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Crew chief
Drew Blickensderfer answers fan questions once a week.
Submit your question
here. |
Nov.
19 , 2009 |
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2009 Q&A
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Q |
Hey Drew, I never really understood what those
splitters are for. So what are they for and
would you rather have them or have them not?
Justin Delane,
Boston, Mass. |
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A |
Splitters add front downforce. We used to have
valences that you could adjust up and down that allowed some variations on front
ride height. The splitter is set at 4" and cant move, so it makes it harder to
set your heights for the car going around the track.
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Q |
If there is no difference between the old and
new engine, why all the hype and change?
Michael Dory,
Brush, Colo. |
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A |
There is a huge difference in parts and
capabilities on new engine. At the end of the
day in our car going to the race track, the
horsepower is not much different right now.
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Q |
I was just wondering what the RPM and torque
ratings are on the impacts the tire changers
use, and how would one go about getting a job on
a pit crew? Is there a school for it or do you
just need to know someone?
Kirk Vermillion, West Bend, Wis. |
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A |
I don’t know the RPM. the changers run about
110psi of nitrogen through them. Torque is also
an unknown. We use a torque wrench pre-race that
is set at 100lb per square inch. There is a
school here in the Charlotte area that is called
PIT (formerly 5 Off/5 On)
that offers training.
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Q |
If NASCAR would go with fuel-injected motors in
the future, do you think it would end the
excitement of the “fuel mileage races.”
Matt Holschuh, Fond du Lac,
Wis. |
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A |
Probably not. There will still be guys that are
running 12 that have nothing to loose that can
slow down and try to make it to the end by
letting off early and being easy on the gas.
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Q |
Was Talladega the second time that Matt ran out
of gas this year? And did you do this on purpose
to see how far the car would go with the new
engine before it ran out?
Denny Mattheis, Waterloo, Wis. |
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A |
Yes, it was the second time. We didn’t do it on
purpose, I would never want to run out of gas.
The fuel pump on the new engine is different and
it probably ran out sooner than the older one,
obviously, since the 26 made it.
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