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Topic: Future technology advances in sprint car racing
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April 12, 2020 at
09:47:06 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Jake B. on April 10 2020 at 02:11:53 PM
With no racing going on in the present, we can only talk about racing in the past and future. I'd like to start a discussion about the future. What technological innovations do you think we'll see in sprint car, midget, and Silver Crown racing in the coming years?
I think there could be one major innovation that will lead to two smaller changes. I think it's only a matter of time before electrification comes to dirt track racing. As car manufacturers continue to develop their electric vehicle offerings the internal combustion engine will go by the wayside. Of course there will still be aftermarket manufacturers that make engine blocks, pistons, rods, rocker arms, cranks, etc. But the question becomes, if OEMs like Ford, Chevy, and soon to be Toyota are going to continue putting money into dirt track racing why would they do it with an internal combustion engine if they are phasing them out of their vehicle production? If the technology doesn't keep up then there's one major source of sponsor money that may not be available any longer. Even if it has nothing to do with money, if it can be proven that electric drive creates more torque and power then someone will try to go that direction. It's a big change that everyone would have to get used to...no more engine noise, just tires squealing and any mechanical noise. I remember Casey Shuman driving someone's electric midget several years ago, but that's obviously not gone very far yet. Could've just been ahead of its time.
What this could lead to, if the rules makers will allow it, is independent suspensions and all-wheel drive. I know both have been tried in the past but are currently outlawed. Racing with batteries instead of an engine could allow individual electric motors to be fixed to the car's frame for each wheel. (I know Formula E doesn't do it this way, so I'm not sure if it's as easy as I think it is.) That would eliminate the need for a rear end gear, which opens the possibility for removal of the solid axle. And if you could mount the motors for the front wheels you'd have to remove the front axle also.
So let's hear it...what do you think is on the horizon?
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as we watched our toasters and blenders roar around the race track..... suddenly an accident in turn two !!!! Looks like the lamp tried to take the turn to rast and knocked its lampshade loose......
To paraphrase a legend... " God in the cockpit and Moses in a sidecar couldn't dirve a spintcar with 1000 watts of power"...
Welcome to the Knoxville Nationals... brought to you by the EverReady Bunny.....
That concept might need a little work.....
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April 12, 2020 at
10:36:26 AM
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This message was edited on
April 12, 2020 at
10:37:40 AM by StanM
Seeing as Sprint Cars still resemble the basic design that has been around for decades it's kind of a retro form of racing. With that in mind I don't see why they couldn't continue to use after market V8's running on methanol which is considered a clean fuel. That would make them a unique form of Motorsports and I think that would boost their popularity if everything else was nuetered.
Stan Meissner
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April 12, 2020 at
11:32:08 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: DNQ on April 12 2020 at 09:47:06 AM
as we watched our toasters and blenders roar around the race track..... suddenly an accident in turn two !!!! Looks like the lamp tried to take the turn to rast and knocked its lampshade loose......
To paraphrase a legend... " God in the cockpit and Moses in a sidecar couldn't dirve a spintcar with 1000 watts of power"...
Welcome to the Knoxville Nationals... brought to you by the EverReady Bunny.....
That concept might need a little work.....
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The candlestick and the teapot didn't make it out of the B
"Be our guest, be our guest, put our service to the test...."
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April 12, 2020 at
05:23:32 PM
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This message was edited on
April 12, 2020 at
05:23:56 PM by newbeevur
There was an article in Area Auto Racing News a few years back where Glenn Donnelly suggests electric motors. I think the one he was looking at costed like $30,000 at that time.
I get your point on the sound thing. I remember going to the races at Des Moines in about 1997 when the cars all had to use hardcore mufflers. Down the front chute, I swear to God, the 360 sprints sounded like vacuum cleaners. And that was under a covered fairgrounds grandstand that usually made things loud. It didn't affect my enjoyment of the races at all.
With all the cities that bitch about their race track being too loud it would do a lot to shut up pissed off neighbors and keep racetracks alive.
If the speed was still there I would go to electric car races.
The worst president of my lifetime:
Ronald Reagan
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April 12, 2020 at
09:06:51 PM
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If you think about it, the technology is almost there: you could have 24 sprint car racers in realistic simulators racing against each other electronically at Knoxville. Fans would be wearing virtual reality helmets that gave the them the sight, sound, smell and feel of being at Knoxville to watch that race. When I say realistic similator, I mean that in order to race it, you'd have to be good at driving a sprint car. That way your race winner is likely Donny Schatz and not a 10 year-old Mario Cart expert.
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April 12, 2020 at
10:00:47 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: alum.427 on April 12 2020 at 06:36:40 AM
Never ever going to happen. At least not in my lifetime. Is the tesla a good car yes. Can it drive from new York to florida in a day ? Heck no, at least not on battery power.
Are the big 3 driving toward electric ? Yes. But for thE people that drive to the local grocery store or hardware store. Your not driving from say central pa to eldora in one. Ah but yes there going to put charging stations in rest areas. Can you imagine the lines waiting to plug your vehicle in. Nah, the push rod engine will be around for many many years to come.
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Depends on how old you are. Look at the advances companies like Tesla have made in the past decade on the battery life. I wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibility that in 2030 you may be able to drive from Central PA to Eldora & back. They are currently looking at ways to increase the amount of charging stations as well so lines may not be as big as some think, nor the time to charge.
2 of my co workers purchased Tesla's in the past couple years. Rode in them, nice, had great speed on the highway, and throttle response. I told them it was nice but too expensive for me but then they told me about the deal with the charges. Apparently they get free charges at any Tesla station (not sure how many or for how long). The one told me for what he paid for oil changes, gas, car payment, & other mechanical things on his old car that are not needed on his now, he actually is saving money overall. Car payment is higher, but expenses lower. If they other companies follow suit, may not be that far along than what you think.
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April 12, 2020 at
10:06:53 PM
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Sounds like most of the folks here aren't interested in electric race cars, myself included...
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April 13, 2020 at
07:35:22 AM
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In my neck of the woods sprint car technology has gone backwards and it it a wonderful thing. The non-wing cars are old and run on a 450 CFM carb and put on a great show. The winged cars use a 750 and are gaining in popularity. We have 50, yes 50 new (old) cars that have been prepped for the upcoming season. The Western Renegades have not even turned a lap yet and they have 25 teams ready to race. The WoO obviously would not adopt such rules but the success of the UMSS and the concepts it leverages should be noted. If big time sprint car racing doesn't cut costs and the industry turns its back because it can't use electric motors to some extent then the end could be near.
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April 13, 2020 at
01:53:59 PM
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Too funny I ad Sizzlers toy cars back in the day too. Interestingly their track was black where the Hot Wheels track was orange. It was the Big O Layout oval track, I still have it.
Problem was, yes 50 years ago, the batteries in the cars didn't last long I remember them racing for maybe 3-4 minutes? And ultimately the cars wouldn't hold a charge after a year or 2. Neat toy though were fun while they lasted.
The worst president of my lifetime:
Ronald Reagan
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April 13, 2020 at
06:19:55 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Jake B. on April 10 2020 at 02:11:53 PM
With no racing going on in the present, we can only talk about racing in the past and future. I'd like to start a discussion about the future. What technological innovations do you think we'll see in sprint car, midget, and Silver Crown racing in the coming years?
I think there could be one major innovation that will lead to two smaller changes. I think it's only a matter of time before electrification comes to dirt track racing. As car manufacturers continue to develop their electric vehicle offerings the internal combustion engine will go by the wayside. Of course there will still be aftermarket manufacturers that make engine blocks, pistons, rods, rocker arms, cranks, etc. But the question becomes, if OEMs like Ford, Chevy, and soon to be Toyota are going to continue putting money into dirt track racing why would they do it with an internal combustion engine if they are phasing them out of their vehicle production? If the technology doesn't keep up then there's one major source of sponsor money that may not be available any longer. Even if it has nothing to do with money, if it can be proven that electric drive creates more torque and power then someone will try to go that direction. It's a big change that everyone would have to get used to...no more engine noise, just tires squealing and any mechanical noise. I remember Casey Shuman driving someone's electric midget several years ago, but that's obviously not gone very far yet. Could've just been ahead of its time.
What this could lead to, if the rules makers will allow it, is independent suspensions and all-wheel drive. I know both have been tried in the past but are currently outlawed. Racing with batteries instead of an engine could allow individual electric motors to be fixed to the car's frame for each wheel. (I know Formula E doesn't do it this way, so I'm not sure if it's as easy as I think it is.) That would eliminate the need for a rear end gear, which opens the possibility for removal of the solid axle. And if you could mount the motors for the front wheels you'd have to remove the front axle also.
So let's hear it...what do you think is on the horizon?
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In my opinion the thing that makes racing great is that it excites all the senses in your body, Sight, Sound, Smell, Touch or feel. With e-racing you will loose some of the effect that makes racing what it is. The speed will still be there but the sound of a combustion engine will not,the vibration from the sound of roaring race engines, the smell of burning fuel, etc will not be duplicated by e race cars. Still some excitement from the speed and competition but not the full gamet that we come to expect when we show up at our favorite dirt track.
Maybe someday, but it will be a sad day.
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April 13, 2020 at
10:06:29 PM
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Do you know how heavy a Tesla is? Do you know how dangerous they are to work on? Haven't you heard how hard Tesla fires are to put out or about cars re catching fire days after a collision? Study up buttercup
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April 13, 2020 at
10:30:40 PM
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Smaller tires to unhook them
They don't even know how to spell sprint car
much less chromoly...http://www.ycmco.com
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April 13, 2020 at
11:53:50 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Kb's dad on April 13 2020 at 06:19:55 PM
In my opinion the thing that makes racing great is that it excites all the senses in your body, Sight, Sound, Smell, Touch or feel. With e-racing you will loose some of the effect that makes racing what it is. The speed will still be there but the sound of a combustion engine will not,the vibration from the sound of roaring race engines, the smell of burning fuel, etc will not be duplicated by e race cars. Still some excitement from the speed and competition but not the full gamet that we come to expect when we show up at our favorite dirt track.
Maybe someday, but it will be a sad day.
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Sight, sound, smell, feel, and taste.... Its why racing, particulary dirt track racing is so amazing popular right now. Even your beer taste different at a dirt track and that excites people.
I just dont think electronic racing will survive unless its forced upon the population as the only form or racing...
Brandon McLain
United Sprint Car Series Driver
2014 Season
National Rookie of the Year!
National Points - 8th
Southern Points - 3rd
Asphalt Points - 3rd
18 Races, 3 Top 5's, 14 Top 10's
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April 23, 2020 at
08:39:09 AM
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From the Detroit Free Press : Mustang Cobra Jet destroys quarter mile at 170 mph, all electric
https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2020/04/23/ford-mustang-cobra-jet-1400/3009455001/
#IworkforGM
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April 23, 2020 at
12:26:36 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Kb's dad on April 13 2020 at 06:19:55 PM
In my opinion the thing that makes racing great is that it excites all the senses in your body, Sight, Sound, Smell, Touch or feel. With e-racing you will loose some of the effect that makes racing what it is. The speed will still be there but the sound of a combustion engine will not,the vibration from the sound of roaring race engines, the smell of burning fuel, etc will not be duplicated by e race cars. Still some excitement from the speed and competition but not the full gamet that we come to expect when we show up at our favorite dirt track.
Maybe someday, but it will be a sad day.
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Totally agree
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April 24, 2020 at
09:42:04 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: revjimk on April 23 2020 at 12:26:36 PM
Totally agree
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The 2030 Knoxville Nationals presented by Duracell? No mufflers required
Part of the allure of sprint cars is the sound. Electric sprint cars would suck. JMO of course.
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May 01, 2020 at
12:55:24 PM
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More about GM's move to an all electric line up
https://www.automobilemag.com/news/electric-vehicles-will-soon-dominate-general-motors-product-lineup/
#IworkforGM
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May 03, 2020 at
05:54:21 AM
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Buttercup ???? made me laugh
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May 03, 2020 at
12:22:27 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: motorhead748 on April 12 2020 at 05:14:16 AM
Technology is the problem not the solution. And this applies to more than just racing.
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Agreed. Technology has obviously improved our lives in many ways but when it comes to sprint car racing, it's made them more expensive and it's locked them down to the point where the racing suffers. It's also made modern poular music suck.
A
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May 04, 2020 at
09:57:38 AM
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I think a more releastic advancement for sprint cars could be the introduction of electronic fuel injection. With Toyota coming into 410 sprint car engines, they could push the WoO to accept EFI down the road. Fred Rahmer did an interview a couple months back where he was concerned that this could be a very real possibility with Toyota and tha would immediatly obsolete every 410 before it and drive up the cost immensly. I think that that the Toyota midget engines are EFI, correct?
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