3D Scan Tech4. The Next Gen should make NASCAR appealing to other manufacturers, particularly as hybrid technology is explored. NASCAR delivered its 2020 Cup Series rulebook to teams on Tuesday, and the end result will be a very similar on-track product to 2019. The video also explains that, during qualifying, teams tape their grilles completely shut to help maximize vehicle speed. The vehicle behind another one might experience less drag, but that also means less airflow to the radiator, and if the car spends enough time in sitting on another car’s tail, that could cause issues. The Next Gen should make NASCAR appealing to other manufacturers, particularly as hybrid technology is explored. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. NASCAR, the sport of noise and nostalgia, is making its trickiest turn yet: Hybrid engines From the Prius to pit road. The intake and exhaust are tuned and tested to provide a boost at certain engine speeds. The 15-week NASCAR Technology program, which can be added to your Automotive Technology program, provides hands-on training in the technician skills that race teams need. That's why NASCAR itself seemed to be most excited about this car well beyond 2022. It’s fascinating stuff, though clearly incredibly stressful for NASCAR engine designers who are constantly tasked to make do with less and less airflow. NASCAR could introduce hybrid-powered cars as early as 2022, NASCAR’s SVP for Racing Development John Probst told TechCrunch. Data from pit road feeds into 23 HP servers that … “There’s this constant struggle that goes on between the engine community an the aero community,” he told me. He’s the technical director at ECR Engines, which designs motors for the Richard Childress Racing team, and he’s talked with Jalopnik a number of times before; he knows his stuff. A major engine change occurred in 2012 with NASCAR's introduction of fuel injection technology. While the same version of an engine is typically used for an entire season, it is rebuilt after each race. NASCAR Technical Institute is the exclusive educational provider for NASCAR and the only campus in the country to offer NASCAR-endorsed training. That would open the door wide open for nearly every auto manufacture. Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR) Technical Director Andrew Randolph gives a speech on the inner workings and engineering of a 2010 NASCAR engine. Follow my instagram (@davidntracy). A V6 is rumored for the NASCAR Next Gen car. The NASCAR-Approved Spec Engine is an alternative for competitors in the ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, and NASCAR Pinty’s Series. Generation 6 car (2013–2021) But the real good stuff is the talk about cooling systems. I was curious to know if running these engine at higher temperatures yields any improvements in thermodynamic efficiency, and Dr. Randolph broke it down to me, saying that the answer is technically yes, but the higher temps actually reduce overall power due to increased intake temperatures: Yes, there is a slight efficiency advantage because heat loss to the fluids decreases. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Here’s the engine causing the commotion. It’s for this reason that, according to Randolph, engine damage that could yield premature engine failure later down the line often happens during use of this cool-down unit. So after a few laps, to pull the heat out of the engines, teams hook their cars to an external “cool-down unit,” which flows ice water directly through the engine cooling system. Bore roundness deteriorates, bolt clamping forces change (some increase, some decrease), chances of knock and/or preignition increase. NASCAR single engine package “But ideally creating a single engine package as opposed to taking an engine and kind of choking the horsepower down, is something that I believe we will ultimately get to.”” Currently, NASCAR uses a tapered spacer to cut airflow to the engine. The average car on the road today keeps its engine running at around 200 degrees Fahrenheit, but a NASCAR racing engine runs around 280. Initially NASCAR indicated that it would transition to fuel injection midway through the 2011 season but decided before that season to put off the change until 2012. NASCAR rules also limit teams to using the blocks, cylinders and intake manifolds from the castings of approved manufacturers. Fuel injection in NASCAR was introduced in 2012, having previously been announced for 2011, which was the last season to see the premier NASCAR series use carburetion. Check back for details.) A V8 engine has 8 cylinder pistons, with its components arranged in a V-shape, hence the name. We rely on readers like you to uphold a free press. These bits of tape that can be strategically removed are called “tape pulls.”. Today, most real cars don't run around town using high fuel octane-eating V-8 engines. Chevy first began a relationship with NASCAR in 1955, with its V-8 powered engine still used in racing to this day. He told me about this in further detail via email, saying: The head gasket contains multiple layers which can shear [against] each other. However, starting in 2018, NASCAR Cup teams were required to run engines multiple races. On average the build of a NASCAR engine costs 60,000-100,000 dollars. They can’t be made from aluminum, … This 15-week elective trains you in everything from engines, fabrication, and welding, to aerodynamics and pit crew essentials. This reduces required airflow through the radiator and allows teams to tape larger sections of their grilles shut. The technology is critical since the NASCAR cars bodies and engines have to follow specific guidelines so that they are virtually the same. In an email, he described how much stress those conditions put on engine components, saying: Components that suffer from high temperatures include rod bearings (oil more likely to cavitate as it gets hotter), pistons (aluminum softens as the average operating temperature increases), valve seats (seat wear/erosion proportional to operating temperature), and cylinder heads (life shortened due to aluminum softening). Earnhardt Childress Racing uses its engine development philosophy to find half, one and two-horsepower gains for its Chevrolet R07.2 5.8L V8 engine. Data from pit road feeds into 23 HP servers that … NASCAR technicians get to be a part of a beloved business* Minimal postsecondary educational requirements (Optional NASCAR technician program can be completed in 1-2 years)* Variety of job options (Under-car pit mechanic, race shop technician, front end mechanic, engine tuner)* Unique work environment on NASCAR racetracks* NASCAR made a little video about this setup here: Papadakis also mentions that, even during a race, teams have tape on their grilles arranged in such a way that set areas can be removed to precisely allow additional flow to the radiator. This allows more air to be packed into the cylinders, especially at high speeds (see How Camshafts Work for more details). ByMike MagdaJuly 23, 2013. Papadakis explains that NASCAR engines run at around 290 Fahrenheit, or around 90F higher than a standard road car engine. For example, during a caution lap, when vehicles are driving slowly, engine temperatures rise due to a loss in airflow. Always interested in hearing from engineers—email me. Plus, there’s a fun fact about side skirts—namely that they are actually designed to be replaced, since they scrape against the track in an effort to optimize aero. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. “If we’re running 300, we will normally make a change to make that cooler,” he told me, telling me that 280F is a more reasonable steady state temperature. The NASCAR engines have extremely radical cam profiles, which open the intake valves much earlier and keep them open longer than street cars. High Engine Temperatures2. CFE Racing Products developed a billet block with 4.6-inch bore centers and matching cylinder head based on its SBX profile. As part of the Ford FR9 engine program, these engines are leased to seven teams and … The new Chevrolet R07 is its first ever purpose-built engine, designed and developed by GM Racing specifically for NASCAR Nextel Cup competition. The former GM Powertrain engineer also talked about the cool-down unit (there’s one shown above, made by Nitro Manufacturing), and how it can combine with the elevated engine temperatures to cause all sorts of trouble. Daytona and Talladega can be tough, particularly when cars are bunched up close to one another. Our intake air temperatures were around 130F during the race which caused other engine durability concerns. Decreasing air density with high temperature leads to reduced inducted mass and reduced power. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. “For engine cooling reasons, obviously, we prefer to have a lot of air go through the radiator.” He did mention that there is a way to get the best of both worlds, and that’s called a ducted cooling module, which basically takes air that has flowed through the radiator and ducts it out through holes in the hood. We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. In pit stops, there’s also a temperature spike. Still, despite the cost and complexity, the setup can work well. The foundation of the NASCAR-Approved Spec Engine is a production GM LS2 block (6.0L / 4.000) with LS2 CNC ported heads. Owner of far too many Jeeps (Including a Jeep Comanche). Depending on deck height, the engine has the potential to exceed 600-plus cubic inches but still fit in nearly the same space as a small-block Chevy. As far as the current setup, which incentivizes cooling system compromises in favor of drag reduction, Randolph admits that it’s a “reliability issue,” and that it’s expensive to design an engine to handle those elevated temperatures and pressures. That would open the door wide open for nearly every auto manufacture. Tracks over a mile, run the restricted engine package at 550hp. At the NASCAR Cup Series level, teams are trying to get any extra horsepower they can. To prevent the water (and yes, it’s literally water, not ethylene-glycol-based coolant like what’s likely in your car) from boiling at these high temperatures, teams run their engine cooling systems at elevated pressures (since a liquid’s boiling point increases with its pressure).. 1. A/C for Drivers3. Today, most real cars don't run around town using high fuel octane-eating V-8 engines. The foundation of the NASCAR-Approved Spec Engine is a production GM LS2 block (6.0L / 4.000) with LS2 CNC ported heads. Both the Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series use carburetors through into 2021, with no announced change to injection. This is a reasonable price for the time, finances, and fine detailing put into the creation of NASCAR engines. Earnhardt Childress Racing uses its engine development philosophy to find half, one and two-horsepower gains for its … Papadakis explains that NASCAR engines run at around 290 Fahrenheit, or around 90F higher than a standard road car engine. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. The Gen-6 car (current model), I hate to use the words antiquated technology but it’s old technology,” said Richard Johns, NASCAR program engineer with Ford Performance. “It’s so hot that you have to pull out of line and essentially give up your position to avoid having catastrophic incidents,” Randolph said. “The rapid changes in the various metals in the engines...the expansion and contraction,” he told me, contribute to “a lot of stress on the head gasket” and “on interfaces between journals and bearings.” He mentioned that aluminum pistons in cast iron bores can also be an area of concern. In his latest video, “7 Things You Didn’t Know About NASCAR Cup Technology,” he gets into some hot, steamy NASCAR cooling system details: There’s a lot of good stuff in that relatively short video, including a look at NASCAR air conditioning systems and a peek at how special machines scan race cars’ exterior profiles. Of course, the engine doesn’t always run at its ideal temperature. Lubrication becomes problematic as oil film thickness reduces with temperature and in fact the oil itself begins to dissociate above 350F (engines smell like sulfur when disassembled due to oil dissociation). Most of these cars have one motor oil for the 500-mile race and one more for the qualifying to determine their position, These NASCAR vehicles carry a lot of oil in their reservoirs. It’s NASCAR’s version of instant replay minus the NFL’s red flag coaches’ challenges, notes George Grippo, the managing director of competition technology, timing and scoring at NASCAR Productions. Side Skirts/ Rockers7. Cool Down Unit5. So yes, the engine is slightly more efficient at making power, but it makes less power due to reduced mass flow. (A new engine for a new series is coming soon. In other words, the aluminum bolt column in the head expands more than the steel stud when heated, thereby causing fastener torque, and hence clamping load, to increase. But of course, this all adds cost. And this degraded combustion can significantly reduce engine life. This content is currently not available in your region. Sealing concerns are highest when the system is cold. Fuel flow decreases accordingly as the mass flow decreases (closed loop feedback maintains a constant air/fuel ratio).. See all 8 … It says a lot about the current nature of the sport that the most successful new engine in American racing today is a 90-degree pushrod V-8. However, there is also a power loss because the increased structural temperatures cause the intake air temperature to increase when it passes through the intake manifold and cylinder head ports. NASCAR Could Switch to Hybrid Power as Soon as 2022: Report NASCAR SVP for Racing Development John Probst says that the introduction of hybrid technology is … In a NASCAR race, the engine and accompanying expert dedicated to managing it cash in at 100,000 to 150,000 dollars per race. That airflow can be altered via the tape pulls that Papadakis mentioned. “It’s kind of a sickening sound when they hook it up to the cool-down unit,” Randolph told me, describing a loud cracking between the head and block as the gasket shears. Randolph says that his team’s engines use 100 PSI pressure relief valves, which bring the boiling point up to around 335 F, though he says engine temperature is usually lower than that, and is set not by a thermostat (since there isn’t one in these engines), but simply by the vehicle’s airflow. A race car engine is no small investment. Randolph told me they’re usually narrow horizontal or vertical strips, which can be pulled off to achieve a given temperature reduction if the car gets too hot. I’m simply amazed these 358 cubic inch pushrod V-8s can spin at 9,000+ RPM, adding the fact that they are doing it at 290-300 degrees F is even more amazing. Competition officials announced rules changes Tuesday for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, limiting the adjustments to a handful of procedural regulations intended to contain costs for … All of this is bad! Fully assembled the 364 cubic inch engine weighs around 415 pounds and produces approximately 610hp and 500 ft-lbs of torque. Lubrication System. NASCAR race car engines are designed to last one race (500 miles, in the case of the Daytona 500). The new R07 is to succeed the championship-winning SB2 (small block/2nd generation) engine that has been used by GM teams in NASCAR … Lots of bad stuff. on the early tuner street racing culture of Los Angeles, since a liquid’s boiling point increases with its pressure. Sr. Tech Editor, Jalopnik. Another significant byproduct of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series allowing a spec engine materialized on Monday with the announcement that … And the cooling system uses high-temperature o-rings and threaded connections in place of rubber hoses. Introduced into NASCAR Cup racing in 2012, the engine design was based off the Ford FR9 carbureted platform, which entered NASCAR in 2009. For next season, either the ducts will have to be moved outboard enough to miss the cowl or the intake air location will have to be moved.. €5 every 4 weeks or just €50 €20 for the first year, €7 every 4 weeks or just €70 €30 for the first year. Guys who build winning engines for F1, Indy, and Le Mans will look inside Chevy's latest NASCAR powerplant and see the very same hardware and technology … V6 or V8, the car is also likely to feature hybrid technology. At the NASCAR Cup Series level, teams are trying to get any extra horsepower they can. NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet 5.8L V8 Engine. That's why NASCAR itself seemed to be most excited about this car well beyond 2022. Here’s the reasoning behind this, why teams run ice-water through their engines, and more fascinating facts about NASCAR engine cooling systems. It’s all fascinating stuff—so much so that I decided to give NASCAR engine designer Dr. Andy Randolph a call. NASCAR Winston Cup Engine - Technology Transfer, Part III Cylinder Heads, Valvetrains, And Manifolds Are Key Engine Power Makers. This multi-billion dollar industry offers careers in engine building and testing, chassis building and modification, vinyl graphic design and application, and the production and installation of after-market accessories. It is the standard build for all NASCAR engines. It might come as a surprise to you that in this age of highly advanced suspension and engine technology, that the major technological advancement in NASCAR vehicles is its motor oil. See our, Read a limited number of articles each month, You consent to the use of cookies and tracking by us and third parties to provide you with personalized ads, Unlimited access to washingtonpost.com on any device, Unlimited access to all Washington Post apps, No on-site advertising or third-party ad tracking. Battery (and brake) power. Next Gen: Engine. The High Performance Motorsports Technology field is a highly specialized job market with exciting job opportunities. It’s not a perfect system, though, since the hot post-radiator air gets into the intake, which is located at the base of the windshield. Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR) Technical Director Andrew Randolph gives a speech on the inner workings and engineering of a 2010 NASCAR engine. V6 or V8, the car is also likely to feature hybrid technology. Teams used this setup, which yields reduced drag but still high volumetric flow through the radiator, at the All-Star Cup series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway earlier this month (see below), and Randolph said there’s been some discussion about adopting the tech for the 2020 season. “As long as you can maintain the water in liquid form,” Randolph told me, “you can do an okay job of cooling.” But boiling has to be avoided, as steam pockets that can cause major issues like cracking, melting, and distortion. A V6 is rumored for the NASCAR Next Gen car. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The version which they use today however, has been highly refined over the years. There can also be relative motion between the gasket and head or gasket and block without tearing the gasket. This reduces required airflow … In your car's engine, extra oil collects in what is essentially a bucket under the … Next Gen: Engine. As of 2014, NASCAR mandated specifications include a carbureted V8 engine with a maximum 5.9-liter capacity (358 cubic inches). This huge temperature delta, and particularly the wildly different thermal contraction rates of mating components, puts various components at risk of scuffing or even seizing. “The amount of cooling is set by number of square inches of grille opening,” the NASCAR engine expert told me. All of racing is a compromise. The gasket continues to seal because as the engine heats up and the block and head expand (head more than block because it is aluminum), the bolts effectively tighten. Dr. Randolph explains: ...some of the hot radiator air exiting the hood ducts was subsequently ingested into the engine through the cowl. FR9 Carbureted Engine. NASCAR delivered its 2020 Cup Series rulebook to teams on Tuesday, and the end result will be a very similar on-track product to 2019. NASCAR 'future proofs' for hybrid power with Next Gen Cup Series cars The Next Gen cars will race in 2022, and hybrid engines could arrive in '23 or '24. NASCAR 'future proofs' for hybrid power with Next Gen Cup Series cars The Next Gen cars will race in 2022, and hybrid engines could arrive in '23 or '24. Just to eke out a little more speed. Relocating the air inlet location is a fairly significant undertaking given existing designs of the air cleaner, intake manifold, and underside of the hood. The current limitations are designed to encourage the engine parity of vehicles, which generate an average of about 850 horsepower. Sprint Cup engines, as of 2014, come from one of five manufacturers: Chevrolet's ECR Engines and Hendrick Motorsports, Ford's Roush-Yates Engines and Toyota's TRD and Triad Racing Technologies. This is good for aerodynamics, since oncoming air hitting tape flows over the car and can contribute to downforce, whereas air that has to enter a radiator grille bounces around an engine bay and adds what’s known as “cooling drag.”. As an example, he explained that cold water from the cool-down unit might flow around the cast iron block, while the aluminum pistons might still be somewhere close to the oil temperature at the end of a hot run—so, around 320 to 330 Fahrenheit. It’s in these two conditions, Randolph told me, that a NASCAR engine tends to experience its highest temperatures, but there are other times when the airflow-limited engine cooling system can be put to the test. Stephen Papadakis, the owner of Papadakis Racing and the subject of our story last year on the early tuner street racing culture of Los Angeles, also runs an excellent YouTube channel that provides all sorts of insights into race car technology. To help increase engine durability, Randolph says his teams uses special coatings, alloys, and sealing materials. In NASCAR, the engines have to be made from iron blocks that are (nominally) production-based. Correction: It is, of course, increased intake temperatures that yield reduced power, not reduced intake temperatures. The team mechanics and engineers look for any way to provide an advantage, such as through tire pressure adjustments, driver hydration, car lubrication and pit stop strategies. It’s NASCAR’s version of instant replay minus the NFL’s red flag coaches’ challenges, notes George Grippo, the managing director of competition technology, timing and scoring at NASCAR Productions. On top of that, exhaust valve seats and spark plug seats can get so hot that they can yield pre-ignition. (The All-Star race tends to be a testing ground for racing tech prior to its adoption). In essence, this means their cylinder banks are angled at 90 degrees, and they displace 358 cubic-inches, or 5.86 liters. Number of Race Cars6. “For drag reasons, [the aero folks] prefer to have no air go through the radiator,” he said. In this condition, cooling drag is minimized and there’s more downforce, however as you might expect, the engines also heat up quickly.