of driving on a dry-slick dirt track. The only newer dirt games that compare with the realism of the NASCAR game are Dirt Late Model add-ons for rFactor, a game made in 2007 which was originally built for road course racing. Even so, these Dirt Late Model “mods” don’t quite capture the feeling of driving a real race car.
Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 91
Y T L A I C E SP S ONLINE TOOL
Day Or Night
Here is the list of games that I would recommend if you’re looking for a way to get your dirt racing fix away from the track. Obviously, while the console games are more fun when playing with friends, the computer games offer a much more realistic feel, and are much better for training for the real thing.
semi-realistic Sprint Car racing at real tracks around the country including Eldora, Knoxville, Bloomington, Terra Haute and more. One of the coolest parts of this game is the career mode. You start out with hardly any money, and race locally, then work your way up to World of Outlaws events.
Console Games (PS2, Xbox 360, etc.)
Saturday Night Speedway Made in 2004 by the same company as World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars, this game lets you race Pro Stocks, Midgets and Late Models. While the cars may not drive entirely realistically, the game definitely helps you get the feel for dirt track racing.
NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona (PS 2) Made in 2002, this game probably has the best Street Stock racing of any game, and it also boasts fun, diverse tracks to race—although all of the dirt tracks are fictional. If you’re looking for a game to race your buddies on split-screen, I would very highly recommend this game.
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World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars (Xbox 360) I haven’t spent much time with this 2010 game, but from what I’ve seen and the reviews I’ve read, it seems like a fun game to satisfy your craving for dirt racing. The graphics, sounds and racing physics aren’t entirely realistic, but it’s good for a few laps of fun.
Computer Games NASCAR Racing 2003 Season As mentioned before, this isn’t a dirt game. However, this game is regarded among many racers as the most realistic racing simulator ever. If you’re looking for a way to improve your throttle control and better maintain high corner speed, NASCAR 2003 is the way to go. World of Outlaws: Sprint Car This game from 2002 offers fun,
rFactor Made in 2007, this game was initially designed for road course racing, but there are several different dirt racing add-ons available online, such as SBS Late Models/Modifieds and Dirt Late Model Sim. You can download dozens of different dirt tracks and race against people all over the world in the online multiplayer mode. Growing up with a lifestyle centered around racing—both at the track and on the computer—has given me great experience with nearly every dirt-oriented game that’s out there. I know this: Dirt racing fans need a better game. I believe that a high-quality dirt racing simulator would not only provide a great place for racers to hone their skills, but it could also potentially boost the interest of Dirt Late Model, Modified, and Sprint Car racing among the younger generation.
4-LAP DASH Michael Rigsby OWNER, DIRTONDIRT.COM
OneDirt recently caught up with the founder and owner of DirtOnDirt.com, Michael Rigsby, to ask him four questions.
Photo by Rick Schwallie
you became the founder of the highly are a person who gets to see every side of 1 Before 3 You successful DirtOnDirt.com, you were already a the Dirt Late Model world. We’ve heard a lot die-hard racing fan. What got you involved in racing and what was your home track growing up?
It was hard not to be a dyed-in-the-wool Dirt Late Model fan growing up with Fairbury American Legion Speedway and Farmer City Raceway as my home tracks. Those are two quarter-mile bullrings [in Illinois] with fantastic racing, and I went every Friday and Saturday night of my life as a kid growing up. I always felt like that Central Illinois pocket of Late Model racing was one of the best in the United States. Fans there grew up really paying attention to the Late Model racing that was going on all over the country, and I was doing exactly that.
of talk recently about the need for change in the sport. What is something that you wish that you could change?
One word: Cooperation. This isn’t a new idea, but since I’ve followed this sport as a kid, the level of cooperation in the industry is way less than it needs to be. Folks need to realize that people getting along is one of the single most healthy things that can happen to the sport. Look big picture, see through the trees and come to the realization that if sanctioning bodies, tracks and promoters would work together it will only benefit all of us in the long run. I wish I had more time to answer this one! There’s so much I’d like to say here.
no secret that it’s tough to own and operate 2 It’s Time for a tough question. Is there one race a business. However, some may not realize that running a business in the racing world is especially 4 in your memory that sticks out as the greatest difficult. What are some of the biggest challenges you face in running a successful company?
I think the biggest challenge is that things constantly change and evolve in the racing world, especially in our line of work. While you can try to plan ahead as much as you want, things are just changing so quickly and so rapidly in racing that setting anything in stone is rather difficult. Otherwise it’s been a total thrill to do this, and there isn’t anything in the world I’d rather be doing. I truly mean that. But the Dirt Late Model world is a constant whirlwind, so pinning it down isn’t easy.
Dirt Late Model event that you have ever watched in person?
Being an “Eldora guy,” it’s hard not to think of the many World 100 moments I’ve sat through since 1988. [Brian] Birkhofer’s last-lap pass of [Scott] Bloomquist in 2002 comes to mind for sure. But for me the best is still the 2006 World 100. I still get chills when I watch that race on video. From Jeep Van Wormer banging off the wall lap-after-lap and throwing sparks, Josh Richards arriving on the national scene, Shannon Babb almost winning again and Earl Pearson Jr. coming out of nowhere to win it, it had everything. I often say that the “golden era” of Late Model racing may have come to a head that night. It was that incredible. Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 93
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Fast FORWARD SCHEDULES / EVENTS / RACES
Photo by Woody Hampton
Ice Bowl
DIRTcar Nationals
Indiana Icebreaker
For many racers and fans, especially in the Southeast, Talladega Short Track’s Ice Bowl marks the unofficial start of a new racing year. Held shortly after New Year’s Day, the Ice Bowl often battles the elements—yes, it gets cold and rainy even in Alabama—but the action on the track is always hot. This year the Ice Bowl will run the first weekend after the New Year’s holiday, January 8 through 11. It is always a great place to get your first glimpse of drivers with new cars and new teams.
Florida Speedweeks wraps up for the World of Outlaws Late Model teams at Volusia Speedway Park during three big nights of racing February 19–21. Volusia puts a great cap on Speedweeks by offering $10,000 to win for the A-Mains all three nights. And if you get there early, you can make an entire week of it. The track also hosts big-money DIRTcar-sanctioned races the three nights prior.
Each spring the Indiana Icebreaker helps jumpstart the midwest racing season. This year marks the 18th edition of the race, and it also kicks off the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season in earnest. Names like O’Neal, Owens and Bloomquist will vie for the $10,000 prize in front of fans who are sure to find some hard-nosed dirt racing the perfect cure for cabin fever.
February 19–21 Volusia Speedway Park Barberville, FL
March 21 Brownsville Speedway, Brownsville, IN
Winter Dirt Games VI
National Sprint League Comes to Knoxville
January 8–11 Talladega Short Track Eastaboga, AL
Chili Bowl Nationals For Midget racers, and Sprint racing fans in general, the Chili Bowl Nationals is a lot like the Daytona 500 for Open Wheel racing. Despite being one of the first events on the schedule, the Chili Bowl is one of the biggest events of the year for Midget race teams. Even hall of famer Sammy Swindell plans to come out of retirement to make the race. It is one of the very few major motorsports events held indoors, but roof or not, the action always brings fans to their feet. January 12–17 Tulsa Expo Center Tulsa, OK
The Winter Games are a great tradition for the USAC National Sprint Car Series, and in 2015 the series will make a long-awaited return to East Bay Raceway. The USAC Sprinters haven’t been to the Florida bullring since 2010, so fans will be ready to catch the action once again. The Winter Dirt Games represent USAC’s only trip to Florida in 2015, and they kick off with three nights of Wingless Sprint racing at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala on February 19–21. That will be followed up by the return to East Bay on the 26-28 for three more nights of racing. More than $130,000 will be up for grabs during these events. February 19–28 Bubba Raceway Park, Ocala, FL East Bay Raceway Park, Gibsonton, FL
This race is so new we don’t even have a name for it yet. A new racing series for 410 Sprint Cars called the National Sprint League will debut in 2015. The first race for the new league will be Sunday, April 11, but the location had yet to be determined as we went to press. What we do know is the fledgling series will make a stop at legendary Knoxville Raceway on May 9. This will certainly be an interesting event because there’s an extra twenty grand involved if the winner of the NSL race the previous night at Eagle Raceway in Eagle, Nebraska, can make it two-for-two and sweep the weekend. May 9 Knoxville Raceway Knoxville, IA Vol. 1, Issue 2 / OneDirt.com 95
Parting SHOTS FOR SOME A SETTING SUN SYMBOLIZES THE DAY IS WINDING DOWN, BUT FOR US IT MEANS RACING UNDER THE LIGHTS.
Photo by Rick Schwallie
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• Down-leg boosters for improved fuel signal
• Billet aluminum metering block for improved durability, true gasket sealing, good looks
• 20% more fuel capacity vs. a traditional v-bowl - eliminates fuel starvation and provides consistent air/fuel ratios
• Knurled (hand adjustable) curb idle screw allow for easy idle adjustment without the use of tools
• Wedge float provides fuel control while cornering • Built in drain plug provides easy access to empty contents of bowl • -8 (o-ring) inlet threads offer a large variety of plumbing options (come with extended -8 o-ring to -8AN male adapter and -8 plug). Can be plumbed from either side
Part #
• 6061-T6 billet aluminum baseplates • 30cc pump with metal lever. Anti-siphon valve in mainbody to reduce pump pull over
Description
0-4412BKX 500CFM Ultra XP 2BBL - Tumble polished aluminum w/ Black™ metering block & baseplate
0-4412HBX 500CFM Ultra XP 2BBL
X x- Hard Core™ Gray w/ Black™ metering block & baseplate
0-4412EX
500CFM Ultra XP 2BBL E85 - Hard Core™ Gray w/ Black™ metering block & baseplate
- CALIBRATED FOR E85! 17-89
2BBL Ultra XP Spacer - Clear
17-90
2BBL Ultra XP Spacer - Black
37-1550
Rebuild Kit for 4412XP
• Set screw for wide open throttle stop adjustment • Clear sight windows on both sides of bowl for easy & safe fuel level adjustments
• Dedicated race-only throttle lever with all unnecessary street attachment points & tangs removed • Fuel shelf below the needle and seat to greatly minimize fuel aeration and promote more consistent metering
• Internal pump passage on metering block equipped with tunable bleed off
• Fuel trough designed into floor of bowl to route fuel flow directly to the jets and assists in keeping jets covered by fuel
• Internal baffling to help control fuel slosh and minimize float level fluctuations in hard launching or cornering situations
Available in
Hard Core™ Gray
Hard coat anodizing - penetrates the aluminum for superior corrosion protection!
See it all at
HOLLEY.COM Techline: 270-781-9741
Think all oil Performs and Protects The same? Driven is DifferenT.
DrivenToWin
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#Driv
Competition drives innovation. Born from Joe Gibbs Racing, the Driven Racing Oil brand was created to advance engine and driveline lubricant technology in all-out race and high performance engines. But what makes our products so different from all the others?
Define THe Problem, solve iT WiTH CHemisTry – Zero ComPromises
raCers CreaTing soluTions for raCing engines
Racing is in the DNA of our company, and every product we develop is proven to perform. From full synthetic race oils to engine break-in oils, Driven offers a wide range of race-winning products that deliver enhanced performance, protection and value. So whether you need gear oil for your quick change or qualifying motor oil that provides every ounce of speed, put your trust in lubricants engineered and proven to perform. Put your faith in the innovator of high performance lubricants – Driven Racing Oil.
New Product CARB DEFENDER RACE CONCENTRATE This additive utilizes next generation corrosion inhibitors that treat the metallic fuel system surfaces to prevent fuel system corrosion. It is designed for use with Methanol, E85 and Oxygenated Race Fuels, and passes all common fuel test procedures.
+5 HP
445
5800
5700
rpM
5600
5300
430
5200
435
5500
Driven Racing Oil beats the competition by 5 HP at multiple RPM. Driven 15W-50 National Brand 20W-50
440
5400
450
5100
Due to ever tightening federal EPA requirements, today’s motor oils have reduced quantities of anti-wear chemistries like Zinc, Phosphorus and Sulfur. As a result, the oil you buy today is not the same as it was 10 years ago. While this is good for most stock daily driven street cars, it is bad news for your racing engine. Racing engines see more RPM, higher loads and increased temperatures compared to street engines, so a racing engine requires higher levels of these wear additives to prevent premature part failure. So you see, the oil used in an engine needs to be formulated specifically for that type of engine. You wouldn’t use a stock piston in a race engine, and the same goes for oil. And that’s where Driven excels.
455
HP ComParison
5000
off-THe-sHelf oil may no longer be enougH To ProTeCT your engine
460
Horsepower
Our products are unique because we always put the “motor ahead of the molecule.” Often, oil companies have no real world understanding of how these products are actually used, but Driven keeps things in the proper order. The oil is for the motor, not the other way around. Our product development team looks at the motor and how it is used; then we design application specific products using a “zero compromises” approach that delivers a measurable performance advantage.
r $30 e v o save
CosT ComParison
The “cheap” oil you have to change frequently costs more than you might think. See the cost comparison below between the “cheap” off-the-shelf oil versus using Driven Racing Oil XP9 over a five race period.
CoNVeNtIoNAL rACING oIL
x5
$47.92 (8 quarts & filter)
= $239.60
Total Cost For Oil After 5 Races
DrIVeN syNtHetIC rACING oIL
+ $135.92
(8 quarts & filter, first race)
= $203.88 1.866.611.1820 • DrIVeNrACINGoIL.CoM
$16.99
(4 times, once per race)
Total Cost For Oil After 5 Races
9386j