Racing Project Management

Racing Project Management
By Don Terrill (c) - www.RacingSecrets.com

If you're serious about racing you need to keep all of your data in one place - a project management folder if you will. Every single engine I've done has had one.

Here are some of the things I've kept in my engine folders:

• Build Sheet - All the engine specs like bearing clearance, etc.
• Part Numbers - All of them
  
• Product manuals
• Camshaft info - Cam card and Camdoctor raw data
• Piston spec sheet
• Cylinder Wall Sonic Test Results
• Flowbench Data - Cylinder Heads, Intake Manifold and Carburetor
• Cam Company Profile Listings
• Track Test Results
• Engine Simulation Software Printouts
• Spin Tron Graphs
• Fuel Testing Results - For fuel mixes and additives
  
• Receipts and Purchase Orders
  
• Photos, Drawings, Charts, etc
  
• Rule Book
• Articles - Print magazines, websites, etc
  
• Notes and Ideas for Improvement - This is the most Important
  
• Contact Info - Inside the front flap of your folder
  
• Create e folders - one in your email program and one on your desktop
  

For hardcore project management, try some of these software titles:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_project_management_software

Gooseology and Lessons for Auto Racing

Gooseology and Lessons for Auto Racing
By Don Terrill (c) - www.RacingSecrets.com

Living in Michigan I get to see plenty of Canadian Geese. As most know, they fly in a V formation and make a lot of noise during flight.

Just dumb animals right? Well, maybe we can learn something from them.

Observations:

• Aerodynamics - Like water running downstream, they naturally find the path (in this case formation) of least resistance.
• Efficiency - There is no wasted motion - every movement is for the sole purpose of propelling the body forward.
• Communication - No one knows for sure, but many believe the noise they make during flight is meant to encourage each other to keep going.
  
• Teamwork - In a V formation more drag is placed on the leader, thus they will rotate out of that position to let other more rested geese take their turn at the front.
  

Lessons:

• Take the path of least resistance - Instead of always thinking about how we can add more power or speed, how about focusing on the forces that keep it from happening naturally? How do we minimize the negative effects of these forces?
  
• Get the most out of what you've got - The goal for most types of racing is to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Every component and action should be looked at to see if it helps with this ultimate goal. If not, change it or get rid of it.
  
• Build a REAL team - One of the biggest shockers when I first went to work for a Nascar team was the total lack of a team feeling - everyone was just in it for themselves. I have no doubt that building a true team culture will pay off with wins.

Now on to Sheepology.................... uhh, maybe not.

Horsepower Maximus - "At My Signal, Unleash Hell"

Horsepower Maximus - "At My Signal, Unleash Hell"
By Don Terrill (c) - www.RacingSecrets.com

Russell Crowe's character in the opening scene of the movie Gladiator wins the battle by heavily stacking the deck in his favor via an overwhelming force. We should do the same.

I've written in the past about the failings of incrementalism - a method of improving by making small changes on a regular basis. It may be the easiest and most affordable path, but it won't help you distance yourself from the rest of the field - because, they're moving at the same slow pace.

From this day forward, I challenge you to think big and always push for the decisive victory.

(1) Fender Swelling Cubic Inch
If you're not traction limited and there are no rules limiting or punishing more cubic inches, go for it - build the largest engine ever used for your type of racing. Heck, put a second engine in the trunk if you want.

(2) Massive Organic Airflow
Your heads flow over 500 cfm? Yawn...no one cares. Why not shoot for a number so high, it's never even been considered before?

(3) Ear Splitting RPM
HP = RPM x Torque / 5252. So, the higher RPM, the more the HP. The catch? You need to be able to feed the engine enough air to sustain the Torque numbers at higher RPMs. Formula 1's 19,000 RPM should be viewed as idling.

(4) Gasket Bursting Compression
Compression Ratio = (D + PV + DC + G + CC) / (PV + DC + G + CC). D = Cubic Inches per cylinder and is above the division line in the formula, so any increase in engine size will lead to higher compression. To reach the limit of your combination, make a mold of your combustion chamber and send it to your piston company to have domes made that perfectly match your heads.

(5) Spring Killing Valve Lift
Some of you will remember when .700 inches of lift was a lot. Today the number is higher, but nothing groundbreaking has happened in the last five decades. How about coming up with a head that flows at 2.0 inches of valve lift and then designing a cam to take advantage of it?

(6) Ginormous Blowers and Turbos
Creating massive organic airflow is not enough, we need to "cheat" and force as much air/fuel mixture into the combustion chamber as possible. We could throw a 6-71 blower or a single turbo charger on the engine, but where's the big thinking?

(7) Fire Hose Fed Nitrous Oxide
A 250 HP nitrous kit? You've got to be kidding me. We want more, much more.

To decide if you're thinking big enough, ask...

• Has it never been done before?
• Does it seem impossible?
• Will people call me crazy?

Yes, yes, yes - then you should consider doing it.

Ok, so I know some of the above is crazy and won't work, but I'm just trying to get you, my racing brothers and sisters, to think big and remember...

What we do in life echoes in eternity.

The Car - It's a Drag

The Car - It's a Drag
By Don Terrill (c) - www.RacingSecrets.com

We focus on making more power, but we should also look at what's keeping the power from becoming speed.

Frictional Losses caused by Tires:

Rolling Friction = Cr * M * G
Cr = coefficient of rolling resistance
M = total mass of the vehicle with driver
G = acceleration due to gravity

As you can see by the formula, we want a lighter car and tires with a lower coefficient of rolling resistance.

Tire Type & Coefficient of Rolling Resistance:

Train wheel, 0.001
Low rolling resistance car tire, 0.006 - 0.01
Ordinary car tire, 0.015
Racing tire, > 0.015

Look to Bicycle racing for how to lower tire friction, but be careful to not lose needed traction - a fine line.

Other (non engine) frictional losses:

Transmission
Rear End
U-Joints
Wheel Bearings

These losses are mainly from fluid and seals. How can you improve?

Aerodynamic Losses (Drag):

Drag = Cd * A * .5 * r * V^2

Cd = drag coefficient
A = frontal area
r = density of the air
V = velocity

As you can see by the formula, we want a lower drag coefficient and a smaller frontal area.

Look to HPV and Salt Flat racing for how to lower aerodynamic drag.

photo by: djshoserhookednet