New guy question
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 740
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From: California
New guy question
Hey everyone. I'm usually just here to admire all the cars {hence why I'm a "fan"} and to lurk, but I have a question.
Why are almost all the quarter mile cars forced induction but the hpde cars are na? Couldn't all track cars benefit from higher power? Thanks in advance for your consideration.
Why are almost all the quarter mile cars forced induction but the hpde cars are na? Couldn't all track cars benefit from higher power? Thanks in advance for your consideration.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 9,488
Likes: 1,743
From: Knoxville Tn
[QUOTE=C0rvetteFan;1595725452]Hey everyone. I'm usually just here to admire all the cars {hence why I'm a "fan"} and to lurk, but I have a question.
Why are almost all the quarter mile cars forced induction but the hpde cars are na? Couldn't all track cars benefit from higher power? Thanks in advance for your consideration.[/QUOTE
Just a few comments
one problem is keeping belts and pulleys functioning. Turbochargers have lag, Power is nice on long straight aways, but not always useful while turning (too much power can be a detriment)
Why are almost all the quarter mile cars forced induction but the hpde cars are na? Couldn't all track cars benefit from higher power? Thanks in advance for your consideration.[/QUOTE
Just a few comments
one problem is keeping belts and pulleys functioning. Turbochargers have lag, Power is nice on long straight aways, but not always useful while turning (too much power can be a detriment)
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 740
Likes: 94
From: California
[QUOTE=Phanni;1595725555]
Interesting. So I always thought that when I bought a corvette I would go to amateur events at different tracks /drag strips. Is it possible to have a car that does it all?
Hey everyone. I'm usually just here to admire all the cars {hence why I'm a "fan"} and to lurk, but I have a question.
Why are almost all the quarter mile cars forced induction but the hpde cars are na? Couldn't all track cars benefit from higher power? Thanks in advance for your consideration.[/QUOTE
Just a few comments
one problem is keeping belts and pulleys functioning. Turbochargers have lag, Power is nice on long straight aways, but not always useful while turning (too much power can be a detriment)
Why are almost all the quarter mile cars forced induction but the hpde cars are na? Couldn't all track cars benefit from higher power? Thanks in advance for your consideration.[/QUOTE
Just a few comments
one problem is keeping belts and pulleys functioning. Turbochargers have lag, Power is nice on long straight aways, but not always useful while turning (too much power can be a detriment)
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2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
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forced induction creates a lot of extra heat which isn't a good thing for a race that sees nothing but high rpms for an extended amount of time so that's why you generally don't see them on road courses... it also doesn't take as much power to get around a track due to all the turns, look at miatas for example... you can make an n/a car fast in a drag race though and still be able to take it on a road course, it just depends on how far you want to go with it because different types of racing require different setups if you are serious/competitive
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2012
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From: California
forced induction creates a lot of extra heat which isn't a good thing for a race that sees nothing but high rpms for an extended amount of time so that's why you generally don't see them on road courses... it also doesn't take as much power to get around a track due to all the turns, look at miatas for example... you can make an n/a car fast in a drag race though and still be able to take it on a road course, it just depends on how far you want to go with it because different types of racing require different setups if you are serious/competitive
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,423
Likes: 200
From: Atlanta GA
You can make forced induction run cooler, but it does take a bit of work. Larger intercooler, meth injection, etc.
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Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
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From: SF Bay Area
Adding forced induction adds front end weight, which will impact handling. You could go with a rear turbo setup, but then you won't be able to make as much power.
Then there is your tire and suspension setup. Optimal drag tires and wheels are completely different from optimal autocross tires and wheels. I also believe optimal suspension setups also differ from drag to autocross, but I'm not going to pretend to be an expert here.
Last edited by Tsumi; Oct 9, 2017 at 12:33 PM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2012
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From: California
Basically comes down to how much money you're willing to spend. To have a car that can do it all, you'll probably end up spending more than the combined cost of going down each route, and it will still be a compromise. It may be more cost effective to have one car for each purpose, if you go beyond amateur or intermediate levels.
Adding forced induction adds front end weight, which will impact handling. You could go with a rear turbo setup, but then you won't be able to make as much power.
Then there is your tire and suspension setup. Optimal drag tires and wheels are completely different from optimal autocross tires and wheels. I also believe optimal suspension setups also differ from drag to autocross, but I'm not going to pretend to be an expert here.
Adding forced induction adds front end weight, which will impact handling. You could go with a rear turbo setup, but then you won't be able to make as much power.
Then there is your tire and suspension setup. Optimal drag tires and wheels are completely different from optimal autocross tires and wheels. I also believe optimal suspension setups also differ from drag to autocross, but I'm not going to pretend to be an expert here.
