[DRB]

The TRD team set out to incorporate the best features of each engine, while hunting for Nascar-legal design tweaks. They used advanced engineering software to calculate stresses on the cylinder heads, plus computer- aided design and stereo lithography to quickly mold plastic parts. All standard in the automotive industry but fairly new to Nascar, these high-tech tools helped TRD build and test engines faster and more efficiently.

There was also a little old-fashioned design ingenuity. Early on, says David Currier, who led the seven-man design team, it became clear that Nascar's design parameters for the valvetrain, which helps control fuel intake and exhaust, was the engine's weak link, as it was conceived to handle a modest 5,000 rpm. To circumvent Nascar's valvetrain restrictions, TRD minimized the stroke. By shortening the distance traveled by the piston, they ended up with an engine that should spin faster than 9,000 rpm.

These aren't dirt floored garages with leaky roofs. Hendrick, Childress, Yates and Gibbs all have had state of the art design, modeling and failure analysis software systems for a long time. As for the prototyping and plastic modeling, again the big shops have been there a long time. And that's before their manufacturing technologies which are test beds for the big CNC machine companies. Anybody want to guess one of the main reasons Okuma moved its headquarters to Charlotte?

As for the RPMs, again bullsh!t. NASCAR engines have been blasting away at 9,000 RPMs for a long time. At one point they had gotten to just under 10K, but NASCAR didn't like that very much and instituted gear rules to slow that down. There are a number of tracks where they basically keep their foot in the gas all the way around making an engine turn at 9,000 RPMs for say 30 or 40 minutes, stop it to pit, and then do it again.

These are guys that have been making sh!t go fast for a long time. The real advantage that Toyota gave JGR (and subsequently the other Toyota teams) was the ability to start pretty much from scratch without existing designs and parts. And even then the fact that the Toyota engine is really a knockoff of the tweaked Chevy designs that had been in JGR's design library for a few years is pretty much swept under the rug.

So in laymans terms, what are the rules of engines? I am sure there is a size cap like 5.7 litres or something like that. But is there a cap on horsepower? A cap on compression ratio?, Displacement (or more precisely bore size vs. stroke size)? Etc.

The basic specs are
a V8, cast iron block, normally carbureted, pushrod valve train with 2 valves per cylinder and a displacement of 358 cubic engines (5.8L). No "fancy" materials. The maximum bore is 4.185 inches with a maximum stroke of 3.25 inches. Because of the carburetor, the engines are mechanically timed. So pretty much the same basic engine design that's been around for 50 years. Horsepower is one of the big secrets in NASCAR. The teams are very closely guarded about that. NASCAR impounds engines all the time and tests them but never tells anyone the results BUT as evidenced by the initial article will tell folks to tune it down.

Couple that with antiquated brakes, what they are limited to do with the aero packages and the fact that they weigh 3400 pounds, they still build cars capable of going 200mph for 5 hours. Somebody hauled a car to Bonneville built to NASCAR specs and got it to go 244mph.

It ain't the sexy F1 stuff but they are very talented folks making that technology fast.

 

[pinkshirtphotos]

original nascar rules stated the car must be american made. sad thing is toyota is more american than ford or chevy now. on the 9th to 11th ill be at watkins glen for a nascar race. friday night they have the rolex sports cars, saturday is bush then sunday is nextel.

 

[moose99ps]

nascar and the term "engineering" in one sentence's just plain wrong.

hahhahah you must be retarded??? coming from the nascar industrry... theres more engineering in those cars than you could EVER FATHOM.. and drb..... toyota has its hand much further in the cookie jar at jgr than you know...

 

[moose99ps]

Couple that with antiquated brakes, what they are limited to do with the aero packages and the fact that they weigh 3400 pounds, they still build cars capable of going 200mph for 5 hours. Somebody hauled a car to Bonneville built to NASCAR specs and got it to go 244mph.

It ain't the sexy F1 stuff but they are very talented folks making that technology fast.

the only thing keeping these cars from their potential is downforce.. they dont have the downforce to keep the cars on the track at that speed. F1 has enough downforce to pullup a manhole cover or drive completely upside down in a tunnel... oh and they also have an awseome push to pass button that advances the timing to make them go faster..

 

[V-Dub GTI]

When I first heard about it I figured that It would end up the same as Honda in F1...

 

[sanjuro]

It ain't the sexy F1 stuff but they are very talented folks making that technology fast.

I give you that the people running these teams are not idiots.

Just the fans and people who cater to these fans are retards.

They make super powerful engines and suspension, slap a body on that's built for highway fuel efficiency and will appeal to families, then governor the engines so the cars won't slam into the tracks that was designed for cars built in the 50's.

When I watch sports like Baja racing or MotoGP, I am assured that these machines are the absolute best and that have to be in order to survive their extremely challenging courses.

 

[DRB]

hahhahah you must be retarded??? coming from the nascar industrry... theres more engineering in those cars than you could EVER FATHOM.. and drb..... toyota has its hand much further in the cookie jar at jgr than you know...

Like I said in regards to the Nationwide series, the vast and I mean vast majority of the improvement is directly attributable to the work done by the JGR engine shop. Toyota has had very little to do with that. The majority of their support, both financial and technical, has gone to the Sprint Cup cars. Even in that arena, this year they have been following the lead of the JGR guys.

What Toyota also got from JGR was that Gibbs already had race winning chassis.

And I pretty much know that first hand.

 

[Wumpus]

Anybody want to guess one of the main reasons Okuma moved its headquarters to Charlotte?

the fishing is better?

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>

And I pretty much know that first hand.

Are you consulting for NASCAR now?

 

[manimal]

NASCAR: The Special Olympics of Auto Racing

 

[stevew]

NASCAR: The Special Olympics of Auto Racing

name calling from a sport bike rider is always good for a laugh.