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When I first discussed writing
the Speed Reading column with the staff at National
DRAGSTER several years ago, we agreed that I would focus
on engine technology for sportsman racers. At the risk
of pushing the editorial envelope, this month I'd like
to expand my assigned topic with some thoughts on how
chassis and car setups affect quarter-mile performance.
The simple truth is that
even the most powerful engine can't produce winning
results in a bad chassis. As an engine builder, my area
of expertise is horsepower - but as a racer, I know that
it's the total combination that counts.
Drag racing can be a
humbling sport - just ask Warren Johnson, Kurt Johnson,
Jim Yates, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Mike Edwards, Greg Anderson
or any of the other drivers who have already missed the
cut this year in Pro Stock qualifying. These are
experienced professional racers who spend countless
hours working on and thinking about their cars - and yet
on occasion they have all failed to find a combination
that could produce one of the 16 quickest times in
qualifying. I cite this only as an example of how
difficult it can be at times even for full-time racers
to find that elusive setup. For sportsman racers who
have interests and obligations outside of racing, it can
be even more difficult to realize the full potential of
a particular car/engine combination.
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It's not just horsepower that produces quick elapsed
times. As you may know, Reher-Morrison supplies engines
for Pro Stock racers Mark Whisnant, George Marnell, Mike
Edwards and others. There have been many events where
these guys have outrun and out-qualified our own car.
Bruce Allen and I bust our tails to make our Grand Am
fast, but when we see a customer set track records and
run quicker than us with one of our engines, that's a
clear sign that we need to work harder on our car.
That's why I cringe when someone asks me what a
particular engine will run in a given chassis. There is
simply no way that I can give an accurate answer. I've
seen customers who have bought identical Super Series
engines run times that differ by nearly four tenths of a
second in similar cars. I've looked at the dyno sheets,
and I know there isn't more than one percent difference
in power - so what accounts for the huge variations in
e.t.? It all comes down to chassis and setup.
There is a distinction between running fast and
running consistently. With the growing popularity of
Quick 8, Quick 16 and Top Sportsman-style racing, the
emphasis shifts from throttle stops to all-out speed.
Just a simple change of rear tires can make a big
difference in performance. In the Super-type heads-up
eliminators, the goal is to eliminate tire spin and
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