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The second method being used, I'm told, involves fooling
the retard box. As I understand the way the retard device
functions, a tuner can map his ignition box to pull timing
out at various points during the lap. The timing map is actuated
by crank trigger but, as I understand it, that number is independent
of the actual timing in the engine at the start of a run.
So, if a tuner starts with, say, 60 degrees of timing and
usually takes about 30 degrees out after one second and then
gradually feeds timing back during the whole length of the
run, should his engine rpm go above 8300 rpm, the device will
pull 25 degrees of time back leaving around 30 to run the
engine with. If the MSD unit thinks that there is 75 degrees
of initial timing, when it sees 8300 engine rpm it will pull
the maximum 25 degrees of timing out, leaving the engine with
50 degrees of timing.
But there is even more! Alan Johnson said on TV that if NHRA
were to set the device to retard timing above 8300 rpm after
3.5 seconds, he would have traction control. I'm willing to
bet that the smart guys in Top Fuel and Funny Car have already
figured out how make that device work at any time during a
run.
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The
next step may be that NHRA would have to install, test and
monitor the entire system from the WOT switch to the timing
trigger point, but evidently even if they were to do that,
the whole system might not be effective in controlling speed
if the weather does not cooperate.
What if Dallas, Maple Grove, or Chicago would have one of
those magic combinations of track conditions and air temps
in the 60-70 degree range? We've all seen those conditions
at those tracks in recent years deliver mind-boggling performances
from those tracks. A device that stops the tires from smoking
at 3.8 seconds into a run might actually help deliver a 4.40/340-mph
lap from a Top Fuel car.
If Alan Johnson thinks it could happen, who would argue with
that guy? The real question is what will NHRA and Ray Alley
do next if we get another big speed from the Kalittas, Alan
Johnson or anyone else?
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