 |
     |
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
Don't Just Go Fast - Go Fast Consistently!!!
|
By Michael Browne / Wires & Pliers |
In the world of Drag Racing, we all know that anything can happen once the green light shines. We would all like a sure bet that we will be the one in the winner's circle when the day ends. Having a consistent Race Car is about as close to that sure bet as your going to get, however. I have seen it happen many times - the consistent guy on the grounds ends up winning over the fastest guy. 
I wanted to talk a bit about the “how's and what's” that make up a consistent race car. First and foremost you need a chassis that is efficient and sensitive to change, as well as an engine that is equally efficient and sensitive to change. In addition, you need a team that is focused, works hard on the combination and keeps good data to reference throughout the year. Finally, you need a driver that is focused, can give his crew good information and has a desire to win. But even with all the best parts money can buy, there is one single element that is in reality the heart and veins of any race car. Unfortunately, it's often the most neglected and atrocious-looking mess in a competition car.
A lot of forethought goes into every car I wire. Once I venture in and begin the wiring, I strive to keep things neat and take the time to do the job right. I use proper wire size, the right connectors for components, solder all connections and insure proper grounding. Proper grounding is probably the most neglected part of a race car, and more times then not will cause a racer a lot of unnecessary grief and take valuable time at the track to figure out.
Contrary to popular belief, the chassis of a race car is not the best ground. I have spent a lot of time and collected data to find a consistent grounding method, and the grounding methods that I practice have proven to be very consistent and reliable. I have not had ignition box failures or other component failures due to poor grounding, thanks to our grounding methods.
Once the car is laid out electrically, there is another layout that is just as important, and that's the component layout. In a fuel-injected application, you do not want the ignition on top of the EFI computer, for example. Also, you should bear in mind the location of the coil, again keeping it away from sensitive items. Pre-planning the layout of the electrical system in a race car is vital, and will only benefit the racer and add consistency to any program.
Use a quality product, solder all connections, take the time to do it right. Stay away from crimp connectors, wire nuts and scotch locks - these are not designed for a race car environment and just add insult to injury. As an average, I spend anywhere from 60 to 90 hours wiring a race car. To some of you this may seem like a lot of time, but that's what it takes. I challenge any of you to take the task on with the above mentioned points and keep track of the time. It's like any other part of the race car - it takes time, and if you rush through it, you're only cheating yourself. I have heard people say I can't afford you. I look at the race teams and see the amount of money they have in their programs, and in spite of their big-dollar chassis, engines, tow rigs and trailers, quite often a team and/or individual is pulling his/their hair out, frustrated because the car is inconsistent as hell. Here they have gone and spent all that money buying the best of everything and don't understand why they can't compete. Many times it's because they rushed through or skimped on the electrical system, and it's now biting them.
Why do you think people like Pat Musi, Chuck Samuel, Skinny Kid Race Cars, Billy Glidden, Don Walsh Jr., Rob Golobo and most recently Sonny Leonard send me their cars to wire? They don't want to deal with the electrical, so it is easier for them to send it to me, tell me what they want and not have to look back. Ask them - they will tell you. So I say to the people who tell me they can't afford me -How can't you afford me? |
Having said that, I would like to discuss the relationship between consistency and the electrical system in a race car. Most of you who have seen my work know that it looks clean and organized, but there is more to wiring the car then meets the eye. Primarily, the overall layout is very important, especially important is keeping battery cables away from data loggers which are sensitive to voltage as well as keeping fuel injection wiring away from ignition wires, coils, etc. 
It's a well-known law of nature that electricity will take the path of least resistance. Based on that, it's easy to see that if you have a bad ground electricity will not stop searching for another path to find ground, wreaking havoc on electrical systems and components in the process. I have seen more component failure caused by a bad ground then by any other single element. Grounds are just as important as the power you are supplying. 
Keep in mind that the points I have discussed are just a small portion of what goes into wiring a race car. It is not an easy task, and is something that should not be taken lightly, unless of course you don't take racing seriously. There aren't many people out there doing this type of work because, as I said, it isn't easy. It's very time consuming, but the more that's put into the electrical system of a race car will reward a competitor with consistency. 
In that respect, what I charge to wire a race car is probably the least expensive part of the program. Most racers will spend three times what it costs to have me wire a car rebuilding a broken engine, which will only continue to break due to an improper electrical system.