VP’S NEW TRACK ADHESIVE SYSTEM SETS NEW STANDARD FOR TRACTION
“While other traction compound manufacturers are standing pat, VP has applied new technology to a system providing the safest, best performing drag racing traction compound for any conditions a track can experience,” said Steve Burns, VP’s Director of Research & Development. “Bottom line—it performs better, it’s easier to apply and costs less.”
“The worst scenario for a track is to prep for cold weather conditions and it turns hot, or vice versa,” Burns explained. “With VP’s new system, either situation can be easily fixed. In effect, there’s no longer any excuse for not having a good race track—whether it’s hot or cold, the track can always be good.”
VP Racing Fuels has introduced a new traction compound system for drag racing, which, based on recent race results, promises to set a whole new standard for track prep. To Lane Choice 6TM, its top performing traction compound, VP has added “LC6-Cold” and “Starting Line ResinTM,” constituting a system for total track or touch-up applications in all temperatures.
“While other traction compound manufacturers are standing pat, VP has applied new technology to a system providing the safest, best performing drag racing traction compound for any conditions a track can experience,” said Steve Burns, VP’s Director of Research & Development. “Bottom line—it performs better, it’s easier to apply and costs less.”
“The worst scenario for a track is to prep for cold weather conditions and it turns hot, or vice versa,” Burns explained. “With VP’s new system, either situation can be easily fixed. In effect, there’s no longer any excuse for not having a good race track—whether it’s hot or cold, the track can always be good.”
“Track temperatures can literally range from 30ºF to 150ºF and even higher in the most extreme situations, and no one compound formula can offer the absolute best quality across that whole range,” Burns continued. ”However, fully 80% of all racing is conducted in warm to hot weather, for which our LC6 formula remains the top performing traction compound, particularly when conditions involve extreme heat. For the other 20% of the time, LC6-Cold will offer the same superior traction during cold weather conditions, while our Starting Line Resin (SLR) can be used in any conditions for the inevitable touch-ups that are required during a race.”
“LC6-Cold is specially formulated for application to tracks with temperatures below 75ºF,” Burns added. “In these conditions, its adhesive properties are far superior to other traction compounds, as illustrated by the recent ADRL race at South Georgia Motorsports Park. On a track prepped with LC6-Cold on April 10-11, almost every ADRL record for ET and MPH was set, along with new records for quickest qualifying fields in several classes.”
“Interestingly, other track tests have proved adhesive properties of LC6-Cold are actually excellent up to 115 degrees. That means there is a window from about 80-105ºF in which both LC6 and LC6-Cold will offer peak performance.”
“VP’s new Starting Line Resin, or SLR, is designed for touch-ups required during a weekend of racing, from bald spots to minor oil or antifreeze drips,” explained Jason Rueckert, VP’s technical consultant for dragstrip preparation. “Tracks can first clean these spots with lacquer thinner or MEK like normal, then cover the spot with SLR and have their track ready to race in literally less than a minute.”
“LC6, LC6-Cold and SLR are all made ready-to-spray at full strength for easy application,” Rueckert added. “LC6-Cold also can be cut 50/50 with methanol, which track tests have shown to yield incredibly quick curing times allowing tracks to be race-ready 5-10 minutes after application.”
“This worked great at a race in January at the Tomato Nationals at Immokalee, FL,” Rueckert continued. “The track temperature dropped to 45 degrees and lost quite a bit of down-track bite. This was corrected with a quick mist of LC6-Cold mixed at 50/50, after which we were running on it in 5 minutes. The bite was good in and out of the groove as well as on the starting line. At Milan Dragway in Michigan, the track was prepped with LC6-Cold and worked great until an oil down occurred. At that point, the track cut LC6-Cold 50/50 with methanol to spray over the clean-up and in ten minutes, it was awesome!”
“Both LC6 and LC6-Cold can save tracks money as well,” said Rueckert. “For starters, they’re priced lower than competitive adhesives. But in addition, they require a smaller quantity to be applied to the track than competitive adhesives, so the savings are compounded. They also emit the kind of fruity fragrance that racers have come to expect.”
Customers have experienced a high degree of satisfaction with VP’s traction compound. At the Orlando World Street Nationals in November, LC6 was credited with helping the winners of each class set a track or world record. “It's easily the best condition in which I have ever seen the Speedworld Dragway surface,” said freelance tuning consultant, Monte Smith. "VP's (LC6) track prep compound is really good. It's especially good during the day, when most tracks get a little greasy and loose.”
“Before switching to LC6, if we sprayed our previous compound on a hot track – about 145° – it got gooey and stayed gooey,” said Terry Huff, of Ohio Valley Dragway, an 1/8 mile track in Louisville. “With LC6, it seems like the hotter it gets, the better it is. It never turns gooey – just stays nice and consistent.”
”I spend a lot less time and don’t have to use as much compound, so I actually spend less money than before,” Huff continued. “I spray less, but it hooks up better–all the way down track.” Added Bubba Corzine, formerly General Manager of Texas Raceway in Kennedale, TX, “I spent no more than I did on my old compound, and LC6 made the track a whole lot better.”
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