What is the latest on the new Speed Demon?

[Jack Gifford]

"... with Y-block engine..."

Sure beats heck out of using a cookie-cutter SBC

[Rex Schimmer]

Great article in the latest "Race Tech" magazine on the Speed Demon. Mostly about the Ken Duttweiler engine development. Pretty interesting how he "married" high tech electronic injection with "old tech" constant flow injection to be able to pass enough fuel into the engine at full chat. Another very interesting point the Ken disclosed was that they use information from the compression of the rear dampeners to estimate down force and that they have the exhaust exiting the car in a vertical direction to develop down force which they can actually measure by the dampener deflection. My thinking is that wouldn't they develop more forward thrust if they had the exhaust exit towards the rear of the car? As it is if the down force developed by the exhaust is converted into forward thrust by the tires which are dependent on the traction available from the salt so no mater how much down force the exhaust makes it would never develop as much forward thrust as just having the exhaust aimed out the back of the car. I would also think that exiting the exhaust out the top of the car as it is now would not be as aero as simply aiming it out the back of the car.  But as the saying goes "They are having intercourse with this cat! I am merely holding its' head!" They are going to go really fast how ever they configure the exhaust and I will be there to cheer them on!!

Rex

[Calkins]

Think back to the '60's Top Fuel cars.  The change from weed burners to zoomies is credited for the the ability to crest the 200mph barrier.  Much like the modern fuel floppers.  Limiting the header angle decreases speed and increases traction and stability.  I do totally agree that out the top is an aero killer.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I'm walking out the door -- will post the pic later, but I've got a Pork Pie picture of George and the Speed Demon steaming down the course on his 462 run, and the exhaust burble in the air is plainly visible.  You can take a look at the pic and get some easy real data.  I'll be back in a while.

[tortoise]

Last year the NHRA instituted a rule limiting how far funny cars headers could be swept back. With less downforce and more forward thrust the cars were faster quicker but less stable. Teams had been using header changes as a tuning tool to suit the cars to the track.

The Speed Demon undoubtedly has lower drag when it isn't getting sideways.