Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
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Gerard McIntyre's late-race strategy leads to victory in Williams Grove opener

What is deal with the 358 car counts? I am not from the PA area but I thought the 358's usually had some good car counts. Is it early or have that many guys moved up to 410's or to 360's?

A solid group of guys moved up this year. Tim Wagaman, Austin Hogue and a few others. Also, this happened last year and the car counts picked up a bit a month or so into the season.

There are way more teams that stayed home than have raced so far. I hope the car counts will pick up some, but the days of 40 or more 358s in the pits are long gone. With what they pay for a top notch motor, and the payout for winning is less than half what the 410 guys get, you might as well run a 410.  When they made some changes to the engine rules to suit a few top teams the division has gone way down in car counts. Some guys have moved to the Sportsman divison because it fits their budget better. 

Well said.

This.

Somewhere my memory faded and I cannot remember the 358 motor specs. Would some one post this.  Thanks. Mac

The specs, for the Grove. I am pretty sure all tracks run same basic rule.

Engines and Driveline Continued
358:
Any cast iron block, V-8 engines only, of 358 cubic inch maximum displacement
with a maximum stroke of 3-1/2 inches. Flat top pistons only, no domes or
dishes. Zero deck height. Maximum compression ratio of 10.80:1 as measured by
Whistler gauge. Cast iron heads of stock configuration mandatory. Stock OEM
valve guide angle - all Chevrolet OEM heads and Chevrolet aftermarket heads
must have a 23 degree valve guide angle, plus or minus 1 degree. All Ford OEM
302 Boss heads and Ford aftermarket Type “N” heads must have a 10 degree
valve guide angle, plus or minus 1 degree. All other Ford heads must have a 20
degree valve guide angle, plus or minus 1 degree. Other manufacturers contact
speedway management for valve guide angles. Port and polish of heads permitted.
No raised intake runners or spread port exhaust. No modification to push rod area
on intake port. No modifications permitted to heads that would enable the use of
down nozzles or multiple spark plugs per cylinder.
Must be naturally aspirated. Fuel injection or carburetor allowed. Timed and/or
electronic fuel injection units are prohibited.
No titanium crankshafts, steel connecting rods only. There must be an inspection
plug in the oil pan using either a #12AN fitting or a one-inch pipe plug. If car is
to be inspected and there is no inspection plug, oil pan removal will be required
for inspection.

Lincoln speedway specs.

Engines
1. Any cast iron block. V-8 engines only.
2. 358 cubic inch maximum displacement.
3. Maximum stroke 3.5 inches.
4. Flat top pistons only, no domes or dishes. Zero deck height.
5. Maximum compression ratio of 10.80:1 as measured by whistler gauge.
6. Cast iron heads of stock con? guration mandatory. Stock OEM valve guide angle
(Example - GM 23 degree) plus or minus 1 degree. No raised intake runners or spread
port exhaust. No modi? cation to push rod area on intake port.
7. No modi? cations permitted to heads that would enable the use of down nozzles or
multiple spark plugs per cylinder.
8. Must be naturally aspirated. Fuel injection or carburetor allowed. Timed and/or electronic
fuel injection units are prohibited.
9. No titanium crankshafts. Steel rods only. There must be a 3/4 inch inspection hole in the
left side of the oil pan opposite the number one rod journal or the oil pan will be removed
for inspection purposes.

Congrats to Chezzy Mac...He's been chasing that one for a while...

Opinions may vary...

Can you use Dart heads?