OneDirt Fall/Winter 2015 by Xceleration Media

GOOD DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP

Family

A SPORT TAKES CARE OF ITS OWN

WEB

VIDEO

SOCIAL

THE DIRT TRACK RACING MAGAZINE

DAVENPORT’S DREAM SEASON GOOD FORTUNE OR METHODICAL RISE

CO-OPETITION

1 TOWN 2 TRACKS

36584 26557

OD2015-2

ONEDIRT.COM #OneDirt

VOL. 2, ISSUE 2 PUBLICATION OF XCELERATION MEDIA

FROM DOWN UNDER JAMES McFADDEN

FASTER

SPONSORED BY

CJB Motorsports has new partners CJB Motorsports has announced that the team will partner with Mainstream Holdings in 2016, and Big Game Treestands will serve as the primary partner for the No. 1 sprint car driven by Sammy Swindell. Swindell, a native of Germantown, TN is a revered legend in the sprint car ranks. After taking some time to step back, the veteran, who currently sits second on the all-time World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series wins list, has returned to compete in a limited capacity. In nine starts with CJB Motorsports, Swindell has five top-5’s, six top-10’s, and one quick time award. “This is honestly a dream come true type of deal for me,” said Swindell. “I don’t have any interest in running a full time deal or running my own team. I’m able to show up, drive, and make this team better. At this stage in my career, that’s what I want to do. I’ve had a great relationship with Tod over the years, and we know how each other likes to work. That will be nice to have as we continue on with CJB. “Chad and this team have some very fast race cars. We’ve run in the top 5 pretty much every time we’ve hit the track so far this year. Barry (Jackson) and I are already talking about some things we can try for next year. We’ve made a few small changes so far, and it’s seemed to have helped a bit. Our main focus is to go out and win the big races.

With what we’ve assembled for next year, I feel like we will be over prepared, which is never a bad thing.” Barry Jackson, crew chief for the organization is equally excited to continue the partnership. “Since Sammy has started with us, he has been extremely fast,” said Jackson. “He brings an awful lot to the table from an experience and know-how standpoint. Having him here has helped our #51 program, which was already extremely good.

His professionalism is second to none, and that’s something we pride ourselves on a lot here at CJB Motorsports. I really am looking forward to continuing this relationship with him and expanding it with this partnership. Tod is a great supporter of Sprint Car racing, and it means an awful lot to us to have him associated with CJB Motorsports.” The full slate of races that Swindell will compete in the No. 1 machine will be announced at a later date.

Brian Stickel steps down at Knoxville Just last January, Knoxville Raceway’s Brian Stickel was named Promoter of the Year by The North American 410 Sprint Car Poll — and now he’s gone. Stickel, who had served as Knoxville’s General Manager for the last 10 years, resigned after the Marion County Fair Board (which is the governing body for the Speedway) rejected his plans for expansion at the track. Stickel had put forward a plan to construct a multi-story building that would have included suites, a store, and new office space. It doesn’t seem like it was a terrible idea. The existing suites at Knoxville are sold out every year for the Knoxville Nationals — the nation’s most prestigious Sprint Car race — and the new suites 4

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

would have increased capacity by approximately 30 percent. Iowa governor Terry Branstad had even signed a bill to assist the track with a sales tax rebate of as much as two million dollars to help fund the expansion.

But when the Fair Board rejected the proposal for the building, which would have cost six to eight million dollars, Stickel resigned in protest. “We worked hard to continually build this place and continually get more fans and spectators,” Stickel said. “There’s demand for the product we’re offering. There was a motion to move the project forward and they defeated that motion. Whether or not they can take it up again before time runs out on it, I don’t know. But I can’t work that way. If I need to sell sponsorships, if I need to sell building naming rights, it has to be moving forward.” Hopefully, we’ll see Stickel back in racing again somewhere soon.

NEWS / HEADLINES / HOT TOPICS

Speed NEWS

Tommie Estes joining Help needed National Sprint League in 2016 for dirt racing The FVP National Sprint League has announced that Tommie Estes will be documentary joining the Sprint Car racing organization in 2016. Estes was instrumental in the expansion of the ASCS 360 Series and worked for that series for twelve years. He has also been an active part of both the Chili Bowl, the Short Track Nationals, and other large events over the years, and is currently the General Manager of Dodge City Raceway Park in Kansas. The National Sprint League says Estes will direct the series’ expansion into the 360 Sprint Car division and set up regions from Minnesota to the gulf. Estes will also continue his duties at Dodge City Raceway Park. “I’m very pleased to have Tommie join our NSL team,” says FVP National Sprint League founder Tod Quiring. “Tommie was key in setting up the entire ASCS series several years ago and brings a wealth of knowledge to the NSL. He will be a great asset to our series.”

“I’m really excited about this,” says Estes. “Tod and I have had numerous conversations, and he asked if I’d be interested in this. I decided that this would be a good opportunity for me to work back on this side of things. It’s a great bunch of people he’s put together with that NSL team, and I’m looking forward to it.”

A group called Sub 64 Films wants to make a dirt track racing documentary to kick off a series they are calling “Shine On.” They say the series will be about passionate amateurs and the activities for which they live, and the first subject will be 76 year old racer Ken Micheli. Micheli is a farmer, and at the age when most are enjoying retirement he’s still mixing it up on the race track. Sub 64 Films says during long days driving a tractor, Micheli dreams of his real passion — dirt track auto racing at the Marysville Speedway. While some think racing is too dangerous for a man of his age, Ken’s son Matt insists that the thrill of racing is the one thing that keeps his father alive. To get things going, Sub 64 Films hopes to fund the first three films — including the one on Micheli — through a Kickstarter campaign. If you think you’d like to be a part of this, you can learn more at www. sub64films.com.

Hall of Fame Expansion

Eldora upgrades camping areas Improved roadways and 350 new campsites have been added to Eldora Village at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. New gravel roads were also added for the Northside Camp and Park. The roads will make it easier for the thousands of campers Eldora attracts throughout the year. “We had so much rain this summer, especially in July. It was the wettest one on record since 1875,” said Roger Slack, general manager of Eldora. “Our team and our community came together to pull off the Kings Royal and the Mud

Summer Classic within five days. We laid gravel down that week to help our campers, and our fans really appreciated it. Since then, we’ve gone through and redone much of that, building proper roadways, improving drainage and reworking the landscape. Our campers are our most dedicated fans, and we want to take care of them.” Demand for campsites on the track’s property were growing, so 350 campsites were added to Eldora Village, which sits just to the west of the halfmile clay oval.

The National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame announced expansion plans during this year’s induction ceremony at the Florence Speedway in Florence, Kentucky. The Hall of Fame, which was opened in 2001, is a 501-3c charitable organization that houses and preserves the past for all facits of the sport of dirt late model racing. This expansion will be very expensive so it’s asking everyone to pitch in. All amounts are accepted and help the cause. The Hall is a 501-3c charitable organization that houses and preserves the past for all facits of the sport of dirt late model racing. Contact them today for details on how to give to the Hall.

gofundme.com/NDLHoF OneDirt.com 5

Digital GUIDE WEBSITES / FORUMS / APPS HELPING RACERS CROSS THE

FINISH LINE

ONE CLICK @ A TIME

Tech & how-to articles from the industry best

Cool stories, racer profiles, shop tours, & interviews!

Coverage of races across the U.S.

Check out the cool videos Direct access to the best businesses

News from the dirt racing world

One click to follow us on these social media outlets

STAY CONNECTED Just because you are at the track doesn’t mean you can’t stay up to date with the latest dirt racing information. OneDirt.com is compatible with all mobile devices so you’ll never miss any of the action.

PUT US IN YOUR POCKET

Stay connected to OneDirt between issues by following us on social media.

Visit us @

OneDirt.com JOIN THE CONVERSATION FACEBOOK

facebook.com/OneDirtdotcom

TWITTER

@OneDirt

YOUTUBE

youtube.com/OneDirtRacing

pinterest.com/Xceleration

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / MULTIMEDIA

Social Media SOUND OFF

We recently posed the question below to the 149,000+ fans of the OneDirt.com Facebook page. Emotions run deep within the dirt racing community on this issue and the responses were wide ranging. Below is a handpicked 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 think electronic fuel injection should make its way into dirt racing? JT TALLEY

Dirt and computers don’t mix well, especially on wash day. LOL.

RICH REYNOLDS

TRENDING

MATT NICHOLSON

Absolutely not. The cost and overhead is getting high enough as it is. Keep engine packages simple and basic.

Here are some additional articles that didn’t make the print issue, but are worth checking out. Search for these titles at OneDirt.com.

BRANDON MADAR

FEATURES

No, cost too much to race now, anyway.

Let them run EFI if they want to. If they want to stay with carbs, run carbs. It should be open to the car owners to decide. Remember, at one time racers were the R&D arm of car companies, now we’re 30 years behind current technology. If you’re crying about money you picked the wrong hobby.

Brady Smith: No racing, no regrets

SEAN DOWKER

TECH

No. Keep it simple.

DONNY RIDER

Four cylinders have used it for years now on dirt.

Good times, bad times The unbreakable valvetrain Lubrication myths

COLUMN

ALAN PAYNE

Proud moments in racing

Don’t know how long people will know how to work a carb.

Taking care of your own

RICHARD WARREN

Must be Dream’ing

It’s not run what you brung any more. What’s next, RC cars?

CHRIS NEWTON

No. And no some more.

TOMMIE LEE

Not sure the efi will handle the vibration of a dirt track.

MARK TREAT

A Late Model series, such as the World of Outlaws, should try fuel injection to see if it is feasible.

NEIL DAVIS

No. The cost would be too high for a regular Joe.

HOWARD BAKER

Pro ranks have at it... They have the money and the sponsors. The Friday/Saturday night local tracks its not a good idea. They cant even follow their own rules now. Another point is the expense, we are already paying high prices for parts that haven’t really changed much but we all somehow need them... EFI for the pro’s and the street/drag cars.

ALEXANDER DAVID TUTT

If you cannot afford to go racing, stay home. If you are not smart enough to progress technology via self enlightenment, stay home. If you can’t get with the times, open your eyes. How about automobile racing gets back to it roots of hard R&D of tomorrows technologies. Building a one-off fuel injection system and writing a basic code for it isn’t that hard. All you have to do is read. Though, I realize that is a lot to ask of people these days.

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 In this issue of OneDirt we’ve got a profile on Jonathan Davenport who is enjoying a career season in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Davenport gives a lot of credit to crew chief and car owner Kevin Rumley, who also redesigned the new chassis for Longhorn. Check out our exclusive tour with Rumley who takes us behind the scenes at Longhorn Chassis.

Scan QR Code to subscribe!

BRAKE BLEEDING TIPS FROM AFCO Bleeding your brakes is a common chore for any race team. Afco’s Ben Baker shows how to do it right to save yourself time and frustration. youtu.be/DKIDZPnO7d0

SLOW MOTION WINGLESS SPRINTS The guys at Loudpedal TV definitely know their stuff when it comes to getting the most dynamic shots of race cars on the track. Of course, it doesn’t hurt when you are shooting Wingless Sprint cars that are bucking like broncos all over the race track. Check out this collection of slow motion clips collected from beautiful Ventura Raceway. youtu.be/_70BeZFORZs

FAN EXPERIENCE AT TOPLESS 100 As the title sponsor, the crew at Comp Cams put together a really cool video look at the action from the fans’ perspective at the Topless 100. The Topless is one of the more unique races because all of the Late Model race cars have their roofs removed so that the fans can get a better look at the drivers as they muscle their rides around the track. youtu.be/lFr04nHVQTA 8

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

OVAL TRACK MEETS DEMO DERBY We’ve got to be honest here, we don’t know much about what’s going on. We do know the people that shot this video are from Holland, so we assume the track is there too. And from the looks of things, this is what you get when you cross good old dirt track racing with a demolition derby. youtu.be/kqkbEz_19SI

Whether racing tricycles or bicycles, street cars or sprint cars, the competitive spirit and winning technology that founded WELD still goes into every wheel we build. Experience WELD’s American Made advantage today.

WeldWheels.com | 800.788.9353

Tipping point

Howard Moore gets up on two wheels in the turn at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Arkansas, during a heat race. For more on the I-30 Speedway head over to page 74. Photo by Seth Lacewell

OneDirt.com 11

DIGGING

DEEP RACING IS A TOUGH SPORT.

There’s nothing easy about it. It’s an expensive hobby with finite potential for success. It’s far easier to fail than it is to succeed. A walk through the pit area at any show, for any division, on any night, will typically reveal the same complaints from teams. I don’t care if it’s a weekly show, a regional show, or a top-tier event, the words that are uttered tend to be uniform across the board. Tracks need to pay more. Racers need more crew help and more sponsor help. Costs for parts need to be cheaper. The list goes on and on. And the casual observer the conclusion can quickly be drawn that there are far more reasons that it shouldn’t work to be a professional racer than should. However, like anything in life there are always exceptions to the rule. There 12

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

are people who refuse to accept “No” as an answer. There are folks who love racing so much that they will find a way to live their dreams. It’s not easy, and it’s not always fun for them. But rarely is there anything worth having in life that doesn’t come without abundant blood, sweat, and tears. Second cousins Jerry “Chub” Frank and Rick “Boom” Briggs are the epitome of this never-say-die mentality. With half the funding of most teams and less than half the crew to help, these two Bear Lake, Pennsylvania, drivers tackle the grueling World of Outlaws Late Model Series docket each year. “Racing is all I know, and it’s pretty much all I’ve ever known,” says the 53-year-old Chub. “Maybe that’s the reason I’m too damn stubborn to ever give up.”

Boom Briggs and Chub Frank know the costs to live their dreams By Ben Shelton

Known as Chub since he was 2 years old, due to his more-than-healthy stature as a toddler, Jerry Frank has lived and breathed racing his entire life. As a child he watched his dad build and operate Stateline Speedway (Busti, New York) and Eriez Speedway (Erie, Pennsylvania). There’s no doubt about it, racing was in his blood from day one, and it was only a matter of time before he got his first chance behind the wheel. “Back in those days you had to be at least 16 years old to race, so I didn’t get to drive for the first time until 1978,” Chub reminisces. “My brother, some friends, and I competed in a class called the Spectators, which was basically street cars with roll cages. That was some big-time fun, and needless to say I was hooked from the first time I strapped in a car.”

Racing is all I know, and it’s pretty much all I’ve ever known. Maybe that’s the reason I’m too damn stubborn to ever give up. — Chub Frank Photos by Steve Schnars

Not only did Chub learn a lot about racing at an early age, but he also witnessed firsthand what it took to successfully run a race track. “I learned early in life that racing was a tough business and that running a track was an equally tough endeavor,” Chub says. “In either situation, though, my dad instilled in me the fact that if you wanted something bad enough, you could find a way to make it happen.” Chub quickly progressed through the Spectator division and soon found himself in Limited Late Models, where he won championships in five consecutive seasons. That success gave him his first opportunity to drive a Super Late Model in 1985. At that point he instantly found the class that best suited his racing desires. “From day one the Super Late Models really piqued my interest,” Chub

recollects. “They had a lot of power, were really fun to race, and you could make a decent living if you performed at the top of your game. I mean, what was not to love there in that scenario?” As Chub progressed into his racing career, his younger second cousin began to find his way into the sport as well. Rick “Boom” Briggs, who got his nickname at a young age from his grandmother Kay due to his proneness to falling down, also possessed a strong desire for everything racing. “Watching what Chub’s dad was doing with the race tracks, my dad Rick, always wanted to race. And in 1981, when I was 10 years old, he finally got his first car,” Boom remembers. “I’d say from 1981 to 1990 I didn’t miss a single race at Stateline or Eriez.” By the age of 12 Boom was not only helping his dad with his race car, but

he also began working at both tracks doing odd jobs. That’s when the bond between he and Chub really took root. “I always looked up to Chub because he loved racing like I did, and because he was older he got to race first,” notes the 44-year-old Boom. “When I started working at the tracks, we started spending more time together, and we got even closer. We became really good friends, and that’s still true thirty years later.” Just like his partner in crime, Boom got his first chance behind the wheel at the age of 16. He not only raced, but he still helped his dad with his racing program. Boom raced regularly for the next few years until he got married and made the decision to sell his equipment to focus on his new life. Much like so many others, Boom just couldn’t stay away from racing, and by 1998 he was back at the track helping OneDirt.com 13

his dad once again. Soon after that the family connection reemerged with Chub building Boom’s dad a new car, and before long Boom began working for Chub. The bond between the two cousins grew even stronger as Boom hit the road with Chub as his crew chief on the WoOLMS tour. “I learned a lot about racing on a national level, traveling up and down the highway with Chub,” Boom remembers. “We had some really good runs together, and I might have still been on the road with him as his crew chief today if life hadn’t intervened in late 2005.” That’s when Boom’s dad had a massive heart attack. While he was able to recover, his racing days were over. Even though he couldn’t drive, he wanted to continue to show support for his home track, McKean County Speedway (Smethport, Pennsylvania). As a result he asked his son, Boom to take over the driving duties. “It was a definite change of pace for me to start driving again, but at the same time it was a great opportunity,” Boom remembers. “We enjoyed a lot of success around the house, winning races and championships. I guess you could say it set the stage for where we are now with the program.” Boom’s success in the Northeast motivated him to try something more challenging in 2014. With the assistance of his dad, his brother, and Chub, Boom made the decision to follow the full WoOLMS tour to compete for rookie of the year honors. “Plain and simple this was a bucket list thing that I wanted to try, and my family stepped in to help make it happen,” Boom notes. “Without my family to look after my trucking business while I’m on the road, there was no way this could happen.” As teammates, Chub and Boom hit

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

I always looked up to Chub because he loved racing like I did, and because he got to race first. We became really good friends, and that’s still true thirty years later. — Boom Briggs the road in 2014, but they did so with bare minimum funds and help. “There’s a lot of regional teams that operate with higher budgets and a lot more crew help than what Boom and I have, but we find a way to make it work,” Chub says with a smile. “For us, it’s a matter of wanting to do something so bad that we find a way to make it happen. It’s not always fun, and rarely is it easy, but we just find a way.”

I learned early on in racing that to survive you have to be smart with your money. The driving duo spent much of 2014 traveling to events with just one crew guy. From time-to-time friends and family lent a hand, but most often it was just Chub, Boom, and crewman, Shane Winans. “I do all the tires. Shane does all of the nuts and bolts on both cars, and Chub does most everything else,” Boom comments. “We are stretched pretty thin, and because of that we have to focus primarily on the big things at the track and rarely do the small details get the attention that they deserve. We know that puts us at a disadvantage at times, but we are OK with that.” For Boom, he fully realizes the opportunity that Chub affords him to race.

“Even with my family helping run my business back home, there are days when I still get a hundred phone calls or more,” Boom reveals. “While I’m taking these calls, Chub is making sure the cars are ready for action. Without him there is no way that I could race on this level.” Chub, who typically has a smile on his face even during the toughest of moments, often times finds humor in hearing some of the bigger teams complaining about not having enough help. “Most of these guys are smarter than to come by at the track and tell me about how rough they have it,” Chub laughs. “However, sometimes a guy will forget who he is talking to and comment about being shorthanded. I can usually line him out pretty quick.” Much like 99 percent of the teams in the business, these two operations struggle to find sponsorship. Knowing that they operate on a shoestring budget, the two drivers cut any corner they can. In addition, Chub owns Chub Frank Racing, which provides parts and services for several teams from his area. The income from this company provides some funding for the teams. “I learned early on in racing that to survive you have to be smart with your money,” Chub comments. “I’ve watched a lot of guys come and go in racing. Sometimes it’s a matter of robbing Peter to pay Paul, but you just do what it takes. We also build and repurpose a lot of the parts that we use versus buying new stuff all the time. It allows us to stay both competitive and afloat in this sport.” Chub’s approach to the sport as a business has been a battle since day one. “I can remember starting in Street Stocks and racing in that class until I could get enough money to move up,” he says. “Then I would sell that car, buy one in another division and save again until I could move one step higher up the ladder. In those early days I worked as a mechanic, gas pumper, trailer builder, and even at a junkyard. Bottom line

is that I did whatever it took to make enough money to keep racing.” The 2014 season on the long and dusty WoOLMS trail was a true struggle for Boom in his rookie campaign, while Chub battled his own issues throughout the season as well. However, 2015 has been a year of resurgence for the closeknit duo with improved performances across the board. “I knew this deal wouldn’t be easy, but I’ll admit that I thought I would’ve performed better than I did my first year,” Boom says. “This year we switched to these Longhorn cars, and it seems like things are finally starting to click. Every little detail can make such a difference when you are battling the talent on this tour every night.”

While I’m taking [work] calls, Chub is making sure the cars are ready for action. Without him there is no way that I could race on this level. For Chub the move to Longhorn Chassis and JRI Shocks for 2015 has been a game changer in his program. “These new cars and shocks have really improved our program as far as technology, and that’s really been one of our biggest struggles over the past several years,” Chub notes. “When you are worried about just keeping your cars on the track, sometimes you lose track of where technology is headed. I feel like right now we are in a real good place.” While neither driver has won a race yet on the tour in 2015, both drivers have flirted with victory. As the tour en-

ters its homestretch of the season Frank sits third in the current standings. “We are performing so much better, and heck, Boom even almost won that race at Deer Creek Speedway in July,” Chub says. “For his lack of experience and our lack of resources, I couldn’t be any prouder for him. I feel like we do so much with so little, and that’s something to not take lightly.” Looking back on his storied career, Chub has a lot of great memories. From winning the coveted World 100 at Eldora Speedway (Rossburg, Ohio) in 2004, to countless victories across the country, Chub can truly tell some great stories from his celebrated career. However, the witty driver likes to think that some of the best may still be yet to come. “Right now I feel as good about my racing program as I have in a long time,” Chub comments. “It gets harder every day to win in this sport, but you never know when I might park this ol’ 1* in victory lane in a major event somewhere. The fire is definitely still burning strong inside.” For Boom, his major goal is to bag a WoOLMS victory. “I want one so bad,” Boom laughs. “Leading all but the last few laps at Deer Creek Speedway this year made me want it even more. If I do get one I can promise there will be a party afterwards like few have ever seen.” For Chub Frank and Boom Briggs, the drive to compete regardless of the circumstances, is true, old-school racing at its finest. They don’t use limited resources as an excuse. Instead they just work that much harder to find a way to keep their dreams alive. In my opinion, that kind of relentless, true-grit determination just makes you root a little harder for guys like that to achieve greatness.

Y T L A I C E SP ONLINE TOOLS

Day Or Night

Browse hundreds of professional quality, problem solving tools for racers & engine builders.

From time saving hand tools to precision measuring devices, Powerhouse® offers the right tools to complete your racing project more efﬁciently. Shop the internetʼs largest selection of specialty tools featuring safe, secure ordering 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. • Top Quality & Hard-To Find Tools • Safe & Secure Online Ordering • Daily Product & Shipping Specials • Fast Delivery To Your Doorstep

POWERHOUSEPRODUCTS.COM 9081j

FASTER

FILTERS New line of fuel filters promises top-shelf performance for a great price IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS that get you. When it comes to a mechanical failure that causes a car to fail to finish a race, more often than not it is something weird like a broken panhard bar bracket or a thrown belt that is the culprit versus something big like a blown engine. Even when it is a blown engine, the reason for the catastrophic loss can often be traced to something simple. Maybe it happened due to a broken valve spring 16

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

from a delayed scheduled rebuild, or a stuck valve that breaks a piston because the engine was allowed to run hot. When it comes to making sure all the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed to give yourself the best possibility of racing well and finishing strong, getting the right filters on your race car is critical. While an oil filter is obvious, in a dirt track environment where dust and sand gets everywhere, running quality fuel filters is also important.

A fuel filter may seem like one of the little things, because, after all, you are always running fresh fuel and there is no rust in the fuel cell to worry about. So why bother? At a dirt track there is practically no way to keep dirt out of the fuel cell each time you pop the cap to refuel. Silica in the dirt doesn’t dissolve. Instead, it always seems to find its way between the edges of the rings and the cylinder wall where it grinds the crosshatches

ORB fittings were chosen because they provide superior sealing versus standard AN fittings.

Jet Performance’s new fuel filters are designed to provide good filtration while still allowing plenty of fuel flow to feed your high-horsepower engine.

away and causes leakdown issues. And an engine that doesn’t seal up well is an engine that isn’t making optimum power. Like we said, it’s the little things. That’s why Jet Performance Products’ Bryant Seller says the performance company decided to design and produce its own line of fuel filters. “We did some studying and found that a lot of the less expensive aftermarket filters, their flow rates were horrible,”

he explains. “It really wasn’t good. So we decided that there is an opportunity for us here. We wanted to provide fuel filters for the performance and racing markets that saves the consumer some money while also providing great performance. “Our goal is to provide fuel filters that flow as much as the higher-end pieces currently on the market but not insanely priced like a lot of that stuff is. If you look at some of the stuff the other manufacturers are selling, it just amazes me that some of them charge as much as they do. You pick up the thing and you go, ‘Really?’” Jet Peformance has engineered two filter designs it believes will cover the greatest range of racers. One is a canister filter with a stainless steel screen, and the other is a similar design but with a cellulose filter media. The stainless filter will catch trash and debris down to 100 microns, while the cellulose filter with clean fuel of contaminants down to 10 microns. “We are machining the stuff ourselves,” Seller says. “So it is not like we are buying it from some unknown place. We do source out the filter media, but we know exactly who is making them and that they meet our quality standards. And we think we’ve designed in some features that will really make these filters stand out. “First of all, they are O-ring sealed on both ends. We use ORB connectors on either end, so you can set it up to work with -6, -8, -10 AN hoses and fittings. Whatever you want.” An ORB (O-Ring Boss ) is a very specific type of fitting designed for carrying liquids at extremely high pressures and was originally designed for high-pressure hydraulic systems. The male fitting has a straight thread and O-ring. The female port has a straight thread, a machined surface, and a chamfer to accept the O-ring. The seal works by compressing the O-ring in the chamber. The threads aren’t used to seal the fluid but just hold the connection. “You just get a better seal with the ORB design than you do standard AN fittings,” Seller adds. “Most of your high-end filters are ORB stuff. The less expensive stuff will generally have AN fittings machined into

Stainless steel filter media (shown) can trap particles as small as 100 microns. The cellulose media can filter to 40 microns.

the ends. We’re not going to do that. “With our O-ring seals you can run these filters in high-pressure applications. Carbureted, fuel injected… whatever you want.” Normally, racers will want to mount the stainless steel filter between the fuel cell and the fuel pump. The stainless filter is designed to filter out the larger contaminants before they can get to the pump. Since it is rebuildable it can be cleaned as needed. Cleaning a stainless filter is as simple as running clean solvent through it in the reverse direction the fuel normally flows and then gently blowing it out to dry it. “Solvent is fine, just make sure it is clean,” Seller says. “A lot of guys will go to the trouble to clean their filter but then use a dirty solvent tank, which does no good. So you’ve got to make sure you are running good, clean solvent. Then you are ready to re-assemble the filter and get it back in your race car.” The cellulose filter is designed to be placed between the fuel pump and the engine. It filters contaminants from the fuel as small as 10 microns to get the last bit of any trash that can cause harm to the bearings, rings, cylinder walls, injectors (if you are racing a sprint car), or anything else. Unlike the stainless filter, the cellulose filter isn’t cleanable. But if you are running a stainless filter upstream to catch the majority of contaminants, the cellulose filter should last quite a while. Seller recommends checking it after every three or four races just to make sure it isn’t getting dirty and clogged up. Otherwise, it could last as much as an entire season. When this issue of OneDirt went to press, Jet Performance had finished the design of its fuel filters and begun production. The filters should be available through Jet Performance, JEGS, and other major retailers and will cost around $75 for both, which is great considering many similar filters run significantly more. We can’t wait to try a pair out on our next build. Source: Jet Performance Products, jetchip.com

OneDirt.com 17

FOR THE

GOOD Drivers, teams, and fans are about much more than checkered flags

COVER story

Photo by Heath Lawson

By Jeff Huneycutt

BEN SHELTON TRAVELS THE COUNTRY announcing races for the World of

Outlaws Late Model Series and documents much of what he sees behind the scenes for OneDirt. You’d better believe that Shelton sees the good, the bad, and the ugly, but to his credit he always sees the kindness in others and does a fantastic job writing stories of those in the racing community who go above and beyond to help others. There is no doubt that racing in general can get a bad rap when the inevitable fight breaks out in the pits, or a driver loses his temper and decides to use his race car as a battering ram. That’s not a good look for the sport, but there is so much more to the racing community than that. Competition is great and can make any of us sometimes act out of character, but there is so much more cool stuff going on behind the scenes that no one gets to see. Here is a portion from Shelton’s recent OneDirt.com column “Taking care of our own,” about an unexpected downpour that cut short racing at Gillette Thunder Speedway in Gillette, Wyoming. Mud reigned supreme in every direction with rivers of water reinforcing the instability of the entire situation. While some teams were able to get most of their equipment loaded before the rain, there was a far greater number who were not so lucky. Simple tasks like loading pit boxes and race cars into the transporters became exponentially more difficult, and that’s when teams began to work together. 2011 WoOLMS Champion, Rick Eckert, and his crew dug in deep to help 2013 WoOLMS Rookie of the Year, Eric Wells, and his team load their equipment.

COVER story

OneDirt.com 19

It wasn’t a fun job, and it wasn’t easy. Eckert and his entourage didn’t have to help, and neither were they asked. They just sprung into action when they saw their compadres needing assistance. It’s just how it works in this business. Throughout the pit area similar acts of generosity were displayed again and again as teams worked together to make the most of a bad situation. The track’s staff also did all that they could to assist. They pulled hauler after hauler from the pit area with tractors and graders. Rick Eckert

Here’s the point that Shelton’s column made that resonated so loudly. So many times all that anybody wants to think about in life are the bad things. I don’t care if it’s newspapers, social media, or even gossip around a campfire. The negative always gets the lion’s share of the attention. So rarely do the positive things in life get their due. He’s right. Racing really is a brotherhood and it didn’t take long to see it in action.

After his horrific wreck in a preliminary race for the Knoxville Nationals, fans in the stands as well as drivers in the pits immediately pitched in to help Kevin Swindell defray some of his hospital bills.

Photo by Rick Schwallie

At the recently completed Knoxville Nationals, Australian Sprint Car driver James McFadden was on his way to winning Friday night’s Speed Sport Knoxville World Challenge race, which would have guaranteed his spot in the main event, when his engine blew while he was leading the last lap. Understandably, McFadden was heartbroken because not only did he miss out on the win, but he also didn’t have a backup engine to use with for the final night of racing on Saturday.

I thought McFadden was done for the weekend, but when I arrived back in the infield Saturday afternoon, his crew had wrapped up the installation of a new engine in his black Sprint Car. It turns out an engine builder had taken notice of McFadden’s skills behind the wheel, felt for the young Australian, and lent him a 410 Sprint race engine — worth thousands of dollars — to try and race his way into the feature that night. The engine builder didn’t make a big deal out of it, and despite the potential

public relations payoff of letting everyone know he had given McFadden an engine, didn’t want the information spread around. He simply wanted to help out somebody in his racing family. The Knoxville Nationals is also the event where fan favorite, Kevin Swindell, suffered a hard hit in a wreck Thursday night that left him with cracked vertebrae and other injuries. He already has undergone multiple surgeries and has a long road ahead as he battles to regain use of his legs. While that is a heartbreaking story, what is amazing, yet not really surprising, is how the racing community has rallied around him. Nobody made a real big deal about it, but on the Friday and Saturday night after the wreck, volunteers were positioned underneath the stands collecting money from fans, racers, and even vendors to help defray some of Swindell’s hospital bills. In just two nights, with little fanfare, we heard over $9,000 was raised. Driver Rico Abreu, who qualified his car into Saturday night’s A-main but couldn’t make the race because of a previous commitment to compete in the K&N Pro Series, made this heartwarming message on Twitter.

[Ed. Note: Crew member Trevor Canales took the green flag in Abreu’s place and pulled off after the first lap.] In the world of Late Model racing, Shelton’s “Proud moments in racing” told of how team owner Brian Donley and driver Kenny Pettyjohn, are committed to saying “thanks” to our heroes in uniform.

In the Potomac Speedway (Budd’s Creek, Maryland) pit area our series’ hauler was parked next to the transporter for the Brian Donley-owned team for whom Delaware’s Kenny Pettyjohn drives. This team has long been known for their generosity to various charities. It’s no big secret. While I’ve long been aware of their gracious efforts, I guess that it took seeing things with my own two eyes to truly realize just exactly what they do to support others. As I stared out the back of our command center, I took note of special members of the Pettyjohn pit crew. A young lady, who was missing a portion of her right leg, whisked around the car in a wheelchair as she inspected the hot rod. Another gentleman who stood next to the car had a prosthetic leg, while yet another gentleman present had two prosthetic legs. As I took in the unfamiliar faces, I immediately knew what brought them to the track on this random night.

Car owner Brian Donley and driver Kenny Pettyjohn poses with a group of veterans at a race.

Brian Donley and Kenny Pettyjohn have long been known for their work with the Truckin 4 Troops and Wounded Warrior Projects. In fact, the team donates all of their winnings to the foundations to support our men and women who have defended our country and made sacrifices along the way. Each of these veterans had suffered loss of limb and the accompanying emotional distress while serving our country. On this night in Maryland, the team worked together with the

Kenny Pettyjohn

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

charities to bring these three individuals out to the track for a night of fun. It was truly moving and inspirational to see. After all, without the courage and hard work that these three individuals epitomize, we couldn’t enjoy racing or living in a free country. The fact that Donley and Pettyjohn put their time and money into supporting our veterans is really something special. I feel honored to work in a sport, where my brethren are so caring and passionate about helping others.

For his part, Pettyjohn says he’s the one who is honored to be around the veterans. “It’s just an honor to get to be a part of what Brian (Donley) does with all of these great foundations,” he says. “It really feels good to help others, and any time we can bring veterans to the track it’s an awesome feeling. It definitely puts life in perspective, when you see what these men and women endure to protect our country.” There is also the Yaggy Motorsports team, owned by Steve Yaggy, who fields cars for his son, Jordan. The elder Yaggy also owns Yaggy trucking in Rochester, Minnesota. When the World of Outlaws Late Model tour made a swing through Minnesota, the Yaggys opened up the shop of their trucking facility to any members of the tour who needed to make repairs on their haulers or cars. Not only did they lend their building and equipment to their competition, some of the Yaggy Trucking staff also pitched in to help. “I think we had eight teams staying at the truck shop, and just about every one of them had some type of issue with their haulers,” Steve says. “Whether it be tires, or hoses, or generator issues, there were plenty of problems. Many of these guys have been so good to us this year on the road, here in our rookie campaign, so I wanted to do whatever I could to lend a hand.” It’s not only the teams in the big leagues that are going the extra mile to help others. Stuff like this happens at Saturday night racetracks all across

Photo by Richard Barnes

Every year Carolina Speedway runs what locals simply call “The Shrine Race” to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children. It is held on a Tuesday night so racers from tracks across the region can compete. The event has raised over $1 million to benefit children’s hospitals.

the nation weekly. Everyone has stories about crew members pitching in to help another team struggling to make repairs between heats and the feature. Most small tracks also have an annual race where the proceeds are set aside for a local charity. One of the most interesting ones is Carolina Speedway in Gastonia, North Carolina, (just west of Charlotte) which just held the 43rd running of its annual Shrine 100. The entire racing community in the

area comes together for the event. Over the years Carolina Speedway has raised and donated well over $1 million for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. “The race is traditionally held on the second Tuesday in August,” explains Carolina Speedway’s Clint Elkins. “We have racers and teams from tracks all across the area that want to be a part of the Shrine Race, so we try to have it on a day that won’t pull them away from their home tracks.

“Last year we drew 127 cars,” he adds. “This year we had some rain and while we were able to get the race in, the car count was down a little bit. But it still was a fantastic evening. We pay full purses, so the Super Late Model race pays $3,000 to win and the Crate Late Models pay $1,000. But a lot of guys gave their purses right back to the Shrine Club to help the children. And that’s really cool.” What is interesting is how well the track and community pull together for this charity event. It is one of the few events where tickets are sold off-site. Racers and crews leave early from work to make it to the track, special programs are printed, and teams donate gear for the raffles and silent auction. Technically, the racing is no different than Carolina’s regular Friday night show, but it definitely feels different. It feels special. “We had great racing, and because everyone knows we are there trying to help out children’s hospitals, there really is a different vibe,” Elkins explains. “People are still trying to win, but it feels more laid back in the pits. The ‘Shrine Race’ is a really cool event and something we look forward to every year.”

PLUMB

EASY

Make plumbing your race car a piece of cake

QUITE OFTEN WE GET EXCITED

about new products or technology making their way to racing, but they are usually aimed for the big touring classes like the Late Models or Sprint Cars. But in reality, there are just as many, if not more, racers in the entry-level (hobby) racing classes. And their needs for quality racing gear are just as real. Racers in the entry-level classes are typically working on the tightest budgets. On top of budgets, racers in the entry-level classes — everything from import front-wheel-drives, to Mod Fours, to Pure Stocks — are usually required by the rules to run either stock or stock-replacement parts. The fact that rules severely limit the race parts that can run help keep the cars slower and hopefully easier to drive. There’s also the reasoning that money should be spent on tires and fuel — not expensive go-fast speed parts — so racers can maximize seat time and gain valuable experience. Earl’s Performance Plumbing’s Super Stock hoses and ends are becoming a popular option for these classes, because they do a great job of handling the rigors of racing without breaking the bank. The Super Stock line of hoses and ends was designed to be a better option than the brass push24

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Earl’s Super Stock push-on fittings require no tools for assembly and come in lightweight anodized aluminum in a wide variety of sizes and styles.

lock type, while also being lightweight and easy on the wallet. The hose ends are machined from aluminum alloy and anodized in either the familiar red and blue, or a black hard coat. They are available in all common AN 37-degree flare configurations and with male NPT threads (as straight hose ends). The fittings are available from AN -4 all the way up to -12 size, and configurations including straight, 45-, 90-, 120-, 150-, and 180-degree angles. The Super Stock hose ends are designed specifically to work with Earl’s Super Stock hoses and will not work with stainless braided or Teflon-lined hoses. Earl’s has redesigned its Super Stock hose to be more resis-

An even better option may be Earl’s cool Military Spec Type III Hard Anodized fittings, which work exactly the same as the traditional red-andblue fittings. The hard anodizing provides much improved protection to the aluminum fittings, so that they don’t get scarred up as badly.

tant to the additives commonly being added to modern fuels. The hose is a high-quality synthetic rubber reinforced by a full-coverage interior braided-fabric sheath. The Super Stock line’s design requires only a minimum of tools. The hose can be cut with a knife or razor blade, and the fittings simply push on and lock in place with a collar, no crimping or expensive tools needed. Plus, the hardware to plumb an entire car is really affordable. The cost for 10 feet of -6 AN Super Stock hose is right at $35, and a female fitting and collar to fit it will run $6. Source: Earl’s Performance Plumbing, holley.com

WHAT’S “AN” MEAN? Everybody talks about AN-sized hoses, but few really know what it all means. This thread-sizing method is military-derived specification that dates back to WWII and was coined AN after a joint standard agreement between the Army (A) and Navy (N). It is organized around the OD of the rigid metal tube that each size fitting was designed to work with. The numbers designate the OD of the tubing in 1/16-inch increments. Since tubing and hoses can be built differently, the AN size does not tell you the ID of the hose or how much it will flow. Each AN size number has its own standard thread size that is included in the chart below. AN Size 2 3 4 5 6 8 10 12 16 20 24 28 32

Hose OD 1/8" 3/16" 1/4" 5/16" 3/8" 1/2" 5/8" 3/4" 1" 1 1/4" 1 1/2" 1 3/4" 2"

Thread Size (SAI) 5/16-24 3/8-24 7/16-20 1/2-20 9/16-18 3/4-16 7/8-14 1 1/16-12 1 5/16-12 1 5/8-12 1 7/8-12 2 1/4-12 2 1/2-12

Plumbing your race car with the Super Stock hose system is relatively straightforward. First, cut your hose to length with a razor blade or sharp knife.

Slip a collar over the hose and mark the hose where it meets the collar.

There’s a reason it’s called a “push-on” fitting and not a “slip-on.” To help aid assembly, put some lube on the inside of the hose and the barbs on the fitting.

The final step is to press the barbed end of the fitting into the hose until it bottoms out — this is easier said than done. A cool trick the Earl’s staff gave us is to lightly lock the blue fitting in a vise to hold it steady and then press the hose onto the barbed end. Make sure the mark you previously made on the hose is still at the edge of the collar and hasn’t been pushed out. Once you feel the hose bottom out on the end of the fitting, your assembly is ready to go.

The finished assembly ready to be installed on your race car.

To see more about how these products work and see them in action search “Earl’s Performance Plumbing” at OneDirt.com.

OneDirt.com 25

WEIGHTIssues

A rear mount accessory drive system can improve weight placement and handling EVERY CAR ON THE TRACK has to meet a minimum

weight requirement, but that doesn’t mean crafty racers can’t still find an advantage over the rest of the field. Racers understand that weight placement plays a huge role in how their race car handles, but that applies to more than just lead ballast. After all, the race car doesn’t know the difference between lead bars bolted to the frame and the weight from the engine, or the fuel cell, or even you, for that matter. Moving as much weight as possible toward the center of the car can have multiple benefits on the track. First, it can help the car pivot more easily and turn better. But having weight located near the center of the car also makes any lead moved around the car more effective in the changes it will have in handling. Of course, the problem with this concept is that non-lead weight is extremely hard to shift on the race car. For example, you may be able to use components that lighten the rear end, but you aren’t exactly going to be able to move that weight around. The rear wheels can only go in one spot. Likewise, that engine isn’t going anywhere beyond the maximum setback the rules allow. That doesn’t mean you don’ t have any options though. Jones Racing Products has put together an excellent system 26

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

that moves the front accessory drive setup for the alternator, fuel pump, and power steering to the rear of the engine. At first this may not seem like such a big deal, but consider how important it can be to move several pounds that is stuck up high over the front suspension to behind the firewall. Plus, the package really cleans up the front of the engine, making it much easier to work on the front suspension, the steering rack, and the radiator. You even get the benefit of ditching the standard bladder-style fuel pump design for a modern, high-pressure mechanical fuel pump. Most of all, we’re extremely impressed by the quality of this system Jones Racing Products has designed. The build quality and components are all the highest quality, and everything bolted right up with zero fitment issues or machining necessary. We tested the system on a Crate Late Model with a Quarter Master bell housing, but Jones has designs that work with Bert and Brinn units as well. We can see this becoming an extremely popular option in the Late Model classes as well as Modifieds. Check out our install and see for yourself. Source: Jones Racing Products, jonesracingproducts.com

1. Here are the major components of the kit Jones sent us. On the left is the plate that mounts the alternator bracket to the bell housing. In the center is the alternator and adjuster bracket. On the right is the power steering pump and mechanical fuel pump assembly. Notice that all the spacers and brackets are already attached with the correct mounting hardware, this is something Jones does with all its kits and any racer will appreciate.

3. Before assembly, make sure to add some anti-seize or high-pressure lube to the threads of the fasteners to prevent galling. Note the thickness of the bracket and spacers. No flexing or thrown belts here.

5. Here’s the alternator and its adjuster bracket bolted up to the plate that we’ve already mounted to the bell housing. Besides the adjustability allowed by the bracket (the slotted section above the alternator), Jones also builds in a little extra by allowing you to change where the bracket bolts to the plate. Right now the bracket is mounted in position closer to the cogged pulley on the fuel and power steering pump assembly. If you need more room you can move the lower arm of the bracket (right on this photo) to the lower hole. This rotates the alternator away from the pump assembly.

2. The first step is to mount this plate for the alternator bracket to the bell housing. Note that the plate uses the same bolts that mount the bell housing to the engine block. For the final install you will have to bolt the engine block, motor plate (if you use one), bell housing, and drive kit all at once. We’re just doing it separately on the work bench so you can see the setup more clearly.

4. The fuel and power steering pump assembly mounts to the oil pump bracket on the Quarter Master bell housing. Since this is a wet-sump crate engine this bracket is open. The power steering pump is the gray aluminum unit, and the mechanical fuel pump is the red anodized piece. It is a high-quality unit manufactured by Waterman and will require a fuel pressure regulator with a return line back to the fuel cell.

6. Now we've reassembled everything in the race car so that you can see how it's all oriented in relation to the rest of the car. If you are running a dry sump system, Jones has a system where the oil pump bolts up in place of the fuel/power steering pump, but the alternator can still mount up exactly where it is now to help keep more weight move toward the center of the car.

7. The cogged belt Jones uses is great because it eliminates power-robbing slippage. It isn’t necessary to pull the adjuster super tight on a belt like this. A good trick for determining proper tension with a cogged belt is you should be able to twist it 90 degrees like you see here. For more information on improving weight placement and more installation pictures search “Jones Racing Products” at OneDirt.com. OneDirt.com 27

BRANCHING Tyler Reddick’s dirt roots yield NASCAR fruit By Dan Hodgdon

IT IS A JUNE SATURDAY afternoon at Gateway Motor-

sports Park, a 1.25-mile oval in Madison, Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. The bright sun beats down, scorching both the pavement and anyone unfortunate enough to get in its way. It’s a little past 1 p.m. and Tyler Reddick is helping himself to a taco lunch with some crew members and family behind one of the Brad Keselowski Racing haulers. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is in town, and Reddick has become one of its shining stars. The 19-year-old Reddick is dressed in blue jeans and a white polo shirt, on which he jokes he is wary of spilling salsa, and has just finished practice. He has a few hours to kill before a scheduled autograph session, qualifying, and the race later that evening. It’s a much different world than the one he grew accustomed to during his years in the Dirt Late Model scene. Photos by Barry Cantrell

“The way that the days go, they’re a lot longer in the Truck Series — a lot more spread out,” he says. “The dirt racing world is very fast-paced, a lot of things happen very fast. So you often just react. In the Truck Series world you have a little more time to plan things out.” There actually may not be two types of oval racing more different than what you find in dirt racing and a NASCAR national series event. While the longest of Dirt Late Model races run 100 laps, it’s not uncommon for a Truck Series race to be twice that length, and often on a much bigger track. Dirt racers may compete at two or three tracks in as many days with only a few hot laps available before the show begins, while NASCAR events are an exercise in fine-tuning and precise adjustments throughout the course of a weekend to gain the smallest advantage. Reddick has proven to be a quick study, having won the season-opening race at Daytona this year, a feat he backed up by capturing another victory at Dover in late May. As a result, in just his second (first full-time) season, Reddick is in the thick of a championship battle with twotime defending series champion Matt Crafton, veteran Johnny Sauter, and fellow teenage phenom Erik Jones.

The dirt racing world is very fast-paced, a lot of things happen very fast. So you often just react. In the Truck Series world you have a little more time to plan things out. The car control Reddick often displays is one of the major skills he developed racing dirt cars. That has worked in his favor in the Camping World Truck Series, where vehicles often are sucked around simply as the result of a side draft. His car control is a big part of what keeps him in contention for wins and precious top-ten finishes. “We have torn up a few vehicles, but luckily, I’ve been able to save it a few times and keep the sides on it,” he says. His crew chief, longtime NASCAR fixture Dough Randolph, believes Reddick’s adaptability is another major part of his success. “The track changes, and he can change his line. He can run high, he can run low,” Randolph explains. “He’s used to driving rough tracks, slick tracks, wet tracks, dry tracks. None of the track conditions bother him, and bumps don’t bother him that much. I think it’s all those things that are unique to dirt that he’s had to deal with in his racing career

that help him adapt to whatever situation he faces in the asphalt car. “And I think it helps allow him to not get frustrated because he knows that he’s had to deal with those things before.” While he’s made a name for himself in NASCAR over the last two seasons as the fast new kid, running up front is certainly not anything new for Reddick. A native of the Northern California town of Corning, Reddick began racing and winning in Outlaw Karts when he was just 4 years old. He then moved with his family to Du Quoin, Illinois, at age 13, where he raced Mini Sprints, non-wing 410 Sprint Cars, and Dirt Late Models around the Midwest. He ultimately became a fixture in the Dirt Late Model community, making regular starts on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and UMP Summernationals “Hell Tour,” while also competing at other prestigious dirt races around the country. He became the youngest winner in Lucas Series history with a tri-

Photo by Rick Schwallie

OneDirt.com 29

We have torn up a few vehicles, but luckily, I’ve been able to save it a few times and keep the sides on it. umph at East Bay Raceway Park during the Winter Nationals in February 2011, and sat on the pole and led laps during the World 100 in 2012. Reddick also made some spot starts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Camping World Truck Series, and ARCA in 2012 and 2013, which included a win in his very first K&N Series race at Rockingham in the fall of 2012. That victory put him on the radar of current Brad Keselowski Racing general manager Jeremy Thompson. Late in 2013 it was announced that Reddick would campaign the No. 19 Ford F-150 on a limited basis for the 2014 campaign, with backing from longtime sponsor Broken Bow Records. Both driver and sponsor would then move into full-time competition the following season. Last year Reddick also competed in a trio of Hell Tour races, winning at Highland Speedway on the Fourth of July weekend, and participated in the World 100 in September. Reddick doesn’t know when he’ll be back in the seat of a dirt car though, as he has learned to make compromises to spend more time furthering his NASCAR career. “I don’t have any dirt equipment, but I’ve been wanting to do some dirt races. I 30

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

just don’t know when,” he says. “As much as I’d like to run dirt races when I’m not racing [Trucks], there are a lot of things that do happen when we’re not racing that I want to be there to be a part of.” Reddick, who now lives in North Carolina — the heart of NASCAR country — speaks deliberately and thoughtfully, carefully choosing his words in interviews. Yet he strikes a balance between a professional demeanor and a

Photo by Barry Cantrell

playfulness with fellow drivers and team members that comes from being notquite 20 years old. He also maintains an entertaining presence on Twitter. His account recently featured a photo of his trophies on his kitchen counter, and he took over the official Camping World Truck Series account via a #AskReddick hashtag where he discussed topics ranging from Star Trek to his once-long hair.

Photo by Rick Schwallie

Back in professional mode, he is quick to note major contributors to his early success as his teammates Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and Austin Theriault, as well as the staff on-hand at the track and back at the shop. That large team atmosphere in NASCAR has been a bit of a culture shock to Reddick. “In the dirt racing world I didn’t work with a lot of people, just my dad, and whoever was helping us that week,” he says. “Now in this world you have a bunch of people that are here helping you. You’re all on the same team, so you have to get a little bit better at communicating.” Randolph believes that communication in general is one of the keys to a successful relationship. “I’ve been lucky enough to work with a lot of young drivers and some of them have a dirt background,” Randolph says. “So I think working with those guys has helped me to understand some of the things that challenge dirt drivers when they come into our sport. “I don’t think the language is all that different, I think it’s more about understanding what each other is saying, and

Photo by Rick Schwallie

I don’t have any dirt equipment, but I’ve been wanting to do some dirt races. I just don’t know when. getting clear communication. I won’t say that’s a dirt-to-asphalt specific thing, it’s more understanding the person that you’re working with and the sound of their voice, the tone of their voice. We all have a one-to-ten scale, but to be honest, we use the tone of the voice way more than we use that.” There have been peaks and valleys along the way, with Reddick in particu-

PROFESSIONAL LOW-PROFILE ALUMINUM FLOOR JACK & SKID PLATE • Floor Jack: (555-80006) ONLY Professional 2-Ton Low Profile Aluminum Floor Jack • Jack Skid Plate: (555-80027) Ideal for work on Dirt, Gravel & Grass

lar having to learn how to make pit stops and shift on restarts. Sometimes the process has gone smoothly and sometimes it hasn’t, but Randolph points out that what makes Reddick a successful driver is what can’t be taught. “Tyler’s strength has always been his speed and raw talent,” he says. Reddick will adapt to the rest; he always does.

24/7

TECH SUPPORT

555-80006K

SOURCE CODE

$319.98

15088655

FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING!* ORDER BY 11PM EST FOR SAME DAY SHIPPING!

CALL TODAY! 1-800-345-4545

*VALID ON ORDERS $30 AND OVER SHIPPING VIA GROUND SERVICE WITHIN THE CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES ONLY. SOME EXCLUSIONS MAY APPLY. SEE JEGS.COM FOR DETAILS.

Hit the dirt running with JEGS! Trusted since 1960, JEGS provides 24/7 technical support to make sure you get the parts your race car needs to finish first. Good advice & accurate answers included with every order!

FUEL CELLS CAMBER GAUGE

ALUMINUM RADIATORS Chevy/GM-Style Aluminum Radiator • Overall Size: 22” x 19” 555-52005 • Street/Drag/Circle Track only • 2 Row, 1” Core

$163.99 ADJUSTABLE BALL JOINTS GM Upper Ball Joint • Fits Upper Taper of Pinto Spindles

122-1210-101

• Camber Angles: +/- 6° • 1/4° Increments Includes: • Magnetic Adapter • Storage Case

555-81678

only

$68.99

only

$179.99

“GM 602” CIRCLE TRACK ENGINE • 350 HP • 390 ft/lbs TQ

555-15510

• 8 Gallon Fuel Cell w/ Steel Can • (1) -8AN Male Outlet • (1) -8AN Male Rollover Vent • 19”L x 19”W x 8”H

809-19258602

only

49.99

$3433.99

OIL PANS • Small Block Chevy 1955-79 • 2pc Rear Main • Left Hand Dipstick • Fits Most Chassis Except 1962-67 Nova

only

$177.99

555-50225

WHEELS

KEEP ON

TURNING

CHANGING TIRES is practically a weekly chore for most rac-

ers. It may not be your favorite task, but it is still a part of life, so you might as well do it right. It may seem simple, and there may not be a single best way to install a new tire on a beadlock race wheel, but there definitely are mistakes you want to avoid. While enjoying the Knoxville Nationals this year at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway, the crew at GP Motorsports, which fields the number 22 Sprint Car for Tony Schilling, were kind enough to let us hang out in their pit for a bit. We watched crewman Seth Vernon mount up some tires on several Weld Racing Sprint Car wheels with Bead-Loc rings, and we were amazed by his efficiency. So, of course, we had to grab a few photos. We aren’t saying this is the only way to effectively get tires on rims, but Vernon has proven that when hot laps are just minutes away this is one way to get it done effectively and quickly. Source: Weld Racing, weldwheels.com

1. GP Motorsports’ crew member Seth Vernon prepares a new Hoosier rear tire to go on one of the team’s many Weld Racing beadlock wheels while racing in the Knoxville Nationals. Notice that the beadlock ring is already removed from the wheel.

Tips for installing tires on your beadlock racing wheels

2. With the ring face of the wheel pointing up, lay the wheel over the rim. It should drop right over. Make sure the tire is centered over the wheel. Don’t worry about the bottom of the tire and wheel yet. OneDirt.com 33

3. Carefully lay the beadlock ring on the tire and wheel. There should be some anti-seize on each of the bolts on the ring. Make sure the inner edge of the ring fits properly inside the tire and thread on four bolts by hand in the 12-, 3-, 6- and 9-o’clock positions until they are finger tight.

4. Vernon uses a battery-powered impact to tighten the rest of the bolts. The goal here isn’t to clamp them down all the way yet, but just enough to bring the ring snug against the tire.

6. Flip the wheel over and lubricate the inside of the bead with a little spray lube or a spray bottle filled with water and a few drops of liquid soap.

5. Vernon finishes with a ratchet tightening each bolt by hand. If you aren’t experienced at this, and have yet to develop a good feel for the correct amount of pressure, we suggest following Weld’s recommendation of torquing each bolt to 18 lb-ft. 34

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

7. Now it is time to begin the process of filling the tire with air. You probably will need to hold the tire against the bead. To make this easier, Vernon uses a quick disconnect mounted to the wheel that holds an air hose in place. This leaves his hands free to pull the tire up against the bead until the tire starts inflating. After that the air pressure inside the tire will hold it in place.

9. Vernon switches to the standard Schrader valve and uses a gauge to ensure the tire is filled to the correct cold pressure.

10. A Hoosier tire on the Weld Racing wheel ready to rock and roll. 8. Notice that the tire still isn’t fully seated in the bead. When it does seat, you will see the tire move and also hear a pop. At this point, Vernon removes the hose from the quick disconnect.

For even more info on installing tires on beadlock wheels search “Weld Racing” at OneDirt.com.

Total Seal® Piston Rings deliver the highest level of reliabilty, durability and consistent power to dominate not only at the start, but all the way to the finish. That’s why the top engine builders in Sprint Cup, Circle Track and Drag Racing rely on the proven performance of Total Seal® Piston Rings. Don’t accept OEM production car piston rings for your racecar. Demand Total Seal ®.

Only Total Seal ® offers you winning piston ring technology and selection... ™ Steel Rings • Advantage Ring Sets • Advanced Profiling ™ Diamond Finish Rings Spacers • • Ring Groove ™ Ring Sets Gapless® One-Piece Oil Rings • Gold Finish • • Gapless®® Top Rings • ProRail™ & Custom Oil Rings Gapless 2nd Rings • • PVD & IP Coatings Napier 2nd Rings • • Tighter Tolerances • CR Ring Sets • Custom Face Profiles When you need the key to unlocking more horsepower, turn to the PISTON RING AUTHORITY... TOTAL SEAL®. We offer the most advanced piston ring designs, greatest selection and personal technical assistance that is second to none. We can also handle any of your custom ring needs, from special coatings to any bore, thickness or radial dimension.

800-874-2753 • TotalSeal.com • Tech Line: 623-587-7400

NOSE JOB

Getting down (force) with Five Star’s new Evolution MD3 nose

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

THERE IS NO DOUBT that Five Star Race Car Bodies is the most trusted manufacturer of high-downforce noses in Late Model racing. Its MD3 nose package is found on almost every top Late Model team in all divisions. Even though its products dominate the market, Five Star hasn’t been sitting around waiting for everyone else to catch up. In the last issue of OneDirt magazine we spoke with Five Star’s Carl

Schultz about the development of the new MD3 Evolution nose. “Every square inch of that front end has got aerodynamic features built into it,” Schultz told us. “Everything has a function. There is maybe a little bit of styling in the headlight area, but every other shape on that nose is there to help build downforce.” After learning more about how the MD3 line of noses came into being and Schultz’s

1. Car owner, Chris Hargett, starts by assembling the nose pieces and the lower valence. Once he gets everything like he wants it, Hargett will pop rivet the components together. But for now removable Cleco fasteners are used.

2. Here’s a look at the underside of the nose. We’re using Five Star’s lightweight, yet strong, plastic lower nose support (the black rib you see), which will connect the lower section of the nose to the bumper bar.

For even more installation pictures of the Evolution MD3 nose search “Five Star Bodies” at OneDirt.com.

enthusiasm for the new Evolution design, we wanted to get a better look for ourselves. Check out these shots as Late Model racer Chris Hargett installs a new Five Star MD3 Evolution nose on a car he is rebodying. This is not a full step-by-step how to installation article. Instead, we wanted to take a general overview of this nose and point out some differences if you are familiar with the previous generation MD3. Source: Five Star Race Car Bodies, fivestarbodies.com

3. The fenders come in separate sections. Again, you can see how every edge has been given a ridge or a lip to help make it easy for you to piece together properly the first time. OneDirt.com 37

4. The old nose has been stripped off the bumper and the new piece is ready to be fitted up. If you already run an MD3 second-generation nose, the Evolution will fit to the same bar.

6. In case you aren’t familiar, Clecos are removable “rivets” that can be installed and removed multiple times without damaging the plastic nose or even sheet metal. They are installed using this special pair of pliers and fit in the same size hole as a pop rivet. Once you have everything positioned where you like it you can remove each Cleco one at a time and replace it with a rivet in the same hole.

8. The MD3 Evolution isn’t a dramatic change from the previous generation, but it is distinguished by sharp lines and a deep lip before each wheel opening to help maximize both downforce and side force. 38

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

5. When we came back around, Hargett had already roughed in the nose, both fenders and the aluminum nose panel (red). The proprietary plastic Five Star uses is incredibly durable, yet flexible enough to bend if the nose gets dug into the mud instead of cracking or breaking.

7. This view from behind the nose shows how the lower bumper bar bolts through the lower nose support we showed you earlier to secure the bottom section of the Evolution nose to the car.

9. For comparison’s sake, here’s a shot of the right fender on the previous generation MD3 nose that we pulled off the car.

10. Because it is constructed from flexible plastic, some racers will try to bend the nose to fit the car, reducing the effectiveness of the aerodynamics Five Star has designed into the Evolution nose. Hargett found that the existing T-bar on the car was too short, so he fabricated a new one (the unpainted square tubing) approximately two inches taller to better fit the nose.

12. After drilling a few more holes, Hargett will use bolts to secure the remainder of the Evolution-molded fenders to the fabricated aluminum fenders. Being able to unbolt and remove the aluminum fenders quickly is key to getting access to the front suspension so you can make setup changes at the racetrack.

11. A short piece of aluminum angle helps connect the nose to the fender from inside the car. It is also used as an attachment point for a piece of spring steel which will support the fender and push it back out if Hargett makes contact with another car on the track.

13. Five Star has also made available several decal packs to fit the nose that identify your car as any of a number of makes. Hargett tries out the headlight for the Ford Mustang decal pack, which looks excellent.

Get the App, Hit the Track iRaceWeigh ™, the First App to Display Live Scale Weights is Now Available as a Scale System! SW656 ™

iRaceWeigh ™ Wireless Scale System Part # 170306

1,749 00

Includes: 15˝x15˝x2.5˝ (381x381x64mm) Wireless RFX™ Billet Pads, iRaceWeigh™ Module, Two AA Alkaline Batteries Per Scale Pad, 2-Year Warranty

(Smartphone, Tablet, or other compatible device NOT included)

Download the FREE iRaceWeigh ™ App Today!

Even More Ways to Get Your Weights!

SW787 ™

PC Wireless Scale System (PC Not Included) Part # 170154-PC

intercompracing.com +1 763-476-2531 Worldwide

1,489

SW777RFX ™ Wireless Scale System Part # 170127-WPC

Includes: Pad Case, Software & USB Cable

1,999 00

SW650RFX ™ Wireless Scale System Part # 170126-W

1,695 00

TRANS WORK

MADE EASY

Take some frustration out of working on your transmission with no-leak fittings IF YOU TAKE A POLL at practically any racetrack asking rac-

ers and car owners to name the largest hurdle when it comes to operating a winning race team, the number one answer will almost always be money. Yes, money is always the first thing that comes to mind. But right behind money — when it comes to the resource we all need more of — is time. Few of us have a crew that is in the shop consistently enough to get everything on your wish list done. So you wind up prioritizing and categorizing tasks into lists like must be done, should be done, and only if everything else is done. You get the idea. If you suffer damage at the track then that weekly to-do list gets thrown on its head. Crafty racers realize that cutting the amount of time required to complete a task is the equal of having extra crew help on hand. This is true both when working on your race car in the shop or in the pits at the race track, where time is always at a premium. If you are working on a transmission that uses a cooler with external lines, one area you can save yourself time — and frustration — is with a set of quick-connect fittings. Between wrenching the fittings and draining the fluid, changing over transmission lines can be time consuming and messy. 40

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

One option more racers are finding useful is to switch out the standard AN fittings for Jiffy-tite Motorsport’s Quick-Connect fittings. Jiffy-tite fittings are used in a wide variety of automotive and industrial applications, but the company offers a motorsports line specifically to provide the lightweight and trouble-free operation that racers require. The basic concept of the Jiffy-tite design is to eliminate the screw-together type fittings prevalent on almost all plumbing systems. The Jiffy-tite fittings use a quick-disconnect system that doesn’t require any tools to use, and an internal valve on both sides of the fitting eliminate fluids that can leak all over you and your race car. This means you can change out a radiator or coolant lines without the risk of scalding water burning you, or you can quickly swap out a carburetor without dumping flammable race fuel down the engine and onto the hot exhaust headers. By getting rid of the screw-together type fittings, you can also eliminate a lot of problems that always seem to creep up at the racetrack. Just imagine, no more fluid leaks from cross threading, over tightening, stripping, or simply forgetting to go back and re-tighten fittings that had only been threaded on by hand. Thankfully, you can forget the wrench and lose the mess when working on your transmission or trans cooler lines by

Jiffy-tite’s Quick-Connect fittings don’t require any tools to remove the lines from your transmission (or anywhere else you use them) and feature a valve in each side of the fitting that prevents fluid leaks.

using one of Jiffy-tite Motorsports’ transmission kits, equipped with the company’s innovative Quick-Connect Fluid Fittings. The valved technology behind Jiffy-tite’s Quick-Connect Fluid Fittings make changing transmission lines faster, safer and spillproof. You can simply disconnect the self-sealing fittings by hand, no tools needed. To connect, pull the socket collar back, insert the male plug and release. Jiffy-tite transmission kits are available to fit virtually all transmissions. They are available in standard valved sizes with Fluorocarbon seals, which are resistant to most chemicals. Jiffy-tite’s kits are available with -6 AN steel-braided rubber hose or -6 AN steel-braided PTFE hose, depending on your transmission needs. Source: Jiffy-tite Motorsports, jiffy-titemotorsports.com

This isn’t your typical dirt racing transmission, but this shot gives you an idea how cleanly these kits mount up. OneDirt.com 41

UNDER ON I T C U R T S CON

Not all piston rings are created equally 42

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

In lower classes with restricted compression, you can often get away with a well-made ductile iron second ring with a moly coating, but you have to make sure you keep your engine sealed well and your filters clean. The moly coating is soft, and besides clinging to oil (a good thing), it will also cling to any grit or sand it comes into contact with (a bad thing). If you are having trouble with dirt getting into your engine, it may be a good idea to go with a harder steel top ring which won’t grab onto dirt and grit. Otherwise you may find yourself wondering why your engine is down on power so soon. This is an extreme example, but here you can see damage from dirt all over the ring and not just the moly face that touches the cylinder wall.

priate for their build. Do you go with the high-end stuff by default? Not only can that be a waste of money, but using rings in the wrong application (even the expensive ones) can cause more harm than good. And we all know that going with what everybody else uses just condemns you to running mid-pack. So we asked Total Seal’s Keith Jones to help us understand the different materials that go into piston rings and what applications each are designed for. Jones is a fantastic tech resource and he provided a wealth of knowledge. As you might guess, there’s more to it than a simple good/better/best. His insight is invaluable when it comes to matching the right ring to the engine package. We can’t improve on how he explains it, so we’ll just give it to you straight as he told us.

Cast Iron

Photo by Rick Schwallie

THERE IS A REASON why some pis-

ton rings go for $40 a set while others run $400 a set, and in the right situation both are considered a good deal. That’s because rings for different applications use different materials and are constructed using different processes. It only makes sense that rings for high-performance applications require high-

er-quality materials and more precision during the manufacturing process than stock replacement stuff. Of course that high quality will come with extra cost. That is where a lot of confusion comes in with racers building their own engines — and even some professional engine builders — when trying to determine which rings are appro-

Cast iron is the bottom end as far as materials when it comes to piston rings. It is a relatively inexpensive material, easy to make, and easy to work with. It is just simple and easy. There are a few downsides to cast iron. The material just has a few weaknesses that you can’t get around. It is very brittle, and doesn’t handle a lot of heat. So one of the things you have to look at with rings is, at what temperature does the ring anneal or soften? When a ring goes soft it collapses. When you take the brand-new ring out of the pack it has an open gap, or OneDirt.com 43

what we call a free gap. If you measure that gap before you build the engine then check it again at the rebuild. It will change a little bit, but if you go in with a 1/2-inch free gap, and it comes back out with 0.100-inch, then you know that ring has collapsed. That means it got hotter than the material can handle. The brittleness of cast iron also limits where the ring can be used, at least as a top ring, which sees all the abuse. It doesn’t like a real violent environment. Detonation can shatter the ring. If you put it into something like an alcohol Sprint motor, something that is running a lot of fuel through the motor, that fuel will collect in and around the ring and ring lands, and it can literally hydraulic and shatter the ring. There are, however, some upsides to cast-iron. It is a very simple material to work with, inexpensive, and seats quickly. Cast iron was the go-to ring material 100 years ago. But times have changed, and we have evolved.

Ductile Iron Ductile iron is a better version of cast iron. Obviously, it is ductile, which means it is more malleable. You can take a ductile-iron ring and twist it until it looks like a corkscrew, and it doesn’t break. But like the cast iron, it is a cast or poured material. You have to go to the foundry and have the material cast into shape. It is relatively inexpensive in comparison to some other materials. And it also accepts a wide range of coatings, the most popular would be molybdenum (Molly). So the ductile iron is the next step up, and it is still popular today. But what makes it easy to work with also makes it kind of nasty. And that is why iron-based rings are going away. That is because we have to pour the metal. In our case Total Seal is not a foundry. We don’t pour our own metal, so we have to have it done. That can limit our options for small custom runs. And at the same time there is also a lot of scrap, because that material has got to get machined. We’ve got to machine the ID, the OD, grind it, lap it, and machine the face. You ultimately end up discarding or recycling quite a bit of what you just paid for in the process of making a finished ring. We’ll still see ductile iron rings primarily in the top ring. It is a more expensive material than standard cast iron, so you will see it less often in the second ring where you don’t have to use it. That’s mostly because we’re trying to keep cost contained. 44

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Depending on what you’re doing, ductile is usually 1.5 to 2 times the cost of plain old cast-iron. And it handles more heat than cast-iron, but not as much as a lot of steels.

Hybrid Ductile Sticking in the iron world, we also have what we refer to as a hybrid iron, or a hardened-ductile iron. Here at Total Seal, that’s what we call our TNT ring. The hybrid is a hardened, intrinsically spun ductile iron. It is a better grade of ductile iron, and the material originates from the high-pressure diesel world. This is still a poured material, so it is still done in a foundry and you still have to machine it. While better than standard cast iron, the iron material still has heat limitations, too.

Steel When you get into the world of steel rings, which is the direction that we are going pretty quickly, now it is really different. The steel ring starts out as a wire. You’ve got big spools of wire that are already basically the size and shape of what you need. Then we will take it and coil that wire into the size and diameter ring that we need. With this method there literally is no scrap. Unless you produce a bad part, there really is no waste or leftover. So it is a very clean operation and very efficient. It really cuts down on the manufacturing time, and combined with the fact that there is no wasted material it helps keep our costs down. Right now steel rings are still more expensive than iron, but steel rings are the direction the world is moving and our costs will continue to go down as we find ways to produce them more efficiently. We can do steel top rings and steel second rings. And just like in the iron world, there are different types of steel. You’ve got carbon steels, which are very common and quite popular. We have stainless steel now, and then there is also M2 tool steel, which is what we use for big nitrous or turbo applications. But that’s for those totally insane engines. Within that steel world there are different grades of material. The higher grades of steel will handle more heat, or it takes more heat to anneal the part. That’s why everything is shifting to steel. Another advantage of steel rings is that they will allow more coating options than the iron rings. With steel,

we can do a Particle Vapor Deposition (PVD) coating which doesn’t really work with iron. Instead of basically applying a coating to the surface of the material and hoping it sticks, the PVD process actually bonds the coating to the steel at the molecular level. It opens up a whole new world of options for us when it comes to performance rings.

Real-World Applications I help people match up the right rings to their engine application every day. I welcome the phone calls. Don’t go to the internet in some chat room and take advice from some guy you don’t know and is just a keyboard expert. Why wouldn’t you call the people that actually make the parts and ask them? The bottom line is, I want to talk to our users. I want to hear from you. And the first question I’m going to ask is what are you doing? What are your expectations? The guy that is racing a Hobby Stock and wants to make it two years without ever touching the engine is going to need a different ring than the guy running Late Models. We have a set of rings we call our claimer set. It is a very cost-effective ring package, and it is geared specifically for that budget racer that wants to be able to get a whole season’s worth of racing out of the rings but not break the bank. These things are a little over $100. It’s got a gapless second ring, you’re going to get all the advantages of the gapless. You’re going to cut down on blow-by and it’s going to seal better. It also has low-friction oil rings and a moly top ring that is going to wear well. It is a great entry-level package. And then we go up from there based on what you are doing. If a budget conscious guy is having issues keeping the engine sealed up, one area where he can actually save himself some money in the long run is with a slightly higher set of rings. Moly as a coating is porous, so it holds a lot of oil. But it also grabs onto everything else. You have to be honest with yourself, if you aren’t staying on top of your filters and keeping them clean, that dirt will get into the motor and get into the moly. And now it is just working its way up and down the bores, and it will eat those cylinders alive. A hard-coated ring, like our AP steel ring, can be a better option because it won’t grab that dirt and sand and will help the engine live longer. Source: Total Seal Piston Rings, totalseal.com

TAILORED

FIT A great fabricator can make the process of building a race car seem like creating art

THERE IS AN ART to taking a big pile of tubing, a stack of

If you don’t notch your tubing, you wind up with big gaps like this. You can try to cover the gap with welding wire, but it will never be as strong as a properly notched and fitted tube.

Next step up is the hole saw notcher. There are several different options that vary from very basic — a hand drill (shown) — to a nice aluminum double-adjustable unit you can mount in a drill press. 46

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

sheet metal, and maybe an old chassis, and turning it into a car capable of winning races. But there is a lot of science too. The best fabricators have an understanding of geometry, can accurately measure and cut, and aren’t flummoxed by compound angles and curves. Having the right tools certainly helps, but more than anything it is important to know how to make the most of the tools you do have available to you. Whether you are building a race car from scratch, or just making some repairs or updates, two of the most important skills for anyone doing fab work on a race car are to be able to apply a good, strong weld and to be able to properly fit up roll cage tubing. It can be tempting to go with the “good enough” method when fitting up tubing. In other words, not worrying about getting two pieces of tubing to fit as closely as possible and simply throwing a bunch of weld at the joint to fill in any gaps. But it doesn’t matter how good your welds may look, filling a gap with welding wire is never as strong as two pieces of tubing that touch all the way around with a single bead of weld properly penetrating both pieces of steel. “Notching” is the name of the process to shape the end of one piece of tubing so it fits around a second. Practically every joint on a race car between two pieces of round tubing requires notching. There are several ways to properly notch a tube. While some are faster than others, and some make it easier to make precise notches, all can produce quality notches that provide a tight fit between tubes, if you use care. To find out what options are actually available to racers and car builders, we called up the most widely trusted company in racing when it comes to fabrication equipment, Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool, and they gave us a rundown of different notchers and how they work. What is cool is that, like we already mentioned, all of these options can be used to build a strong, safe roll cage. Source: Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool, mittlerbros.com

The most basic way to notch tubing is to grind it to fit using a powered angle grinder. This method is slow and tedious and all that grinding tends to make a big mess. When using a grinder to notch tubing, the best option is to take off small amounts of material with each pass and check often until you get the right fit.

Here’s the double-adjustable unit mentioned earlier mounted up in a drill press. This setup allows for a pretty good fit and helps you to make angle notches pretty easily. The downside is they tend to be noisy in operation and can be hard on hole saws. A tip for using any notcher of this type is use a high-quality hole saw with the finest tooth count as you can get. Also, go slow when you feed the saw in so it doesn’t grab the tubing and tear up the hole saw. Smooth and steady is the key here.

The ultimate notcher is a horizontal milling machine type like you see here. It cuts very quickly and produces precise fit ups suitable for TIG welding (which requires minimal gaps between pieces of tubing). The tubing is clamped in a vee block jaw vise and fed into the rotating milling cutter to the desired depth.

A hydraulic notcher was created to produce a fast clean notch in a portable machine that can be taken right to the job. Different size dies allow the tube to be notched fast and clean. This method will produce a fast 90-degree notch as well as some angles depending on how it is fed in on both sides. This one makes a very fast and clean cut but it can be limiting if you are trying to get some really sharp angles.

Here’s a shot of the piece of tubing after the notch has been cut. The vise has an adjustable swivel base so you can present the tube at different angles to get the desired fit. The cut is fast and quiet, and the machine is portable so it can be taken right to the job to save time. This type of notcher is in use by many major chassis builders in all forms of racing. OneDirt.com 47

2 DIRT TRACKS ONE MISSISSIPPI TOWN How they survive as neighbors in the Deep South. By Dan Hodgdon

WHEN YOU APPROACH Columbus, Mississippi, on Highway 45, cotton fields and lush, fertile countryside quickly dissolve into another, more recent hallmark of American landscape: the strip mall. Yet, after making your way past the Chili’s and the Walgreens, you’ll find a surprisingly thriving downtown area that serves as a microcosm of the present-day South. New-age yoga studios and coffee shops sit in close proximity to the Confederate monument in front of the courthouse, and a hand-painted sign on the window of the lawyer’s office could be straight out of A Heat of the Night episode. The town also features not one, but two dirt tracks, further adding to the Southern-ness of this place. Each facility serves as an example of the town’s theme of old and new. Magnolia Motor Speedway is celebrating its eleventh birthday and is a glitzy new-age facility with modern amenities on the western outskirts of town, towards Starkville and Mississippi State University. Just over 15 miles to the east, past downtown and near the Alabama line, lies Columbus Speedway, a tight, no-frills bullring in a residential neighborhood that has been going strong under the ownership of the local Nichols family since 1962.

Photo by

Scott Ogl

esby

Photo by Rick Schwallie

OneDirt.com 49

COLUMBUS FACTS Columbus, Mississippi, is the county seat of Lowndes County and had a population of 23,518 as of 2013. It was founded in 1821 and was known as Possum Town before its incorporation. That nickname persists today, along with its motto, “The Friendly City.” One of the earliest examples of Memorial Day took place in Columbus on April 25, 1866, when women decorated both Union and Confederate graves with flowers. Playwright

Tennessee Williams was born in the city on March 26, 1911. The Mississippi University for Women was chartered in Columbus in 1884 as the first state-supported college for women in America. The municipality lies just 25 miles from Mississippi State University. Columbus is also known for education of another kind: About half the pilots in the Air Force today were trained in basic flying at Columbus Air Force Base.

Photo by Dan Hodgdon

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

You’ll notice that theme is old and new, not old versus new. That’s where the two tracks differ from many of their brethren across the country, and contrast the current social climate in the United States as a whole. These tracks represent not competition, but amazingly enough, cooperation. Magnolia was built in the early 2000s and opened in 2004 to complement, and some say, put down, the other track in Columbus after Magnolia’s original owners couldn’t get the lease on the older facility. However, it didn’t take long for the two tracks to begin working together to ensure survival. It shouldn’t be a surprise in this town, after all Memorial Day traces its roots to Columbus, when on April 25, 1866, a group of women decorated both Union and Confederate graves with flowers. Today signs welcome visitors to the municipality of just over 23,000 known as “The Friendly City.” Johnny Stokes has been racing since 1970 — his career began at Columbus when he was just 15 years old. He has earned the nickname “Dr. Dirt,” both for his prowess behind the wheel of a Dirt Late Model, and his unmatched track prep techniques. Stokes promoted Columbus Speedway from 2001 to 2010, while also occasionally helping prepare the track across town, and ultimately managing both facilities for a period of time. Today he is solely the owner and promoter (and he likes to say, “sometimes driver”) at Magnolia. The track has undergone several leadership changes in its brief history, but now seems pointed in the right direction with Stokes at the helm. “I ran both [tracks] for two or three years, but I’m getting old. It was just too much for me to do,” he says.

It was then that Joe Ables entered the picture and became the track manager at Columbus. He is another former racer who is now in his fourth year helming the track known in Mississippi racing circles simply as “The Bullring.” In fact, Ables used to work for Stokes, both as a crew member and at the track. Both men are lifelong Columbus residents, and each speak with a noticeable Mississippi accent. “Neither one of us want to run every week. It’s kind of a good mix for the racer to change tracks, and it just makes no sense to fight each other,” Stokes says. “I ain’t got the money to fight him, and I’m sure they ain’t got the money to fight me. That’d be stupid, so we just would rather work together and make it happen.” He adds that since he is a driver as well, he still loves and enjoys the challenge of being able to race at Columbus himself from time to time. Ables says that during the winter months he lets Stokes put together his schedule and then fills in around the remaining dates. Magnolia is the showpiece of the town, and each year it hosts a three-day Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series program and the prestigious late-season Cotton Pickin’ 100, along with a number of Sprint Car shows and regional tours. That’s not to say Columbus is without its major draws, playing host to the regional Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series for Super Late Models, and perhaps one of the best-named events in all of racing: the Possum Town Grand Prix. Ultimately, the two tracks run an average of two weekends a month. Sometimes they will alternate dates; at other points in the season they will be on a two-week-on, two-week-off basis.

Neither one of us want to run every week. It’s kind of a good mix for the racer to change tracks, and it just makes no sense to fight each other.

Photo by Scott Oglesby

PROVEN RESULTS OF THE ULTRA 4BBL SERIES - NOW IN A 2BBL! • • • • • • • • • • • •

Choke tower eliminated for unobstructed airflow All aluminum construction - for nearly 50% weight savings 20% more fuel capacity 1-3/8” Venturii & 1-11/16” Throttle Bore size Billet metering blocks and baseplate Down-leg boosters for improved fuel signal Knurled (hand adjustable) curb idle screw Set screw for wide open throttle stop adjustment Air cleaner flange centered over venturii for improved airflow Race only throttle lever Wedge float provides fuel control while cornering Approved for use in NASCAR® Mid-West/West Coast Late Model Divisions

PART #

DESCRIPTION

0-4412BKX

500CFM Ultra XP 2BBL - Tumble polished aluminum w/ Black™ metering block & baseplate

0-4412HBX

500CFM Ultra XP 2BBL - Hard Core™ Gray w/ Black™ metering block & baseplate

Available in

Hard Core™ Gray

Hard coat anodizing penetrates the aluminum for superior corrosion protection!

HARD CORE GRAY™ HARD-ANODIZED FINISH - the perfect barrier to the corrosive properties of ethanol fuels.

DESIGNED AND SPECIFICALLY CALIBRATED FOR E85 FUEL! • • • • • • • • •

100% Holley - Made in the U.S.A. • 97% aluminum construction • 38% weight savings • 20% more fuel bowl capacity • 10 new fuel bowl features • 10 new base plate features 6 new metering block features 5 new main-body features 1 new carburetor...Ultra!

E85 specific metering blocks High Flow primary power valve .130” stainless needle & seats 50cc secondary accelerator pump Secondary jet extensions installed

Part# 0-80841HB 0-80842HB 0-80843HB 0-80844HB 0-80845HB

Description 600CFM Ultra E85 650CFM Ultra E85 750CFM Ultra E85 850CFM Ultra E85 950CFM Ultra E85

HOLLEY.COM Techline: 270-781-9741

Photo by Rick Schwallie

“Trying to run every weekend just gets you wore down,” Ables says. “When you race two weeks and then you’re off two weeks, it gives you time to rest and go sit down and enjoy a race, or go take a vacation or something.” The cooperation between the tracks is not solely for the benefit of those running the facilities though. Both fans and drivers have the opportunity to visit two different tracks and witness two distinct styles of racing without having to break the bank. “The customers and the drivers can sit right here and don’t have to drive 100 miles to go watch a race or be in a race,” Ables says. “That’s the main thing. You’ve got 10 miles to drive each Saturday night instead.”

Both tracks measure 3/8 mile, but aside from their Columbus address, they share few other traits. Columbus is shaped from high-banked red clay, and its wickedly fast turns are downright scary-looking to a first-time visitor. Brute strength is a driver’s friend at “The Bullring.” Magnolia on the other hand features more sweeping corners and Stokes likes to keep the middle part of the gumbo surface dry, making it very slick, while keeping the top and bottom moist and tacky. The end result essentially creates two tracks in one, allowing for a variety of line choices. It is aptly nicknamed “The Black Ice,” and requires a lot of throttle modulation and finesse. Each track is super fast in its own way, also requiring a great deal of bravery.

Photo by Scott Oglesby

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

I think the only thing that could go wrong is if we tried to fight each other on the same night and we’re not going to do that. I don’t see any problems we could have. It’s a good thing. The rules are similar enough as well to provide many weekly racers the option of competing at either track with minimal changes, or none at all. Crate Late Models and Street Stock racers often compete at each track, and many drivers from Magnolia’s Super Late Model crowd take on Columbus for the class’s special events there. Yet another Columbus native, Lee Ray, is a Street Stock driver who competes at both facilities in his hometown. “They’re right here in our backyard, so we hit both of them,” Ray says. “The old track’s red clay — it’s always hooked up — and then we [also go] to the Black Ice. Joe keeps [Columbus] in pretty good shape, and Johnny’s got Magnolia, and it’s always in good shape. So we enjoy going to both of them.”

Photo by Scott Oglesby

He also says that each track presents a unique challenge. “Magnolia is more sweeping, you can stay on the gas longer going in, and at Columbus you’ve got to go in there and turn [going into the corner].” Two racetracks in one town could easily turn bad — sometimes tracks within 50 miles of each other have a hard time learning to co-exist. That’s what makes the alliance and friendship between Ables and Stokes so intriguing. Both men have deep ties to racing in the town, but each are also shrewd businessmen. “I think the only thing that could go wrong is if we tried to fight each other on the same night and we’re not going to do that,” Stokes says. “I don’t see any problems we could have. It’s a good thing.”

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Intercomp Racing can give you an advantage on the track THE AVERAGE RACER can make most

of the necessary measurements on their race car and compare them against numbers from their chassis builder or a trusted racing veteran. But the savviest racers (and the ones that do the most winning) understand how all the moving pieces on the chassis work together as a whole. For example, it’s pretty common to be able to check camber, and even camber gain as the suspension moves the wheel through its travel. But being able to account for how sidewall flex in the tire will be affected by those settings is a much rarer ability, and can help you make the right setup adjustments at the track without having to resort to trial-and-error. That seems to be the thinking behind Intercomp Racing’s new CoilOver Spring Tester and Compressor. The company calls it one of the most versatile chassis setup tools you can use. That’s because it can do the task of evaluating several suspension components as a system. 54

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

For example, you can check your suspension springs in a spring rater. And you can compare the durometer ratings of your bump stops. But understanding how your car will react when they are activated at the same time is a different story. That is exactly what this new tool from Intercomp Racing can do — and more. The Coil-Over Spring Tester allows you to test a complete coil-over shock and spring setup. This includes bump stops, coil bind, and even the rod pressure provided by the shock itself. This is valuable so you can change any combination of shock, spring and bump stop and bolt it all up without throwing off your ride heights. Finally, on top of that, Intercomp says this tool is also valuable for making heim joint center-to-center measurements which can be used to help you maintain corner weights while making spring changes. Source: Intercomp Racing, intercompracing.com

Modern race cars that utilize coil-over shocks are pretty sophisticated machines. Understanding how to make all the systems work together is often the difference between victory lane and just another night at the race track.

2. Elevate and properly support the vehicle. Remove the coil-over assemblies and measure the center-to-center “free height” of your shocks from the center of the heim joints. Record these numbers as well.

1. The first step when using the Coil-Over Spring Tester is to scale the vehicle just as it would be raced. With the vehicle at race-ready ride height, measure the length of your shocks from the center of each heim joint. Make sure your suspension is settled and free of bind. Document the lengths for future reference.

4. Zero both the travel indicator (A) and the load indicator (B) on the device.

3. Once you have this information, you can load the entire coil-over assembly into the Coil-Over Spring Tester and Compressor.

5. Measure from the flat spots on the mounting pins to determine if the current center-to-center length of the shock in the Coil-Over Rater matches the free height measurement that you already recorded.

6. Compress the assembly until the center-to-center length of the shock is the same as it was installed on the vehicle at raceready ride height. Record the value noted on the weight indicator.

7. Now that we have this value and length, we can use these reference numbers to install any spring combination on that corner to maintain wheel load rates and ride heights. If you are changing to a softer spring, you will have to add preload to get the same target load number, which will give you the same ride height. Likewise, you will need to reduce preload when switching to a harder spring. OneDirt.com 55

Speed SHOP PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES

SPONSORED BY

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!

Less mess transmission Jiffy-tite, Transmission Hose/Fitting Kits Forget the wrench and lose the mess with Jiffy-tite’s innovative transmission kits, equipped with Jiffy-tite’s revolutionary quick-connect fluid fittings. The valved technology behind Jiffy-tite’s quick-connect fluid fittings make changing transmission lines faster, safer and spill-proof. Simply disconnect the self-sealing fittings by hand, no tools needed. To connect, pull the socket collar back and insert the male plug. Jiffy-tite transmission kits are available to fit virtually all transmissions. They are available in standard valved with Fluorocarbon seals. We offer our line kits with -6 AN steel braided rubber hose or -6 AN steel braided PTFE hose, depending on your transmission needs. jiffy-titemotorsports.com 888.605.7788

Extreme air Jones Racing Products, Hustler Fans The ultra-lightweight pocketed design of the center mounting hub is paired to three durable aluminum blades that are designed to produce extreme air movement thru the radiator while keeping the overall moment of inertia at a minimum. The powder coated finish adds to the overall strength and durability of the design. The 15-inch Hustler Fan weighs in at just over a pound. Jones has developed both 15 and 17 size fans depending on your application. Lightweight black anodized billet aluminum fan spacers are also available in 2-, 3-, and 4-inch lengths to ensure the perfect fit and placement, sold separately. jonesracingproducts.com 610.847.2028

Even more new products

@OneDirt.com 56

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Control wear and heat Lucas Oil, L10 Racing Gear Oil Lucas Oil's L10 Racing Gear Oil provides excellent thermal stability and longevity throughout the entire drivetrain system. Recommended for use in transmissions, Lucas specifically developed this formula with special anti-wear agents and lubricity agents to control wear and drag as well as special additives to control heat. This feature is not found in ordinary gear oils. Lucas developed this new gear oil formulation with their own gear box dyno and feedback from a major IRL Team, and we are told have already won in IRL, NASCAR, Pro Stock Car, Pro Stock Bikes and more. lucasoil.com 800.342.2515

L E D O M E T A L T R

N O I T U L EVO DI

O FOR

CE COMB ER / VALAN

D NOSE / FEN D E N G I S E ED

OVED R P M I & O TTER AER

LY R COMPLETE

FIT

ailable er also av d n fe t h tition >>Flat rig all compe in e s u r >>Legal fo t shown New

lower molded

B IL IT Y H G E & DURA U C O N A T T IS D S TESTE PA C T R E U N S U R PA

S S E D IM

E WNFOERDC& T E S T E D O D M U MAXIM N E L E N G IN E E R W IN D T U

nce no

aero vala

O F T E N IM

ION LUT O V E

ITAT E D .. .N

ER > STRONG O R E A R E CHED! BETT E V E R M AT www.FIVESTARBODIES.com

> L IG H T E R

Speed SHOP PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES High load rods COMP Cams, Straight, 7/16”, .165” Wall Pushrods New high-strength pushrods incorporate technology that was originally developed for NASCAR and NHRA race engines. Pushrods in many of these applications experience impact loads of up to 7500 lbs., meaning the incorrect one can cause catastrophic failure. The additional stiffness and higher natural frequency of a 7/16-inch wall thickness pushrod is a significant advantage in any application that has ample intake port and lifter clearance. The main bodies of these pushrods feature a straight 7/16-inch OD, with a ball end that tapers down to a 210-degree radius, 5/16-inch ball end. The radii on each end provide clearance for the rocker adjuster at high lift and allow the pushrods to be installed either “up” or “down.” compcams.com 800.999.0853

Protect your valvetrain Lucas Oil, Extreme Pressure Valve Train Synthetic Grease Engine break in is especially hard on your valve train, so Lucas Oil has developed a unique high-pressure grease formulation to help protect it. Lucas Oil's Extreme Pressure Valve Train Synthetic Grease contains special bonding agents that create a powerful lubricant film between moving metal surfaces. This film can withstand extreme heat and mechanical pressure to keep metal parts separated, protecting them from scoring and seizing. This grease has excellent adhesion quality so it won't drip off before the engine is fired for the first time. It is a great option for use on rod bolts, pushrod ends, lifters and camshaft lobes. lucasoil.com 800.342.2515 58

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Plenty of teeth Quarter Master, 91-Tooth Clutchless Bellhousing Kits Quarter Master now offers a turn-key driveline kit with either magnesium or aluminum for dirt racers running the popular Bert/Brinn transmissions. The bellhousings are CNC-machined and accommodate both top- and side-mount oil pump locations. A 91-tooth flywheel also eliminates the idler gear starter assembly in many applications. A Quarter Master Ultra-Duty Reverse-Rotation, Reverse-Mount Starter is included. quartermasterusa.com 888.258.8241

One nice package TCI, Circlematic Transmission Packages All of the latest developments in drivetrain technology are now available to deliver superior performance in one convenient package. All Circlematic Transmission Packages come with everything you need to enhance drivetrain performance and durability, including a triple-tested, lightweight automatic TCI Circlematic Transmission; a matching, precision-tuned and performance-matched TCI Circle

Track Torque Converter where applicable (some packages contain pump drives or stock-appearing, non-functional converters); a dipstick, and premium, high-viscosity TCI Max Shift Circle Track Transmission Fluid. tciauto.com 888.776.0824

FEEL THE

XVA SERIES >> Large Dual-Zone gas bulb with optional ACV Base Valve utilizes an optimized floating piston to decrease rod pressure while improving driver feel >> Inline double adjustable shaft eliminates the need for performance robbing remote canister

BILSTEIN

DIFFERENCE

(877) 666-7662 www.bilsteinUS.com

AK SERIES - STRUT

ASN SERIES

XVS SERIES

>> Also available in non- and single-adjustable

REACH THE FINISH LINE FIRST.

From stock mount cars to high-end late models, BILSTEIN Shock Absorbers will provide extreme grip from start to finish.

Speed SHOP PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES Internal balance JEGS, SFI-Rated Billet Steel Flywheel Need some internal balance? Check out JEGS SFI-Rated Billet Steel Flywheel (#555-602200) for 1955–85 smallblock Chevy 262–350 engines & 1955–85 big-block Chevy 396–427 engines and 348–409 “W” blocks. Machined from 1045 billet steel and SFI 1.1 certified, this 153-tooth flywheel weighs 29 pounds and is capable of handling high rpm in heavy race vehicles. It fits 10-inch diaphragms; 10- and 10.5-inch long clutch patterns; 10-, 10.5-, and 10.95-inch Borg & Beck clutch patterns. JEGS Flywheels also available for other Chevy and Ford applications. jegs.com 800.345.4545

Better gears COMP Cams, Melonized Distributor Gears These new melonized distributor gears are designed to work with big- and small-block Chevy, Ford 302, and Ford 351W applications. They provide universal compatibility for any steel, cast iron or ductile iron camshaft, but without the wear concerns of bronze options. Melonized gears are less wear-prone and feature better timing accuracy than any other universally compatible distributor gear. compcams.com 800.999.0853

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Stay regular Crane Cams, Tel Tac Tach Adapter The new Tel Tac Tach Adapter from Crane can be used to correct an irregular readout while using a Crane Cams HI-6 or HEI-type ignition system, along with a digital Tel Tac brand tachometer. This lightweight billet unit is completely sealed in soft urethane to protect from vibration and moisture. A convenient #8 size though-hole can be used to hard-mount under the dash area with a nut/bolt combination or with a zip tie. All leads are color-coded for ease of installation. cranecams.com 866.388.5120

Stroker ace Lunati, Voodoo Small Block Chevy 383 Stroker Crank & Rod Kit The Voodoo 383 Stroker Crank and Rod Kit from Lunati combines high-quality components with an affordable price. Each kit includes a 3.750-inch-stroke Lunati crankshaft, 6.000-inch-long “stroker” H-beam connecting rods, and premium main and rod bearings. Lunati crankshafts are made from a non-twist 4340 steel alloy forging for strength and durability, and feature lightening holes in

the rod journals for reduced crankshaft inertia and increased acceleration. They are nitride heat-treated, finished with micro-polished journals, and designed for use with two-piece rear seals. Lunati’s Voodoo H-beam rods are also made from forged 4340 steel, CNC-machined, and fitted with ARP2000 rod bolts. Each Stroker Crank and Rod Kit ships with a premium main and rod bearing kit. Balancing and pistons available upon request. lunatipower.com 662.892.1500

More Power & Throttle Response For Small Block Chevy Engines With the latest design updates, bolt-on quality and cutting-edge airflow technology, RHS® Small Block Chevy 23-Degree Aluminum Cylinder Heads are the perfect choice for circle track racing engines (262421c.i.). Standard features include a multi-angle Serdi valve job, cast aluminum construction, multi-angle intake and radiused exhaust valve seats for up to 5% more airflow than the competition. These “As Cast” and CNC-ported heads are available fully assembled with top quality COMP Cams® components or in a build-your-own configuration. • Features include multi-angle in. & radiused ex. valve seats for up to 5% more airflow than the competition • Updated water jacket & port designs deliver increased cylinder head performance & race durability CNC VERSIO N ALSO S AVAILA BLE

23° ALUMINUM INTAKE MANIFOLDS Engineered specifically to port match fit RHS® 23-Degree Small Block Chevy cylinder heads, these intakes are the only ones designed with a 4150 flange and bolt machining to fit all versions of SBC heads. They provide the power and strong torque curve throughout the mid-RPM range that is required for racing applications up to 434c.i. Auxiliary Dual-Sided Distributor Water Ports Mounting Points

• Patented Clean Cast Technology™ provides superior port-to-chamber transitions, optimal airflow efficiency & improved overall casting quality

R AC INGHEADSERV ICE.COM • 1 .877. 776 . 4 3 2 3

Carb #12902 EFI #12903 Fits All Versions Of SBC Heads

9387k

PRO ACTION™ SMALL BLOCK CHEVY 23˚ ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS

Photos by Jason Shultz

Brad Mueller is short track racing’s version of the two-way player By Dan Hodgdon

IN THE MOTORSPORTS world, at

least at the short track level, it seems that a distinct line is drawn between dirt and asphalt. The phrases “asphalt’s for gettin’ there” and “dirt’s for farming” are bandied back and forth between the two sides like verbal grenades. Drivers like Jeff Purvis, who has wins in the most prestigious races on both dirt and asphalt, the World 100 and Snowball Derby, respectively, are now few and far between. However, there are a few racers out there still just as capable in each discipline, and Brad “J.J.” Mueller from Random Lake, Wisconsin, is proof of that. He doesn’t even have a favorite surface. “When both cars are running great I love them equally,” he quips. 62

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

The two cars Mueller, 46, is referring to are his Dirt Late Model that he races weekly at the Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan Country Fairgrounds, and his pavement Super Late Model that he runs Sundays on the high banks at famed Slinger Speedway — home of the historic Slinger Nationals. “The reason I run Dirt Late Models on Saturday night is because [the track] is close to home and I’ve always had a heart for dirt racing,” he explains. “Growing up so close to Plymouth, that’s what I’ve always loved to do. “I started my asphalt racing back in the mid-90s, and if you race at Slinger Speedway once, you’ll get bitten. It’s one of the greatest racetracks you’ll ever drive around.”

Mueller’s career began on the dirt at Plymouth in 1987, where he raced Super Stocks and Limited Late Models until 1993. He then bought all of Robbie Reiser’s pavement equipment after Reiser decided to head south, ultimately winning a Sprint Cup championship as crew chief for fellow Wisconsin native Matt Kenseth, before becoming general manager at Roush Fenway Racing. Reiser’s father drove for Mueller’s dad for many years in Wisconsin, so the two kids grew up together and remain integral parts of the close-knit Wisconsin racing community. In fact, Kenseth’s son Ross made his first Dirt Late Model start in 2013 at Chilton Speedway in a car owned by Mueller. Upon purchasing the equipment from Reiser, Mueller focused primarily

on his asphalt operation for a decade or so, competing at Slinger — where he won three Late Model titles from 2003– 2005. He also made spot starts in what were then the NASCAR Busch and Camping World Truck Series, as well as with ARCA and the old ASA National Tour. He then built himself another dirt car and ran both dirt and asphalt parttime for a few years in the second half of the 2000s. In 2010, he decided to take the dirt side more seriously and put together a Mastersbilt chassis. For the past five seasons, he and his nine-person team at Brad Mueller Racing Enterprises have competed at both Plymouth and Slinger, as well as a number of other area tracks. He won the Plymouth Dirt Track championship in 2011 and 2013 and is a strong contender to pick up the title again this season. “I’m proud of every one of our championships we’ve won between Plymouth and Slinger,” Mueller says. “There’s a couple of races I’d like to be able to conquer yet: I’d like to be able to win the Slinger Nationals, which we’ve finished second in many times, and I’d like to probably win another dirt championship this year.” Mueller owns Mueller’s Sales and Service which sells cars, trucks, race car trailers, utility trailers, and boats among

The reason I run Dirt Late Models on Saturday night is because I’ve always had a heart for dirt racing. I started my asphalt racing back in the mid-90s, and if you race at Slinger Speedway once, you’ll get bitten. other equipment. He also recently became part owner of a bar in Plymouth called the Back 40 Pub & Grill, and is raising a family that includes three young kids. All of this makes him a very busy man.

“I’ve got three kids under the age of 13, so I kind of like to stay a little closer to home with the [racing] program,” he says. “As they get a little bit older I might start to travel again. We had dabbled [with touring] and it just got to be OneDirt.com 63

There’s a little more contact on the dirt end of it than versus the asphalt. too much with our own business and trying to keep stuff going. So we said, ‘you know what, we’ll just scale it back for a little while and just enjoy ourselves.’’’ One of the series that Mueller would like to run if given the opportunity is the Corn Belt Clash, a Midwest sanction for Dirt Late Models, in which Mueller has made occasional starts. His fun-loving and easygoing personality has also made him an untold number of friends in the racing scene, including many at Quarter Master, the driveline company that has long been intertwined with the rich legacy of racing in the Upper Midwest. Mueller runs Quarter Master components including a clutch, bellhousing, driveshaft, and starter.

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

“In the 20+ years I’ve had all that [Quarter Master] stuff, I have had absolutely zero failures with anything,” he says. “Being in Lake Zurich, Illinois, they’re not too far from us and I like supporting companies that are close by and obviously in the United States. “Any time I need something I give [general manager] Jeff [Neal] a call and he gets me on the hookup right away.” Although Quarter Master builds parts for both dirt and pavement, it’s up to the racer to know what to do with them. And the racing can be very different between the two track styles. Amazingly, Mueller seems to have mastered them both — no easy task in today’s world of specialization. “There are definitely different per-

sonalities between asphalt drivers and dirt drivers,” he says. “There’s a little more patience on the asphalt end of it because you have a spotter, which you don’t have on the dirt. That makes it a little more difficult. You have to drive a little bit more by what I call the Braille method. There’s a little more contact on the dirt end of it than versus the asphalt.” He isn’t fazed by the differences in any racing discipline though — in fact he embraces them — as exemplified by a trip to Fairley, Iowa, at the end of last season to run a four-cylinder Enduro for a possible $10,000 payday. “I race just about anything,” Mueller says. “I’ll do anything once.” Source: Quarter Master, quartermasterusa.com

ENTHUSIAST CLUB

REGULARLY $49.95

INTRODUCTORY OFFER ONLY

$29 .95

Join now to

PUT MORE DIRT

in your life.

Join the OneDirt Enthusiast Club and you’ll get every action-packed issue delivered right to your door. As if you needed another reason, your annual membership also includes a custom OneDirt t-shirt and merchandise, exclusive club giveaways, member discounts and so much more. Become a member of the OneDirt Enthusiast Club today at this introductory special pricing before this offer ends forever.

• OneDirt print magazine subscription • Includes T-Shirt, license plate, and poster • Exclusive club giveaways and discounts

BELIEVE THE

BUBBLE Using a traditional bubble gauge to accurately check caster and camber on your race car

WHEN YOU FIRST start racing, there are a few specialized

tools practically everyone will need to supplement the usual assortment of wrenches and pliers in the toolbox. One of the prime tools we’d definitely recommend is a quality caster/camber gauge. We don’t know if we’ve ever met a winner in victory lane who doesn’t have some method for measuring at least the camber on the front wheels. In other words, if you try to go racing without a way to measure caster and camber at your front wheels you’re just some yahoo making laps. Fortunately, adding a quality caster/camber gauge to your toolbox doesn’t mean breaking the bank. Yes, there are digital units out there that are pretty sweet and go for several hundred dollars, but you can get results that are nearly as accurate with a traditional bubble gauge. JEGS has one of the most reasonably priced bubble gauges we’ve seen that should meet the standards of any racer. JEGS’ new Caster Camber Gauge sells for around $120 and includes all the features you expect to find in more expensive bubble gauges. This includes durable billet aluminum construction, etched markings that won’t scratch off or become difficult to read, a magnetic adaptor that will fit most hubs, and a padded carrying case to protect the gauge from damage when it isn’t being used. 66

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

JEGS’ Caster Camber Gauge is a great value at around $120. A bubble-style gauge has been around for decades and is a proven design. This particular unit measures camber angle from +8 to -8 degrees and caster from +12 degrees to -4 degrees, which should cover the needs for almost every oval track racer.

Of course, even the nicest looking tool is useless if it doesn’t work like you need it to. So we decided to test JEGS’ new Caster Camber Gauge by taking it to the race shop of Jason Gulledge and handing it off. The gauge worked flawlessly, as you can see in the photos. Source: JEGS, jegs.com

1. Normally, a caster/camber gauge will be used for dialing in the final setup before leaving for the track, but the gauge is also useful to see if you’ve bent anything if you bumped wheels with another car or scrubbed the wall. Here, Gulledge uses the gauge right after a night of racing to make sure nothing has moved, even before he takes time to wash the car.

2. Checking caster, which is the amount the spindle is leaned forward or back, requires rotating the steering wheel. The best way to do this is with a set of dedicated turn plates, but they can be pretty expensive. A cheaper option is to place a large garbage bag folded up under both of the front tires. This will help eliminate binding the suspension or excessive sidewall flex when turning the wheels on the shop floor.

3. The gauge’s magnetic mount means it will work with most wheels (wide-five wheels will require a different adaptor). Here, Gulledge has pulled off the dust cap that covers the hub. The caster/camber gauge mounts to the machined surface of the steel wheel hub.

4. Gulledge checks wheel camber first. Camber is the amount the top of the wheel leans either in (negative camber) or out (positive) measured in degrees from vertical. With the wheels pointed straight ahead he mounts the gauge to the wheel and then rotates the gauge using the small bubble level on the end until it is level.

5. Camber is read using one of the two bubble vials on either side of the gauge. Positive camber is on the left and negative is one the right. Find the one that isn’t maxed out (the positive gauge in this case) and read where the bubble sits on the gauge. For the left-front wheel Gulledge has 2 degrees of positive camber — exactly where he wants it. On the right front Gulledge usually runs 4 degrees negative camber.

7. Next, he turns the wheel until the left front is pointed 20 degrees to the right (a 40-degree sweep). Using the bubble level on the end of the gauge, he rotates the gauge back to level and reads the caster on the middle vial.

6. With the left-front wheel turned 20 degrees to the left, Gulledge adjusts the knurled knob in the center of the gauge until the bubble on the caster vial is centered over the zero mark.

8. Here, it is easy to see that the left front wheel has 1 degree of positive caster. On the right front Gulledge typically runs 5.25 degrees positive caster. OneDirt.com 67

RUNAges for the

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series driver Jonathan Davenport is enjoying a season worthy of the record books By Jeff Huneycutt

Photos by Heath Lawson

IT’S NOT A STRETCH TO SAY that

Jonathan Davenport is wrapping up one of the greatest seasons ever as a Dirt Late Model driver. The Blairsville, Georgia, driver nicknamed Superman has put on a display — especially in the second half of the season — that has rivaled anything we have ever seen on dirt. Making it even more amazing is the fact that Davenport isn’t knocking off wins in a regional series with limited competition. He is competing in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series against arguably the best collection of Late Model dirt drivers on the planet. As we go to press, the Lucas Oil series has completed 29 events on the schedule, and Davenport has won 10 of them, including many of the big-money races. That win total would likely be even higher if eight Lucas Oil races hadn’t been canceled due to inclement weather. Eleven points-paying events still remain for Davenport to add to his win total. Entering the late-August Pittsburgher 100, Davenport sat at the head of the championship standings with 5,025 points, 250 over second-place contender Scott Bloomquist. To give you some perspective of the significance of that gap, Bloomquist leads third-place driver Jimmy Owens by just 15 points. In fact, there’s only a 245-point difference separating Bloomquist and Don O’Neal who is currently in fifth. Besides the ridiculous win total, Davenport has also collected over $300,000 in winnings so far this year. That includes $20,000 for Magnolia Motor Speedway’s Clash at the Mag, $30,000 for Lucas Oil Speedway’s 23rd Annual Show-Me 100, and a whopping $50,000 for Florence Speedway’s 33rd Annual North/South 100. When you add in the potential wins in the fall’s big-money races, as well as the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship payout of $75,000, it is very possible that Davenport can collect a cool half-million dollars this season. Of course, few would have predicted such fantastic success based on Davenport’s start to the season. He notched his first win (at Golden Isles Speedway) in the third race of the season, but didn’t find his way back to victory lane again for the next seven races. OneDirt.com 69

Despite the average start, the pieces were being put into place for great success. 2015 marked just the second season that Davenport has driven for K&L Rumley Racing. Kevin Rumley, who serves as the crew chief and co-owns the team with his father, Lee Roy, is also the technical advisor for Longhorn Chassis. Before the start of the 2015 season, Rumley quit his job as an engineer with CV Products to be able to concentrate on his race team full time. “This is our second year in Longhorn

cars for me,” Davenport explains. “Kevin didn’t travel a whole bunch nationally before. We did some last year, and now we are getting to go back to those races for the second and third time, and we just have a better feel for the car. We have a better notebook, and we’ve got some new ideas we’re working on for the race car and learning the race car better.” But the big change that started Davenport’s incredible surge came because of a rainout.

Lee Roy Rumley, Kevin Rumley, and Jonathan Davenport discussing race strategy. 70

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

“We had been working on some stuff, but not everything was going like we thought it should,” Davenport says. “We went to Michigan and didn’t run good at all. We actually wrecked our primary car and had to race our backup car — I think we got lapped in that race. “But I guess that’s what lit the fire under us. We were rained out at Granite City right after that, so we were able to go somewhere and go do some testing in a race where we weren’t worried about points. And we found some stuff that had been missing all year. That really helped a lot, and we have just been building on that ever since.” After that Davenport and Rumley really went on a tear. The wins started piling up practically every weekend — at one point he won five Lucas Oil points races in a row. When you count all races, he won 12 out of 16 events in one stretch, which included the Dirt Late Model Dream for $100,000. “Kevin has just done a great job designing the car,” Davenport says of his success. “It responds to changes really well, and we’ve just been learning what changes to make and what not to make.” Interestingly, despite Davenport’s stranglehold on the standings, he and Rumley didn’t originally intend to run for the series championship.

“Kevin and I both like Golden Isles down in Brunswick [Georgia], so we went there to start the season,” he explains. “We were really just taking it one race at a time back then. Kevin had never raced at East Bay, either. He had gone there one time to help a guy, but he had never raced there himself. So since we were in Georgia, we drove on down to Florida to race at East Bay. We came out pretty good with a fourth-place finish there, and then we raced a couple other Lucas Oil events after that. We just sort of stayed up in the points even though we weren’t really trying, so it was a pretty easy decision to throw in with them and run the full series. “Besides, we enjoy racing with the Lucas Oil series. They are a great professional group of guys. They take care of us, they pay well, and they treat everybody with respect — the way you want to be treated.” For his part, Davenport says he and the rest of the team don’t feel any added pressure despite the fact they are all on the edge of a truly historic season. We asked if he is able win the Lucas Oil driver’s championship would he return to the series to defend it. Davenport wanted no part of that discussion.

We found some stuff that had been missing all year. That really helped a lot, and we have just been building on that ever since.

“I know this is what everybody says, but we’re just taking it one race at a time,” he says. “We are not even allowing ourselves to look towards the end of the year yet. We are focusing on the next race, and after we run it, we will turn our attention to the one right after that. “We are really fortunate to be running as well as we are. And we are definitely proud of what we’ve accomplished. But we want to do even better, so we are working to keep focused on our goals and try very hard not to let anything distract us.

“Oh, we definitely are enjoying it,” he adds. “It’s not any pressure. I think everybody else is trying to put pressure on us, because they expect us to win all the time now. But we all know it’s not going to last forever. “We can’t win them all, but we sure are going to try. And whenever somebody beats us at one of these crown jewel races, I’ll be the first one to go over and congratulate them.” Source: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, lucasdirt.com

Current custom piston lead time— 15 business days.

With Pro Line Racing Engines and Diamond pistons, Q80 Racing team resets quartermile doorslammer record at 5.46 seconds and 272mph “Diamond’s contributions have been invaluable.” —Doug Patton, Pro Line Racing Engines

Visit us at our website at www.diamondracing.net for all the latest product information, piston building tools, and how-to-videos. 586-792-6620 x 115

DO-IT-YOURSELF

PLUMBING Make building your own hoses easy with innovative reusable hose fittings

IT IS A SIMPLE FACT IN RACING if you can make a com-

ponent lighter without sacrificing durability you are almost always going to be better off. That’s definitely true for the plumbing in your race car, which helps explain why lightweight hoses have become so popular. One of the leaders in motorsports when it comes to lightweight high-performance plumbing is Brown & Miller Racing Solutions. Unlike many other companies in the plumbing market, Brown & Miller produces all of its own hoses and fittings specifically for racing and high-performance motorsports. Much of the company’s business is in NASCAR Cup and Formula 1 racing, but more and more dirt racers are utilizing the ultra high quality hoses and fittings on their cars. In the last issue of OneDirt magazine, we took at look at the unique construction of Brown & Miller’s lightweight hoses and crimped fittings. But we understand that for many racers operating essentially out of their own pockets, lightweight plumbing — even though it is a real advantage on the track — can be quite an investment. That’s one of the reasons why many prefer to go with reusable hose-end fittings: If anything changes or a hose gets damaged, you can simply remove the fitting and install it on a new hose. Brown & Miller’s reusable hose end fittings are interesting because the design is quite unique. Most fittings marketed to racers use a design that bites into the hose. Because all of Brown & Miller’s lightweight hoses utilize a convoluted hose, it was able to engineer a three-piece reusable hose fitting that 72

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Brown & Miller’s reusable fitting is a three-piece design. Instead of biting into the hose material, an olive (center) fits between the fitting (left) and the collar to clamp down on the hose, securing it in place.

Brown & Miller has a wide range of reusable fittings, but it’s nothing compared to the vast array of crimped fittings it keeps in inventory. If you need a unique fitting — or you don’t know the final length of the hose you need — Brown & Miller can crimp a fitting on one end to the hose and leave it any length you require for installing a reusable fitting later.

“threads” onto the hose before locking down, making the process of installing the fittings much easier while ensuring you will also get a good, strong connection. The unique system is difficult to explain, so check out the process of installing fittings on various hoses in these photos, and you’ll see what we mean. Source: Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, bmrs.net

5. Now use a razor blade to cut the hose so that it is flush with the end of the olive. 1. All of Brown & Miller’s hoses are constructed from PTFE, making them impervious to practically all fluids, and the polyester braided convoluted hose shown here is some of the lightest available anywhere, making it quite popular. It is also quite easy to cut. Brown & Miller’s John Harper showed us how racers without specialized tools can simply wrap some Scotch tape, or any other tape with very mild adhesive (don’t use duct tape), around the hose to prevent the braid from fraying. Then just cut it with a pair of scissors. For Brown & Miller’s lightweight steel braided line you can use a large pair of hose-cutting shears or an abrasive cutoff wheel.

6. A little light lubricant on the threads of the fitting will help protect them and aid assembly.

2. After cutting your hose to length, slide the collar over the hose and remove the tape.

7. Slide the fitting in place until the collar is flush against the olive. Next, slide the collar up over the olive and thread it onto the fitting as much as you can by hand. The end of the braid should be covered by the collar.

3. The olive simply threads onto the hose underneath the braid. Harper uses a pair of pliers with tape on the jaws to protect the olive. With the polyester braid you can usually get by with using your fingers instead of the pliers, but if you are working with steel braided line you definitely want the pliers to protect your fingers from the sharp ends of the freshly cut steel wires.

8. The easiest way to finish assembly is to lighty secure the hose end of the fitting in a vise (we are dealing with aluminum here) and tighten the fitting with a wrench. When it is tight the gap between the socket and the fitting should be no more than one millimeter, or about the width of a credit card.

9. Here’s our finished fitting (left) on the hose with one crimped fitting. The reusable fitting can be removed from the hose and used again, but Brown & Miller recommends using a new olive each time. 4. Thread the olive onto the convoluted hose until a little sticks out beyond the end, like you see here. The braid should be on the outside of the olive.

To see more of how Brown & Miller products are helping racers search “Brown & Miller” at OneDirt.com. OneDirt.com 73

FALL Sponsorship is a win-win for Short Track Nationals By Dan Hodgdon

Photo by Seth Lacewell

THE YEAR-ENDING Short Track Na-

tionals at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Arkansas, has seen some of Sprint Car racing’s biggest stars in Victory Lane. Legends like Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, and Gary Wright have all added their names to the history books, while rising star Christopher Bell took home the $15,000 top prize in 2014. The race is celebrating its 28th edition this year on Oct. 29–31. The event began in 1988, the year after longtime Sprint Car driver Joe Clay, Sr. gained ownership of the 1/4-mile oval known as Hammer Hill. One of Clay’s ideas was to put together a big year-end event for his Sprint Car brethren. Kinser won the race that first year, a one-day affair that paid $5,000 to win — a big purse for the late 80s. During its first few years of existence, the race was an open show for cars featuring 410c.i. engines, and then evolved into a sanctioned 360c.i. extravaganza when the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) was founded in the early 1990s. The Short Track Nationals and ASCS have now partnered up on the event for nearly two decades. After some shuffling of dates between September and October, the race has today become a late-October staple, as the brisk fall air takes full effect in central Arkansas. Soon after its introduction the Short Track Nationals became a two-day program, then it turned into three days, but has been a four-day affair since 2013 with the advent of the Short Track Nationals Open. In the event’s present format, the Open serves as a kickoff on Wednesday, followed by two nights of qualifying, and a slate of heat races on Saturday night that leads up to the 40-lap finale. When cars are not on the track, the parking lot adjacent to Interstate 30 — lined with RVs — is abuzz with the sounds of music and campfire chatter, perhaps fueled by an adult beverage or two. “I never, ever fathomed that it would become the event that it is,” says track owner and promoter Tracey Clay ( Joe Sr.’s daughter). “I know I’ve got the best fans. And they’re the ones that promote this deal. Yeah I do some advertising and this and that, but it’s just all word of mouth and how much they enjoy it. They make my job easier with this event.” That word of mouth has even led to a live pay-per-view broadcast of the race by the staff at dirtondirt.com. Fans from around the world tune in,

I never, ever fathomed that it would become the event that it is. When you’ve got a company of COMP’s stature in the racing world and they put their name behind the event that just gives it more credibility.

Photos by Dan Hodgdon

and notable drivers like Tony Stewart and Kyle Larson have mentioned the broadcast and race on Twitter. Each year, the race also features another of the most notable names in racing: COMP Cams.

The Memphis-based valvetrain company has been the title sponsor of the event since the late 2000s. It is part of COMP’s portfolio of sponsorships that includes the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series’ Topless 100 at Arkansas’ OneDirt.com 75

Batesville Motor Speedway, the open Doug Murphrey Memorial for Dirt Modifieds at Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Louisiana, and contingency programs ranging from NASCAR to regional sanctioning bodies and racetracks throughout the country. “When you’ve got a company of COMP’s stature in the racing world and they put their name behind the event that just gives it more credibility,” Clay says. In addition to its parts powering many of the nearly 100 race cars that show up each year, COMP Cams banners adorn the racetrack, pit area, and campground. They are in plain sight of racers, fans, and the TV audience. There is no doubt who sponsors this show, which frankly is just what the management at COMP hopes for. “The late-season timing helps the Short Track Nationals capture the attention of a national audience, including non-Sprint Car fans,” says COMP Cams VP of Marketing, Chris Douglas. “It’s an added bonus that the race is held relatively close to our headquarters in Memphis. At COMP Cams, we like to align our sponsorships with events and promoters that share the same core values that we operate our business on — Tracey Clay fits all those criteria and then some.” The Mid-South racing community is a tight-knit group, and Douglas recognizes the importance of being involved in a variety of local events. As a result, 76

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

We like to align our sponsorships with events and promoters that share the same core values that we operate our business on — Tracey Clay fits all those criteria and then some. he hopes to earn the business of racers throughout all classes. Thanks to its tradition and what Douglas calls its “championship-type feel,” the Short Track Nationals holds a special place within COMP Cams’ business objectives each year. “Our involvement with the race allows us to build brand loyalty and brand equity, specifically among 360 Sprint racers and engine builders from around the world,” Douglas says. “Racers are very complimentary of our support of the event and appreciative of the oppor-

tunity to have a Super Bowl-type of race that allows them to hopefully carry some prize money and bragging rights into the off-season.” Clay is well aware of the importance of the event to racers, fans, and sponsors alike. “When I have people tell me there are three [must-see] events that are on their calendar each year: the Chili Bowl, Knoxville Nationals, and Short Track

Nationals, I mean it doesn’t get any better than that,” Clay says. The late-year timing along with the partnership of COMP has proven to be a win-win for both parties, which is sure to keep the Short Track Nationals on every racer’s calendar. If you want to see some great racing from the biggest stars in the sport, you should be sure to add it to yours as well. Source: COMP Cams, compcams.com

Track Spotlight

WEEDSPORT SPEEDWAY

WOW THE

FACTOR By Ben Shelton

IT’S NO BIG SECRET that I’m a guy

who loves going to races. Whether I’m going to announce or to be a spectator, I love being at the track. I’m like anybody else in that I have favorite tracks I never get tired of visiting. However, I also absolutely love getting to visit race tracks for the first time. I’m always looking for new and interesting things in life, and checking out new tracks feeds this need. Even though not all new experiences can be winners, I always find something positive to take away from seeing a new place. After all, I’m at a racetrack, so how bad a day can it truly be? My role as the series announcer with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series (WoOLMS) has taken me to several new tracks over the past two years. Most recently it took me to Weedsport Speedway in Weedsport, New York. To say I was amazed with what I found would be a huge understatement. Over the past few years I had heard a lot of things about this track, which is situated about thirty minutes west of Syracuse on I-90. Unfortunately, not everything I had heard was good news. It was known throughout the motorsports world that the historic facility had 78

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

fallen on hard times. Originally opened in 1955, the track saw weekly racing at its confines come to a sad end in 2011. From 2012 through 2013 the track held a single event each year during the annual Super DIRT Week. The outlook for the facility looked bleak at best. Many folks in the racing fraternity feared the property might be bought and used for other commercial purposes. Its close proximity to I-90 definitely deemed it an excellent choice for commercial use.

However, Connecticut businessman and avid race supporter Al Heinke, made sure that didn’t happen. Heinke, who is an ownership partner in Heinke-Baldwin Racing which field Super DIRTCar Series Big Block Modified entries for Jimmy Phelps and Matt Sheppard, purchased the facility late in the 2013 season. Appointing team driver Phelps as the facility manager, Heinke wasted little time putting his money where his mouth was to show his intent and vision for the track.

Photos by Ben Shelton

When the facility opened for its first event in 2014, racers and fans alike were impressed by the wholesale changes and improvements being made at the facility. While I didn’t have a chance to see things firsthand, I carefully studied photographs of the facility and read stories about its rapid improvement. When the 2015 WoOLMS schedule was released, I was more than excited to see Weedsport Speedway on the docket for late June. This afforded me a much-desired chance to see the place for myself. I arrived at Weedsport Speedway on June 23 and I immediately took notice of just how impressive this place is. A paved entrance with a large overhead sign welcomes the racing fraternity to the venue. Meticulously-groomed grass and grounds definitely set the tone for the high standard of quality that the facility has to offer. Driving into the pit area I noticed that a majority of the area was already paved with additional locations being prepped for future paving. And the area that wasn’t paved was neatly prepared and covered in sod. A single area of mud could be found in the entire pit area from monsoons that attacked the showplace earlier in the week. Within an hour of the pit gate opening, a couple of bales of hay

had been dispersed on the blemished terrain. Sometimes it’s the little things that make all the difference. Surveying the track revealed a nice and wide, 3/8-mile oval with medium banking. A concrete wall enclosed the perimeter of the facility. State-of-theart lighting was strategically positioned around the track to guarantee the absence of dark spots.

On a windy day, which again threatened with thunderstorms that have been a relentless nuisance in 2015, track crews worked diligently to produce a racy surface that would meet the approval of both the fans and competitors. It would be a task that they pursued throughout the night. With plenty of equipment and knowledge, the track staff took advantage of any downtime to resolve minor issues OneDirt.com 79

that arose. It was all very impressive to watch. Best of all, they did it in a manner that definitely made the show better without needlessly wasting time. It’s always been my opinion that of all the amenities a track has to offer, the grandstand area should be of the highest priority. After all, it doesn’t matter how many race cars you have in the pits if there’s nobody in the stands to watch the action. Weedsport Speedway has definitely approached the situation of running a facility with this same mindset. State-of-the-art metal bleachers with full handicapped access don the full length of the front stretch. The bleachers allow for a crowd of thousands, while not sacrificing viewing perspective and customer comfort. Atop the stands are positioned an array of suites as well as a more-than-roomy press box. Located throughout the facility are high-quality speakers that are pushed by an excellent sound system. As an announcer, I’m a little greedy when it comes to desiring powerful systems, and this one definitely quenched my thirst for clarity and adequate levels. The concession stand areas at Weedsport Speedway are nothing short of spectacular. A large pavilion that spans roughly 140 feet by 60 feet covers the food and beverage areas. Picnic tables are located under the pavilion to allow patrons to relax and enjoy their treats during breaks in the action. I hear race fans complaining all the time that they hate going to a big show and missing parts of the racing action due to slow-moving concession stand lines. Weedsport Speedway addresses this situation in multiple ways. To maximize flow through the concession stand, the track offers several service windows instead of the standard one or two that you see at most places. There are large flat-screen televisions mounted on the walls every 20 feet or so that broadcast the races throughout the night. So even if

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

you run down to grab a drink during racing action, you can still see what is happening on the track. It’s just incredible. The televisions aren’t restricted to the concession stand either, as they are mounted around the scale area in the pits. There is also a jumbotron screen positioned in the infield for race fans to not only see the racing action but also instant replays. The vendor area is fully paved. Not only do you find T-shirt trailers and other apparel booths in this area, but you also find additional food stands. If you go hungry at Weedsport Speedway, you can only blame yourself. A full playground for the kids is also a nice touch in the vendor area. However, the final aspect that caught my eye is perhaps the most important. Guys like myself know how sketchy the restroom situations can be at some race tracks. We tend to grin and bear it, but many times our ladies aren’t quite as open-minded. Fear not about bringing your significant other to Weedsport Speedway because the bathrooms are immaculate and plentiful, but some of them are even air-conditioned. It’s a nice exclamation mark on a truly fantastic facility. I absolutely enjoyed my night of racing action at the place. Georgia racer

Shane Clanton swept the action by registering a new track record in qualifying, followed by a dominant win in the main event. When it was all said and done, I joined him for a post-race interview on the famous “Victory Hill.” You see, at Weedsport Speedway they strive to do things better than anybody else. Victory lane is no exception. It’s positioned roughly fifteen feet in the air at the top of a hill. The winner truly gets to stand head and shoulders above his competition, when the final checkered flag drops. It’s definitely the most unique victory lane that I’ve ever seen. There are countless racing facilities across this country that I truly love. Just about every one of them has something unique that appeals to my need for speed. For Weedsport Speedway though, there’s just so much to love. Hats off to Al Heinke, Jimmy Phelps, and the entire staff at the facility on a job, exceptionally well done. I know this guy cannot wait to make another trip back.

IN HIS OWN WORDS Chub Frank DRIVER

Chub Frank is a fixture in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. Now in his 50’s, Frank is still a threat to win at practically every track on the tour and is a fan favorite everywhere he goes. That’s because Frank is one of racing’s great underdogs. He’s always run with what seems like less funding and crew than the big teams but continues to do well. The Bear Lake, Pennsylvania, native drives the iconic white number one and is nearing his 40th anniversary as a race car driver.

Photo by Rick Schwallie

ON RACING

Racing is all I know, and it’s pretty much all I’ve ever known. Maybe that’s the reason I’m too damn stubborn to ever give up. ON WORKING HIS WAY UP

ON GETTING HOOKED

Back in those days you had to be at least 16 years old to race, so I didn’t get to drive for the first time until 1978. My brother, some friends, and I competed in a class called the Spectators, which was basically street cars with roll cages. That was some big-time fun, and needless to say I was hooked from the first time I strapped in a car. ON THE RACING BUSINESS

I can remember starting in Street Stocks and racing in that class until I could get enough money to move up. Then I would sell that car, buy one in another division and save again until I could move one step higher up the ladder. In those early days I worked as a mechanic, gas pumper, trailer builder, and even at a junkyard. Bottom line is that I did whatever it took to make enough money to keep racing.

I learned early in life that racing was a tough business and that running a track was an equally tough endeavor. In either situation, though, my dad instilled in me the fact that if you wanted something bad enough, you could find a way to make it happen.

ON BUDGETS

There’s a lot of regional teams that operate with higher budgets and a lot more crew help than what ... I have, but we find a way to make it work. For us, it’s a matter of wanting to do something so bad that we find a way to make it happen. It’s not always fun, and rarely is it easy, but we just find a way. ON SUPER LATE MODELS

From day one the Super Late Models really piqued my interest. They had a lot of power, were really fun to race, and you could make a decent living if you performed at the top of your game. I mean, what was not to love there in that scenario? OneDirt.com 81

When the PRIORITY is

PERFORMANCE Photo by Woody Hampton

How coatings can improve pistons effectiveness IN THE LAST DECADE the racing

community has largely gone from treating performance coatings like a pie-inthe-sky science experiment to where they are everywhere today and found all over the car, especially the engine. We have header coatings designed to eliminate rust and keep heat inside the pipes, and intake manifold coatings designed to keep heat out of the ports. There are coatings designed to shed oil, and coatings designed to cling to oil. The list goes on and on. Most engine parts that receive a coating only get one type, but the piston is unique because it can often have multiple coatings. Diamond Racing Pistons is one of the leaders in the racing industry when it comes to designing and manufacturing high-performance pistons. It has invested in the equipment and engineering knowhow to bring practically all of its coating 82

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

processes in-house. This was a big step that is paying off for the company. Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with Diamond’s Ron Beaubien about the company’s use of coatings on its pistons. Depending on the situation, Diamond’s customers can choose from multiple coating options on each piston. Beaubien helped us understand what coatings are available and the benefits of each.

Anti-Wear Coatings Anti-wear coatings prevent scuffing between the piston and the engine’s cylinder walls are very popular in the dirt-racing world. Typically, a coating is applied to the piston’s skirts, which lowers the

These big-block Chevy pistons from Diamond, like you might see in a Modified, feature moly-coated skirts to reduce parasitic drag and also provide a measure of protection if your engine sees a drop in oil pressure.

friction on its own, compared to bare aluminum moving up and down the cylinder bore, and it also clings to oil. Molybdenum is the coating material most often chosen for piston skirts. When properly applied, it can protect the cylinder bore from scuffing so that

These are Diamond’s hard-anodized pistons. A fully hard anodized piston is a necessity for Top Fuel racers, which can melt a naked piston in the course of a four-second pass, but it isn’t necessary for the typical dirt oval application. But we do have to deal with rings micro-welded in the lands. To deal with this, and save engine builders some bucks, Diamond has developed a method to just hard anodize the piston’s ring lands.

the crosshatch machined into the bore (which is vital for engine life) is also protected. Plus, if you ever suffer a drop in oil pressure, the fact that the molybdenum actually clings to oil will give you a few extra precious seconds to shut the engine down before catastrophic failure occurs. “A lot of guys also like to use it because they feel it helps cut overall friction, or parasitic drag, in a running engine,” Beaubien says. “And if it can give them even a fraction of a horsepower more out the crankshaft, they will take it.”

Heat-Reflective Coatings Another coating Diamond often uses is a ceramic-based coating applied to the piston’s crown. It is designed to reflect heat away from the piston and back into the combustion chamber. Whenever you see a Diamond piston with a gold top, this is its hard-ceramic coating. High-compression, high -rpm race engines see a lot of heat from the combustion chambers. Combining that with the lightweight pistons necessary to get the rpm’s racers are looking for, runs the risk of overheating and weakening the pistons. The solution to this is the hard-ceramic coating, which acts as an insulator to reflect heat back into the chamber and keep it out of the aluminum piston. What is amazing is that this coating is tough enough to survive the violence of combustion, not only for a night of racing, but for many consecutive nights reliably until it is time for a rebuild. “Our top coating is really useful at keeping heat out of the top rings,” Beaubien adds. “Engine builders always want to minimize the distance from the top of the piston to the first ring to help keep compression up. But as you move the ring higher on the piston, the more heat it sees.

This helps you do that without damaging the ring or warping that ring land.”

Hard Anodizing Don’t make the mistake of thinking all types of anodizing are the same. Most of the time when somebody talks about anodizing, they are just putting a color onto aluminum with mild protection. Hard anodizing actually strengthens the surface of the aluminum to make it tougher. Diamond’s hard-anodizing process helps provide a thermal barrier and increases both corrosion and wear resistance. It also deters the piston rings from micro welding themselves in the ring grooves. One issue with hard anodizing an entire piston is it will make the piston skirts too hard, which can cause wear issues on the cylinder walls. As a fix for this, Diamond will go back and re-coat a fully hard anodized piston with its moly-skirt coating to reduce wear between the piston skirts and the cylinder walls. Of course, oval track racers usually don’t need a fully hard anodized piston,

like Top-Fuel racers would. But we do have problems quite often with rings micro welding to the lands. As a solution, Diamond came up with a process where it can hard anodize just the ring lands on the piston to protect that area. This gives the engine builder the best of both worlds: Protection where they need it, while also saving cost versus a fully hard anodized piston. “Bringing all these coating processes in-house for us really has been beneficial,” Beaubien says. “Normally, when anyone builds an engine they do not want to sit around waiting on the pistons, so maintaining a quick turnaround is very important for us to be able to provide our customers. Typically, adding a moly coating will only add a day to a set of fully custom pistons, while full anodizing and then moly coating the skirts will add three days at the max. “If you have to send your pistons out to have somebody else do the coatings for you, you are really at the mercy of that company,” he adds. “You run the risk of them getting damaged in shipping or even completely lost. There are just a lot of other variables that get introduced into the equation when the pistons leave the site that we would just simply like to avoid. “When we do coatings on our pistons they never leave the building, so we have full control over them from start to finish. It helps us keep our turnaround times short, and most important we can maintain the high levels of quality control that we require. “Our customers depend on us, and this is our way of making sure that they can have their engines ready on time to go to the track and win more races.” Source: Diamond Pistons, diamondpistons.com

The underside shows how Diamond is able to achieve its ultra-light racing pistons. Adding a coating to a custom design usually only adds a day to the total turnaround time.

OneDirt.com 83

Photo by Rick Schwallie

DYNAMICS How to choose the proper shock fluid IN ANY TYPE OF VEHICLE, shock

absorbers are critically important. Simply put, they are hydraulic fluid dampeners that control the movement of springs and suspension, while also keeping your tires in contact with the ground. In dirt racing, the surfaces are so rough — and there is so little traction to begin with — that anything you can do to gain traction is a huge advantage. This is often achieved by tinkering with shock packages and setups. It’s also important that shock performance not fade over time, which is where using a properly formulated shock fluid enters the equation. Like with any fluid, 84

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

the most important elements of shock fluid are viscosity, viscosity index (the change in viscosity due to variations in temperature), and especially good air-release properties to prevent foaming. Fluid is used in shocks in the first place because it is not compressible. So if the shaft going into the body of the shock moves one inch, it is necessary to displace one inch of fluid through the valve. If there is extra air in the fluid, it becomes more and more compressible, meaning that you won’t get the valve performance desired in terms of input versus response. The shocks may wear quicker as well. The goal should be to choose a

shock fluid that has: a lower viscosity, meaning that it is light; a higher viscosity index, meaning that its makeup will stay consistent over time, especially under extreme heat and high loads; and excellent air-release properties. It is possible to have a fluid that is too thin, which induces seal drag as friction goes up. The fluid should be light enough to be consistent over a range of temperatures, but not too light that it creates drag when temperatures rise. And since there is 7 to 10 percent dissolved air in every fluid, just from atmospheric pressure, it’s also important to find a shock fluid that can get the air out quickly.

Using a lighter viscosity fluid is important in a dirt application, because more than likely you will want to utilize a tighter (or low-bleed) shock build, which is essential to maintain consistency over the course of a run from low to high temperature. In other words, throughout the course of a heat race or feature. At the same time, you also don’t want to choose a shock fluid simply because it’s the lowest viscosity or has a high viscosity index. It’s possible that this fluid still could be terrible regarding air release, which is just as important as the viscosity factors. Doing two things well doesn’t offset the third — instead, it’s important to find a fluid that provides all three benefits. Products like SHX Shock Fluid from Driven Racing Oil walk this performance tightrope to provide a fluid that offers low viscosity, a high viscosity index, and outstanding air release. The idea is to create a consistent fluid that takes its operating variance out of the equation, thereby allowing racers and builders to make mechanical adjustments to the shocks, without having to chase the fluid. As a result, the fluid becomes a part of the system as a whole.

SHX also is offered in only one viscosity, due to the fact that SAE grades were created for engine and gear oils, which tend to be heavier in viscosity than shock oils. While some companies have adopted an SAE-style grading system for shockoil products, the outcome is that the numbers often don’t match up — one company’s 3-weight oil may actually be heavier than another’s 5-weight option. Here again, to remove variance, Driven Racing Oil simply formulated SHX in the range where viscosity would be light enough for the greatest majority of applications, while also ensuring that it maintains a high viscosity index and good air release. This takes the trial and error out of choosing a shock fluid. In addition, a high-quality fluid like SHX will last an entire racing season. Some lower-quality fluids may not last as long requiring it to be changed more often, with the degradation of the fluid also changing the performance level of the shock. It’s probably not earth-shattering news to anyone involved in racing that shocks are a massively important part of any race car. After all, they help the tires

make contact with the surface, and the team that makes the best use of all four tires around the track gets to the checkered flag first. But racers also know that the smallest of advantages can make a huge difference in performance, so understanding how to choose the right shock fluid can be a win in more ways than one. Source: Driven Racing Oil, drivenracingoil.com

72” Foot Shear

• Precision Machined Steel Table • Reversible Blades for Extended Life • Adjustable Blade Clearance

Model 3000-72-24

Automotive Punch and Flare Sets • Punch and Flare Sizes May Be Purchased Individually

24” Aluminum Billet Frame, Bead Roller • 1-1/8” Throat Height • Adjustable Depth of Bead • Oilite Bushings for Long Life

Model 210-24

Check Us Out Online at www.mittlerbros.com

1-800-467-2464

1-2-1/2” Set..Model 1300-402 1-3” Set..Model 1300-403

Full Line of Metal Working Tools

PRESENTED BY

ADIFFERENT DIRT KIND OF

IT WASN’T LONG AGO that I

actually enjoyed playing in the mud on the trails behind our home. Getting our off-road vehicles stuck was a summer pastime and recovering the stuck rig was just as fun. As I travel this great United States of America, I have discovered more and more outdoor enthusiasts who love to not only roll through the deepest bogs and challenge their friends to do the same, but also race for fortune and fame. It was at an event held by the Shreveport, Louisiana-based company High Lifter that I found out just how deep the fun really was. We rolled into the sleepy little town of Jacksonville, Texas, and through the gates at Mud Creek Off-Road Park for an event called Mudtoberfest. I had a meeting that day with High Lift owner Scott Smith, who some say is the mind behind the very first suspension lift for the ATV, and I was determined to get as much information as possible on this very interesting concept. Most multi-million dollar companies start with a great idea developed to fill a void in an industry. 86

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

As we all know, recognizing and diagnosing the problem or missing link is the hardest part, and in Mike Smith’s mind, as well as his son Scott’s, the void was a simple bolt-on lift kit for a 1996 Honda Foreman. They wanted to be able to mount larger tires on their off-road vehicles and get through deeper sections of mud on the trails. This started a roller coaster effect that lead them to become the largest inventor, builder, and supplier of ATV and UTV lifts in the world. The High Lifter brand name can now be found on not only lifts but also tires, tire sealants, clutch kits, and even more suspension components. After a lengthy talk about how it all began with High Lifter, it was time to wander around in the vendor area to get a closer look at what goes on in this niche industry. Having visited with the crew of the Arctic Cat trailer many times, I stopped in to see how its newest vehicle was being received. The Arctic Cat MudPro 700 hit the market as one of the very first deep-mud-ready machines. The factory already lifted the ATV and added

snorkels for the air intake and clutch box. This big green machine was ready to hit the deep mud and muck straight from the manufacturer. Kale Wainer, the public relations man for Arctic Cat, asked if I had ever raced an ATV in the mud. Not long after he asked me the following question, “How would you like to try it on for size this weekend, right here at Mudtoberfest, as our guest?” I couldn’t believe it, my first race, on an ATV in mud deeper than three to four feet and 100 yards long was going to be against other writers. This was going to be a challenge, and I’m not one to back down when offered these kinds of opportunities. According to Kale, I just needed a good set of waders, my trusty helmet, gloves, and goggles. This is where my nerves began to scale up the tension really fast. I was committed and ready for a fight. Or was I? As I made my way around the event, I found a race that pitted three riders side by side against the depths of the muddy circle track called the Mud-

Better Products From A Company Built On Performance Better Service VOODOO ® ROTATING ASSEMBLIES

BETTER

Voodoo Rotating Assemblies offer premium quality and affordability. Voodoo Crankshafts are made from non-twist 4340 steel cores with micropolished journals and are nitrided for strength and durability. Rod journal lightening holes reduce crankshaft inertia weight for faster acceleration and ease of balancing. Each electronically balanced kit also includes forged aluminum pistons with premium rings and CNCmachined H-Beam connecting rods with bearings. ®

SIGNATURE SERIES ROTATING ASSEMBLIES

SCAN FOR VIDEO

BEST

LUNATIPOWER.COM • 662.892.1500

9600k

These rotating assemblies are the strongest package of rotating components for your engine. Each kit includes a pulsed-plasma, nitrided Signature Series Crankshaft that is formed on a specialized, non-twist 4340 steel forging. Each kit comes with either premium I-beam or H-beam rods, your choice of Diamond or Mahle forged pistons and premium King or Clevite engine bearings.

da-Cross. I watched to see if I might learn any techniques. It seemed as if riders would simply shift their weight to the left or right while balancing on the seat. Most would never even back off the throttle. Some even rode with their feet on the rear rack as the front end of the machine would lift and wheelie during the majority of the race. As the sun rose on Saturday morning, I knew my chance to race in deep mud aboard the Arctic Cat MudPro was soon to take place. I stood in staging, staring at eight other media guys, wondering who I would have to outsmart in order to cross the finish line first. I felt as if I had a decent idea of what to expect, but it was the unexpected that gave me stomach pains. Watching the racers who took the challenge before me exposed many unseen obstacles in the bog that would rear their ugly little heads. Fortunately for me, a new friend and experienced mud racer, Dwayne Crowder, dropped in and offered up a little inside scoop on how to ride for a better chance at a win. Dwayne shared what he had learned over the last few years in the school of hard knocks and it was extremely helpful. As the races continued to run, I used the time to study the riders, and strategy in the pit was very evident. Before I knew it, I heard the announcer call for silence, as he explained why these eight mud virgins were lined up along the start gate on similar machines. I had a wad of butterflies rolling in my stomach as I waited for my race. As luck would have it, I was in the first group of four. We were going to show the rest how to do it right, or possibly wrong. As I fumbled around the bars, I made sure to lock into four-wheel drive. My mind was going wide open trying to remember the good lines to stay in. The lane of choice seemed to be on the right side of the course, only one slot from the wall of the pit, so when I was told to choose my spot, that’s right where I headed. I pulled up to the line with much anticipation, and before I knew it the green light came on. I slammed the thumb throttle wide-open and blasted my way off into the pit. Immediately, the front of the machine began to float which was very un-nerving. Remembering what Dwayne Crowder shared with me, I knew that being well balanced with not too much forward weight would get me to the end without having to bail off the machine. 88

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

I noticed the bike next to me capsized and turned to see its rider jumping off into the deep pit. The 700cc engine was pegged and working flawlessly with plenty of smooth power. As it snarled through the bog with precision, I kept telling myself to calm down and stay focused. The mild-mannered Maxxis Zilla tires hooked and pulled away at the bottom of the pit. As we pulled farther through the muck, I found that feathering the throttle when the machine became unbalanced seemed to get more forward motion than holding it wide open. My machine was now buried up to the top of the seat and there were three other racers bearing down on me. I tried to keep a cool head and get to

the finish line. It seemed like the race took 15 minutes, but in reality it lasted less than 45 seconds. It was a surprise to me when I reached the finish that I had actually won. It was an incredible feeling, and for the first time out, it was something I’ll never forget. Riding these high-powered ATVs in really deep mud is something I had never dreamed of as a teen, but with inventors like the Smiths finding a way to make it possible. It is a new level of fun that everyone should try at least once. Raised in rural Northern Georgia Rick Sosebee is an avid hunter and is an off-road Powersports Adventure/Lifestyle writer for Outdoor Life magazine, as well as several other ATV industry magazines. Rick enjoys wrenching on ATV’s and Side-by-Sides, as well as his Chevrolet 2500HD Duramax Diesel.

4-LAP DASH James McFadden AUSTRALIAN SPRINT CAR DRIVER

After winning multiple championships in Australia, James McFadden is ready to go toe-to-toe with the biggest names in Sprint Car racing the United States has to offer.

James, you’ve had some great success 1 racing 410 Sprint Cars in Australia with

a couple World Series Sprint Cars championships under your belt. But Sprint Car racing fans here in the US might not be as familiar with you yet. Can you tell us how you got your start?

I raced go-karts in Australia and started when I was 7. My dad raced Sprint Cars at that time. All I wanted to do was race Sprint Cars, and when I was old enough I was lucky that my parents bought me one. And I started racing Sprint Cars when I was 16.

all that success in Australia, what 2 With brings you to the States?

I just always wanted to drive race cars for a living. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. If you want to be the best you’ve got to race the best, so I’ve always wanted to come over here and race events like Knoxville and Eldora. And to be able to do that now is pretty cool.

you bring your own equipment over 3 Did or are you driving for a team here?

I’m driving for JG Racing and Team XYZ Machining. Obviously I’m pretty lucky to be able to drive their equipment over here. And I’m living the dream to be able to race full time and race for a car owner that gives me equipment capable of winning.

What are your racing plans while you are in the States, and how is it going so far? How long will you be here racing?

We are racing just everywhere we can. We don’t really have a set schedule. We do a lot of All Star races and World of Outlaw races, and we’re even doing some 360 races here and there. We’re just trying to get in as much as we can in the three months I have here.

It’s pretty tough to get visas to stay over here longer. But we are working pretty hard so that I can stay here longer. In Australia our season starts in October, so when I go home I’ll just continue racing there. So far our season has been pretty decent. We’ve had a couple wins and been on the podium. We haven’t been as consistent as we would have liked, but we’ve had some good runs. It’s definitely been a lot of fun so far. OneDirt.com 89

EVENT COVERAGE

KNOXVILLE NATIONALS Sprint Car racing’s biggest event By Jeff Huneycutt

OVER THE COURSE of a year, there

are thousands of races run at dirt tracks across the United States, but only a handful are truly unique. The Knoxville Nationals definitely fall in that rare class of truly unique racing events--and it certainly deserves that status. Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway’s Knoxville Nationals is the biggest race of the year for Sprint Car racers, and the 55th edition, held August 12–15, didn’t disappoint. Action began on Wednesday and Thursday with qualifying races. Friday’s highlight was the Speed Sport Knoxville World Challenge, which not only paid $10,000 but also included a last-chance spot into Saturday night’s feature event. Driver’s without a guaranteed spot in Saturday’s feature drove their hearts out in the preliminary races, and provided 90

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

the near-capacity crowd with some fantastic racing. Donny Schatz, who started from the pole and led all 50 laps, dominated the feature, earning his ninth victory in the last 10 Nationals. Despite Schatz’s command, the race was far from boring. Several drivers took shots at Shatz’s lead, but he was able to fight off all charges — even while picking his way through lapped traffic — to claim the $150,000 winner’s purse. “It is my job to get through traffic,” Schatz said after the race. “The restarts made me nervous. You have to do something different. I tried to mix them up, but it is hard to do without mixing yourself up. What can I say about this race team? That was not like anything we have ever run here before. They just kept making adjustments and made this thing fast.”

Kerry Madsen finished second, Brad Sweet came in third, and Shane Stewart and Joey Saldana rounded out the top five. Of course, you can read finishing positions from practically any racing website. So we thought we’d do something different. The greatness of the Knoxville Nationals isn’t just the fantastic racing on the track. It’s also life in the pits, rock and roll bands cranking up after the racing is finished for the night, and even a stroll through the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum located just outside turn four. The Knoxville Nationals should be on the bucket list of every fan of dirt racing. If you haven’t made it yet, these shots should get you making your travel plans. For even more pics search “2015 Knoxville Nationals” at OneDirt.com.

Photos by Jeff Huneycutt

OneDirt.com 91

For even more pictures search “2015 Knoxville Nationals” at OneDirt.com.

OneDirt.com / Vol. 2, Issue 2

An Engineered Driveline System That Offers Greater Durability & Reduced Rotating Weight Bellhousing Kits For Direct Drive Transmissions

Quarter Master® now offers a turn-key driveline kit in either magnesium or aluminum for dirt racers running the popular Bert/Brinn transmissions and rearmount oil pumps. These CNC-machined, “system engineered” kits include all the critical components required for maximum driveline durability and reduced rotating weight to increase throttle response and improve corner braking. Fits Bert/Brinn Two-Speed Transmissions Kits Available For Chevy & Ford Engines Side Or Top Mount Oil Pump Bracket/Provisions 91-Tooth Aluminum Flywheel (Steel Ring Gear) CAD-Designed “Crack Resistant” Bellhousing Choice Of Top Late Model & Modified Racers

New Stronger Flywheel Design

Bellhousing, Reverse Mount Starter, Oil Pump Bracket, Kit Includes: Aluminum/Magnesium Lightweight Flywheel, Drive Hub, & All Necessary Mounting Hardware

These American-built, fully blueprinted gear reduction starters feature 1.4 kW of power to handle the cranking needs of high compression race engines. Don’t cut corners with inferior knock-offs that always fail at the worst time. #MadeInUSA

TECH & SALES: 1.888.258.8241 • QUARTERMASTERUSA.COM

9598z

Ultra-Duty™ Starters

Put it to the TEST