How Kit Car Racers Squeeze Out More Power or Get Better PerformanceWith a trophy on the line, the combatants at our past 15 Run and Gun events have shown dexterity, creativity, and skill in eking out every last horse and fine-tuning their handling and performance to chop seconds off their best times. However, Power Adjustments are about more than horsepower. Sometimes, they are about handling and quick fixes to problems that, left unattended, would leave the competitor out of the race. These Gasoline Alley technician-drivers provide us with the chance to see them in action as they make those adjustments, designed to take home those trophies. Here, in our continuing, occasionally run series, are two quick fixes that kept our drivers in the race and the trophy hunt.
Flame OutJim Spencer's Studio X Grand Sport replica was making some hot laps when the fire went out as suddenly as it would have had the ignition switch been clicked. Of course, a thousand thoughts flash through your mind at a time like that and all of them involve major disaster scenes. Fortunately, when the hood was raised, the mystery was over, and the culprit was revealed. Somehow, the rotor had come in contact with the distributor cap and split it wide open-and in a heartbeat the fire was out. A new cap and rotor were installed and the car functioned flawlessly the remainder of the day. The question that still remains is what caused the incident in the first place, and frankly, we don't have the answer to that. However, the problem was fixed and Jim trophied.
Shocking AdjustmentsDave Thomas uses coilover shocks in his ASPP GT40. He is competitive at events such as Run and Gun despite a marked horsepower deficit-he runs about 100 hp, against some cars running five times that much. Thomas has found that one of the neat things about coilovers is the amount of adjustability they afford the driver. For instance, the ride height can be changed by simply rotating the adjustment nut, which compresses the spring. Some shocks are built with adjustable valving, and if all else fails, the spring can be changed for a heavier or lighter spring, depending on your need.
Keep in mind that each change you make in this area may change the tire's relationship to the inner wheelwell, and what was at one time a comfortable fit may become suddenly rather tight. This becomes even more critical if you throw in a tire change. If the worst-case scenario happens while you're at the track and the tire simply needs more clearance, the only thing left to do is apply a bit of blunt force trauma with the infinitely variable pressure, fine-adjustment tool to the offending area of the inner wheelwell