What is a Sprintcar

Types of Sprintcars

The History of Sprintcars

The World of Outlaws

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     The chassis is a minimal tube frame with a short 84-inch wheelbase. The suspension, deliberately crude by modern standards, consists of a live axle in the rear and a dead axle up front, and torsion bars for springs. A V8 engine, fueled by methanol, is connected to the quick-change rear axle by a coupler called an "in-out box". There's no starter motor, and the battery is only large enough to power the ignition system for the evening.  The driver sits atop the rear axle, his legs straddling the driveshaft.

     The standard powerplant of professional sprint car racing today displaces 410 cubic inches, and is based on alumimum blocks from Donovan or Rodeck, and aluminum heads from Brodix. The basic dimensions (bore center spacing, deck height, etc.) are still those of a Chevy V8, but you won't find a single GM part in the engine. Roller tappets and rocker arms actuate the titanium valves. Tall injector stacks top it off, feeding a potent mix of methanol and air to the cylinders. More fuel is injected through "down nozzles" in the side of the heads (see photo above). Oiling is handled by a dry sump system, with the oil tank often located just ahead of the driver on his left. These engines routinely top 8000 RPM, producing in excess of 800 BHP! The most potent of these engines are built by Ron Shaver and Earl Gaerte, whose motors power most of the winners on the World of Outlaws tour and regional series around the USA. These finicky machines require an overhaul after 8 to 10 evenings' work.

     As with all else in sprint car racing, there are engines, and then there are Outlaw engines. To run with the Outlaws takes a little more motor than you'll find at most tracks. And even among the Outlaws, there are regular engines, and there are special engines built for the high-buck races like Eldora Speedway's King's Royal and The Big One (with $50,000 and $100,000 to win respectively), and sprint car racing's most prestigious event, the Knoxville (IA) Nationals. These expensive hand grenades are built extra hot, and may only survive one night's racing. But if they bring home the winner's prize, they're worth it!

     A sprintcar uses three different tire sizes.  The two front tires are the same width and height.  The left rear is wider than the two fronts, and the right rear is taller and wider than the left rear, to help the car turn left.