Circle Track March 2018

Remember when instant replay in sports was just that? It was just there to see the play over again. I’ve been hearing more and more rumblings from some racetracks and series that the cost of technology is down to the point where perhaps short tracks should consider bringing in video review. Short-track racing as a whole does not need video review. Do officials miss calls? Yes. Do you see videos on social media the day after the race showing the call was wrong? Yes. So then wouldn’t video review help put everything on a level playing field? No. My opinion/theory on this particular subject is based on two different principles: cost and consistency. Cost As I said before, some tracks believe they can simply pay a videographer (I’ll get to…

I wrote a column several years ago discussing why we do what we do here at Circle Track. I think it is important to readdress that topic, and I was recently motivated to do so by a reader who wrote to me explaining what he liked in a racing magazine and what he did not. He is, or was, a longtime racer, and his likes include coverage and nostalgia-type articles that can frankly be found in numerous other good and solid publications. But it’s not what we do here at CT. And I don’t begin for a minute to apologize for our lack of feature articles about racers past and present What we do, and do very well, is provide this industry and its participants with cutting-edge technology and content…

Editor’s Note: Jim McFarland has been on the mend, so Jeff Huneycutt steps in for this month’s Enginology. Jim will be back next month! It seems like it’s been decades that we’ve been talking about the looming invasion of electronic fuel injection in stock car racing. But except for NASCAR’s Cup Series and some entry-level front-wheel-drive classes, that day is still yet to come. Practically every other class is still racing our trusty carburetors, and it’s probably going to stay that way for quite some time. With that in mind, we thought we’d discuss a very tiny—but also quite critical—component of the carburetor for this month’s Enginology: the booster. Carburetor boosters are those “rings on sticks” inside each venturi on your carb. They are an interesting solution for a design…

What’s On Demand This Month? 12/15/17 Ultimate Adventure Week 12/19/17 Dirt Every Day, Episode 72  SKUSA SuperNationals, Las Vegas 12/20/17 FIM Freestyle MX World Championship, Oberhausen, Germany  GP Confidential, Post Season 12/21/17 HOT ROD Garage, Episode 60 12/22/17 Auto Mundial  FIM Freestyle MX World Championship, Wenzhou, China  Motorsport Mundial  Roadkill, Episode 73 12/26/17 Tuner Battle Week 12/27/17 Tuner Battle Week 12/28/17 Tuner Battle Week 12/29/17 Auto Mundial  Motorsport Mundial  Tuner Battle Week  Junkyard Gold, Episode 3 12/30/17 Tuner Battle Week 1/1/17 Roadkill Garage, Episode 26 1/3/17 Engine Masters, Episode 30 1/5/17 Put Up or Shut Up, Episode 7 1/10/17 Ignition, Episode 187 Color Key: Racing; Original Programming The program information provided is subject to change. www.MotorTrendOnDemand.com…

Landrum Springs New Rate Options Landrum Springs now offers more rate options for 5- and 5-1/2-inch-diameter, 9-1/2-inch-tall springs, including the Gold Series, Dyno-Tested coil spring. This spring is designed to offer the racer a more consistent, accurate spring. All of Landrum springs have the true rate etched on the spring. The dyno sheet shows the true linear dynamic rate of the spring graphically and numerically as it travels through its cycle. For more information, call (574) 353-1674 or visit www.landrumspring.com. CP-Carrillo’s Circle-Track Flat-Top Pistons CP-Carrillo’s new small-block Chevy Bullet Elite circle-track flat-top pistons are made in the USA from 2618 forgings. They are designed for naturally aspirated circle-track two-barrel and four-barrel small-block Chevrolet race engines. The pistons come with a 1.0mm steel top ring, 1.0mm Napier second ring, and 2mm…

1 USAC’S BILL SMITH PASSES AWAY Bill Smith, a longtime USAC supporter, passed away on October 3, 2017 at the age of 87 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Smith served as USAC’s National Midget Series publicity representative in the early ’70s. He also officiated many events, served as chief announcer at multiple racing venues, worked in motorsports insurance, and published motorsports chronicles. In 1995, he was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, and he was also a member of the National Midget Hall of Fame. In 2007, Smith was inducted into the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame. 2 JEGS AUTOMOTIVE, INC. ANNOUNCES NEW CEO Columbus, Ohio—JEGS Automotive has announced that effective October 16, 2017, Jeffrey R. Hennion has taken over as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Hennion…