Products that help racers go fast are not always bolt-on engine or chassis parts. To the contrary, speed parts come in many forms. Products like engine tools, building equipment, or even safety devices can be viewed as speed parts, because they all contribute to the successful operation of a race program-and that enhance's the opportunities for speed.
The hallmark of race products is innovation, and many companies commit a substantial amount of their resources to develop new products for racers at all levels. The innovative spirit of high-performance manufacturers has produced some amazing products that provide opportunities for racers to make improvements to their race programs.
A popular place for companies to showcase their innovative products is at the many industry trade shows in cities around the country. One such event is the annual Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade show.
In 1998, PRI was held in Indianapolis, and as usual the halls were packed with companies showcasing their wares. For the three days of the show, we toured the booths looking at the innovations offered to racers. We saw some pretty good products and thought we would show some of them to you.
Products we feature here by no means represent every new item on display at the PRI show. Space limitations would not permit us to show them all, so we selected 20 for these pages. These items are speed parts that provide opportunities for racers to run safer, build better, run longer, maintain easier, get lighter, and go faster.
Note: The contact information for the manufacturers of each of these products is listed at the end of this article.
Stuck In The Mud
Brunnhoelzl Racing Products-Winged car jacks
Designed with wings, these jacks enable a race car to be raised on soft surfaces without the jacks sinking. Two versions are available-one has wings only and the other has stabilizing wings and is completely enclosed by a dirt skirt to keep dirt out of the jack. Both of these lightweight jacks (29 pounds) are available with four-, three-, two-, or one-pump cylinders.
No Spill Thrill
Goodridge Incorporated-Quick-release coupling system for brake and clutch systems
Servicing brake and clutch systems is easier with this specially designed quick-disconnect system. The self-sealing, bayonet-style, lock-coupling design permits servicing the clutch, brake systems, and Sprint-car wing systems without draining the fluid from the lines or bleeding the system. No pollutants can enter the lines, because it is a true dry-brake system, which means no fluid loss or air inclusion.
Designed especially for racing environments, this system is compact and light and is constructed from high-tensile materials. It is available in aluminum and stainless steel.
Light Lightening
MSD Ignition-Pro mag lightweight magneto
Optimization of the magnetos has led to the development of a new and powerful mag that has a weight reduction of about 3 pounds; that means this unit has a reduction of almost 35 percent compared to other MSD units. Developed for use in alcohol-injected race cars that run with little or no battery, the unit is clamped to the manifold with an antislip locking clamp to prevent any rotation. Timing is simple, because the adjustment is made at the site of a clamp above the manifold.
Steering Lite
Sweet Manufacturing-Lightweight power-steering box
Lighter than the standard four-bolt steering unit, this housing has been CNC-machined to reduce the weight by 211/42 pounds. This lighter unit still has all of the same features as the standard four-bolt unit, such as multiple ratio and valve size choices, but it's lighter.
Groovin' On
Competition Cams-Lifter-bore grooving tool
With this tool, the lifter bore can be precisely grooved to increase the oiling of the contact area between the lifter and camshaft. This increased oiling significantly reduces wear on the camshaft and lifters. The tool comes complete with a grooving tool, a carbide cutter, and a handle and is available in .842- and .974-inch-diameter lifter-bore grooving sizes.
Ratchet It Up
Billet Race Products-QWK-Set panhard adjuster
Designed for simplicity, this new serrated, bracket-style panhard adjuster eliminates the need to unbolt the bar or bracket to make adjustments in either direction. There are no jam nuts to work. All it takes is a 31/48-inch ratchet on the control rod to crank in the changes.
It provides a multitude of incremental adjustments across a 5-inch range, and it mates with a clamp-on outer adjuster to create a tuning system that makes track-side roll-center tuning accurate and easy.