Karts to Stock Cars the Latest News and Tech Updates
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IS DIRT RACING READY FOR THE LS? SPRINT CARS ARE LEADING THE WAY THE DIRT TRACK RACING MAGAZINE KARTS TO STOCK CARS THE LATEST NEWS AND TECH UPDATES TIPS TO GET MORE SPONSORS & KEEP THEM VALVE TRAIN SECRETS FROM THE PROS HOTTEST ISSUE 1, 2014 PUBLICATION OF PARTS XCELERATION MEDIA OD2014-1 onedirt.com WIN MORE! AND MORE: ONLINE GUIDE * VIDEO REWIND * EVENT PREVIEW HIGH-END ROLLER LIFTERS At An AffordAble Price Tapered & Slotted Link Bar Tower ® COMP Cams Sportsman Solid Roller Lifters Offer Premium REBUILDABLE Features And Maximum Durability At A Racer-Friendly Price. DESIGN You asked for it and COMP Cams® has answered the challenge. Finally, racers have a solid roller lifter option that provides all the critical design features of the world’s Shallower most exotic roller lifters at a price that the average racer can actually afford. The Oil Band days of playing “roller lifter failure roulette” due to budget constraints are over. Each design features a large, edge-orifice metered, pressurized oil feed to the roller wheel and axle. This setup delivers a more reliable oil feed than most competing op- tions. Sportsman Lifters also have a shallower oil band than competitors’ versions for Pressurized increased strength and rigidity, while internal machining helps to reduce weight. The Oil Feed To lifters are built from 8620 premium steel for increased strength and wear resistance, Pushrod and feature a captured link bar design. They utilize a tapered and slotted link bar tower for reduced weight and tall bodies for better lifter bore support. AVAILABLE WITH PRECISION-SORTED NEEDLE ROLLER Internal BEARINGS OR HEAVY-DUTY BRONZE BUSHINGS. Machining COMP® engineers have painstakingly tested and re-tested the new Sportsman Lifters in a variety of environments to ensure that they will last in hardcore race applications. That’s proof that although they may be offered at a lower price, COMP Cams® Sports- man Lifters are still designed and built with the same attention to detail you have trusted from COMP® valve train components for nearly 40 years. They simply are built stronger to last longer even in the harshest environments. The lifters are currently available in .842" diameters for Big and Small Block Chevys; Pressurized Oil Feed Bronze Bushing .875" options for Small and Big Block Fords; and .904" diameters for Big Block Chrys- To Roller Wheel & Axle Design ler/Hemi engines. More options coming soon. EDM Pressure Feed Oiling Traditional (Both Sides) Needle Bearing Design 7/16", .165" WALL PERFORMANCE PUSHRODS Developed with increased strength and stiffness for use in high-end race engines, 7/16", 1.65" Wall Pushrods are now available in constant diameter and dual taper configurations. Engineered To Finish First. 9384j COMPCAMS.COM CAM HELP® 1.800.999.0853 Shop TALK FROM THE EDITOR 100% Dirt Track Racing Let the Green Flag Fly! Staff Welcome to the very first print edition of OneDirt. Editorial Director Jeff Huneycutt Yes, OneDirt.com the website has been around for a couple of years now, but this issue marks the beginning Contributors Ben Shelton of some big changes for us. We are staking our claim Dan Hodgdon that both OneDirt the magazine and OneDirt.com are Manufacturers going to become the go-to resources for dirt track racers nationwide when it comes to finding the info you need Advertising Dave Ferrato to run better at the track and win more races. And that’s not just rah rah marketing talk. If you need Production Hailey Douglas proof, just check the contents of this issue. We worked Art Jason Wommack with Keith Jones of Total Seal to figure out how you Zach Tibbett can reliably run modern low-tension rings in standard Jeff Huneycutt pistons to gain an unfair (but very legal) advantage in your Street Stock or Mini Stock race engine. And speaking of pistons, we know hypereutectic pistons get a bad rap in racing, but we share a few secrets to get them to run just as reliably as forged pistons in your claimer engine for half the OneDirt is published semiannually to promote the growth of dirt track racing cost. Finally, we know every race car burns money just about as fast as it does as well as recognize the parts and gasoline, so we’ve got a great feature story filled with some unique viewpoints on services from participating manufactur- how to find and keep sponsors that need you just as badly as you need them. ers. The magazine consists of dedicated Those are just a few of the great stories in this issue of OneDirt, and we hope information from partner companies you enjoy them all. We’ve got lots more great stories cooking in the old editorial with the mission of disseminating pot, so if you want to get a look at those as soon as they are available, make sure unfiltered editorial on companies, prod- to keep an eye on OneDirt.com. Our website is constantly updated with the latest ucts and services directly to dirt racing news updates, how-to articles, and the best racing videos to be found on the participants and fans. internet. In fact, we know that racers are mechanically minded people, and me- Editorial and advertisements for each chanical people generally would rather see how to do something than read about issue originate from partner companies it. So not only are we packing the website with videos of fantastic racing action, participating in the magazine. but many of our tech stories also include video clips embedded right in the article OneDirt is a hybrid of content that was illustrating critical steps. It’s just one way we are taking advantage of the digital originally published at OneDirt.com as age to help make your racing life a bit easier—and hopefully, more successful. well as original content that was creat- So please take a look at the magazine in your hands, and don’t forget to visit ed for this semiannual print magazine. OneDirt.com. We’re working awfully hard to stack one great story on top of Magazine distribution occurs through another in both the magazine and the website, and we’re pretty happy with the selected placement of the publishing results so far—but by no means are we finished. We’d love to hear what you think. company and the internal distribution methods chosen by partner companies. No matter if you race a Pure Stock, Modified, Sprint Car, Late Model or a Kart, we want to know what kinds of stories you are looking for. So give us your two OneDirt is a property of Xceleration cents. Where should we keep pushing, and where have we missed the mark? Media. No part of this magazine may What types of tech stories are you looking for, and do you have any great tips you be reproduced without written consent from Xceleration Media. All rights are willing to share with the rest of your dirt racing brothers and sisters? reserved. Printed in the USA. You can find my personal email address below, and while I can’t reply to every email I definitely read ‘em all. Don’t be shy. Keep your foot in the gas, SPECIAL THANKS Jeff Huneycutt The staff of OneDirt would like to [email protected] express our sincere gratitude to all the talented photographers that supplied IS DIRT RACING READY FOR THE LS? SPRINT CARS ARE LEADING THE the images found in this issue. Without WAY ON their talents and willingness to help, THE COVER there would not be a OneDirt print magazine. THE DIRT TRACK RACING BILLY OGLE, JR. MAGAZINE KARTS TO TAZEWELL SPEEDWAY, STO Rick Schwallie THE LATESTCK NEWS CARS AND TECH UPDA MAY 31, 2013 TES latemodelphotos.com Photo by Rick Schwallie TIPS TO GET MORE Woody Hampton SPONSORS For more on the man behind the lens, & KEEP THEM woodysracingphotos.com head over to page 22. VALVE TRAIN SECRETS FROM THE PROS ISSUE 1, 2014 HOTTEST PUBLICATION OF XCELERATION MEDIA OD2014-1 PAR onedirt.com WIN MORE!TS AND MORE: ONLINE GUIDE * VIDEO REWIND * EVENT PREVIEW CONTENTS FEATURES TECH 22 JACK OF ALL TRADES 14 UNFAIR (BUT LEGAL) POWER Rick Schwallie gets dirty to get the shots Total Seal’s advantage ring kits 28 PROFILE OF A CHAMPION 18 A WELCOME ADDITION Rodney Sanders has winning in his blood FAST EFI Comes to Saturday night racing 34 SHOW ME THE $$$ 24 TOP SECRET Sponsors help cut the cost of racing Decoding proper valve train selection 48 KNOWLEDGE IS POWER 30 THE WAYS OF THE CARB The AETC Conference is the place to be Holley upgrades two popular carb designs 50 ALL IN THE FAMILY 38 THE RIGHT STUFF The racing community is one big family Finding the balance in race pistons 63 ONE-ON-ONE 42 PRACTICE SAFE RACING Behind the dirt scene with Bill Schlieper Do you have the right safety gear? 71 THE MAN BEHIND THE MIC 60 INTRODUCING THE LS Meet dirt announcer Ben Shelton The LS engine finds acceptance in dirt racing 78 QUARTER OF A CENTURY 64 WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER? Tracey Clay has the I-30 Speedway buzzing Knowing vehicle’s weight leads to perfect setup 86 RETURN OF RACER’S COMPANY 68 CLUTCH AT THE TRACK Lunati returns to its racing roots Selecting the best racing clutch 92 HELLO AGAIN! 72 THE SHOCK FACTOR A number of closed dirt tracks get another shot Rebuild your own race shocks 74 MAKING SPARKS FLY Crane Cams’ trigger ignition systems 82 BEWARE OF THE HYPE Know the truth about your racing oil 2 OneDirt.com / Issue 1, 2014 SPEED SHOP DEPARTMENTS Conical Valve Springs COMP Cams ...................