Andy Randolph
The Risks of Cooling Down
Engineering is a constant battle of risk versus reward. How much are you willing to challenge your equipment in order to gain speed? […]
Andy Randolph
Andy Randolph
Kansas Wrap Up: What Caused all the Engine Failures?
The defining characteristic of the Kansas race was the surprising number of engine problems. Many of those problems can be attributed to the change in rear gear from a 3.89 to a 4.00. At 190 mph at a track like Kansas, your wheels make 2270 revolutions per minute (rpm). If you watch the telemetry on the television broadcast, you know that the engine is rotating around 9500-9900 rpm. Since the engine is attached to the wheels, there has to be something to change the rotation rate between the engine and the gears. […]
Andy Randolph
Kansas: Temperature and Horsepower
There were a lot of engine problems at the Kansas race last Sunday. Also, a lot of theories as to why there were a lot of engine problems. Let’s start with the cooler-than-expected temperatures. […]
Aerodynamics
Behind the Science of Speed
The Science of Speed video series is now up at www.science360.gov. We did a press conference at Texas Motor Speedway Friday April 3rd afternoon announcing the series. If you told me three years ago I’d […]
Aerodynamics
Is More Horsepower Always Better?
A number of drivers and owners have said that Toyota engines have more horsepower. “I think everybody in the garage is down on horsepower compared to what the Toyotas are.” Kevin Harvick One report of […]