American race cars (formerly - OT: new car advice)

[Mike Garfias]

Hmm.

Did you know that overhead cams are an OLDER technology than pushrods?

The only advances we've had in the past 40 years have been feedback control
systems for the cars, and better manufacturing techniques (tighter
tolerances).  The EFI lets us pull stupid amounts of power, while still
getting decent milage.

That and those NASCAR motors (whether CTS, Busch, or Cup) really are more high
tech than you can imagine.  Those teams spend millions and millions on
development every year, to get just a few more horsepower.

The engines they're running pull just as much power has a high tech F1 motor,
but do it at 9000rpm instead of 15000, which means they make far more torque
(500ft/lb @ 9000rpm vs 300ft/lb @ 15000rpm).

Really engine development is restricted by the rules of the series.  F1
mandates a specific displacement (can't remember what it is, but its tiny),
NASCAR mandates one as well (358ci).  NASCAR is a series where they put more
emphasis on driver vs driver competition, so they try to limit the cars so
that the better driver will win.  It doesn't always work out that way, but its
better than F1 or some of the other race series.

BTW, the nascar engine builders are screaming for EFI, nascar won't let them
as EFI is harder to police - its easier to change things, and also add things
like traction control that are illegal.


Lyndon Tiu spoke forth with the blessed manuscript:
> On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 15:39:32 EST plug-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us wrote:
> > In a message dated 11/21/2005 1:21:06 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
> > joe at actionline.com writes:
> > 
> > >Buy American or we're all going to end up in deep do-do. 
> > >It starts with you and me. 
> > 
> > Maybe people would buy American if they'd make cars people actually
> > wanted to 
> > buy.
> 
> Talking about American cars, I am just wondering why NASCAR cars use 1960's engine technology?
> 
> --
> Lyndon Tiu
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