Modern EFI Tuning and Old Skool Drag Racing

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY ON HORSEPOWER, DISCOVER THE NEWEST TECH IN EFI PERFORMANCE TUNING. PLUS A BLAST FROM THE PAST AS WE HEAD TO THE ANNUAL HOT ROD REUNION WHERE OLD SCHOOL IS COOL AND NOSTALGIA RACING RULES.

(MIKE)>> TODAY WE'RE BRINGING IN THIS 2008 ZO SIX CORVETTE

FOR A SPECIAL HIGH PERFORMANCE TUNING SESSION. NOW IT'S A CAR BUILT FOR ROAD RACING BY A LOCAL SHOP CALLED TRACK ONE. IT'S GOT AN LS SEVEN WITH AN AFTERMARKET COLD AIR KIT AND EXHAUST.

THE ENGINE WAS FACTORY RATED AT 505 HORSEPOWER AT THE FLYWHEEL. WE'VE TESTED A LOT OF HAND HELD POWER PROGRAMMERS, AND THEY'RE GREAT FOR QUICKLY MAXIMIZING POWER AND FUEL ECONOMY, BUT SOME GUYS NEED A LOT MORE ADVANCE TUNING FOR SPECIAL APPLICATIONS LIKE ROAD RACING OR EVEN ROCK CRAWLING.

(JOE)>> OKAY BASELINE HORSEPOWER, PRETTY GOOD, 474. TORQUE IS 448 BUT WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT IN STORE FOR THIS THING. THIS IS HP TUNER'S VCM SUITE THAT LETS PROS AND SERIOUS DO IT YOURSELFERS EDIT HUNDREDS OF PARAMETERS AND COME UP WITH THEIR OWN CUSTOM TUNE EVEN IN SERIOUSLY MODIFIED ENGINES.

(JAY)>> A LOT OF THE HAND HELD TUNERS WORK GREAT IF THE VEHICLE IS STOCK. BUT YOU START ADDING PARTS TO IT, ADDING COLD AIR INTAKES, ADDING EXHAUST, THEN YOU GET YOUR CAM SHAFT, CYLINDER HEADS, THAT WHOLE REALM IS COVERED WITH HP TUNERS.

(JOE)>> THE HP TUNER CONNECTS BETWEEN THE CAR'S DIAGNOSTIC PORT AND THE COMPUTER. WHILE WE'RE USING OUR DYNOJET'S WIDE BAND TO MONITOR AFR'S, A PORTABLE WIDE BAND GAUGE CONNECTED TO THE TUNER WILL GIVE YOU THE SAME RESULTS AS YOU DRIVE.

(MIKE)>> THE FACTORY AIR/FUEL RATIO WAS EXTREMELY RICH DURING THE BASELINE, WHICH SHOWS WE HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM TO MAKE POWER.

(JOE)>> BRAD MAYO IS A PROFESSIONAL WHO USES THE HP TUNERS REGULARLY.

(BRAD)>> NOW WE'RE GONNA WRITE THE CALIBRATION, SO DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING.

(JOE)>> WE'RE GONNA LET HIM USE HIS LAPTOP AND EXPERIENCE

TO MAXIMIZE THIS VETTE'S ZO SIX.

(BRAD)>> THE FACT THAT IT'S A FACTORY PIECE, BEING ABLE TO

BE COMPLETELY ADJUSTED, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

(MIKE)>> BRAD PULLED A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL OUT OF THE TUNE

IN THE UPPER RPM RANGE FOR THE FIRST PULL. ALL RUNS ARE FROM 2,500 TO 7,200 RPM.

(BRAD)>> 492!

(MIKE)>> AWESOME!

(BRAD)>> BECAUSE IT'S AS RICH AS IT IS, I'M GONNA GO INTO THE POWER ENRICHMENT, WHICH MEANS WIDE OPEN THROTTLE BASICALLY, AND CHANGE THE NUMBERS TO EFFECT THE AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT IT'S GIVEN. [ engine revving ]

(JOE)>> THAT RUN WAS WORTH 474 HORSEPOWER. WHAT DOES BRAD HAVE IN STORE FOR THE NEXT CHANGE?

(BRAD)>> WE'RE GONNA FIND WHERE WE ARE ON OUR TIMING MAP AND ADD A LITTLE BIT OF TIMING AND SEE IF IT LIKES IT. [ engine revving ]

(BRAD)>> 502!

(MIKE)>> WHAT'D YOU SAY, IT MADE 502?

(BRAD)>> 502 HORSE AND 464 TORQUE.

(MIKE)>> AND THIS ENGINE WAS FACTORY RATED AT 505 AT THE FLYWHEEL? COLD AIR AND EXHAUST?

(BRAD)>> YEP!

(MIKE)>> YOU'RE DOING SOME GOOD WORK.

(BRAD)>> THERE'S MORE LEFT IN IT TOO.

(MIKE)>> AND TO FIND IT WE'RE GONNA LEAN IT OUT SOME MORE TO AN AFR OF 12.9 TO ONE.

(BRAD)>> IT STILL LIKED IT BETTER WITH MORE FUEL.

(MIKE)>> DID IT?

(BRAD)>> YEAH.

(MIKE)>> COME DOWN IN POWER?

(BRAD)>> DROPPED FOUR HORSE.

(MIKE)>> NOT TOO BAD. THAT WAS A PRETTY DRASTIC CHANGE WE MADE TOO.

(BRAD)>> BUT THE TRICK IS, WHEN YOU SAVE IT EVERY TIME, YOU JUST GO BACK, UPLOAD THE LAST FILE.

(MIKE)>> SO THAT'S WHAT BRAD DID, PLUS HE GAVE IT BACK THE FUEL IT WAS ASKING FOR.

[ engine revving ]

(MIKE)>> ALRIGHT, WHAT DO WE GOT? ALRIGHT, THERE WE GO, 507 HORSEPOWER, 473 FOOT POUNDS OF TORQUE.

MAN THAT THING REALLY LIKED IT.

(BRAD)>> THAT IS MORE THAN THE FACTORY

RATING AT THE FLYWHEEL.

(MIKE)>> THAT'S AWESOME, THE TORQUE NUMBER IS WHAT'S

HUGE ON THIS THING. THROUGH THE MID RANGE ON THE LAST PASS WE PICKED UP 35 HORSEPOWER AND 30 FOOT POUNDS OF TORQUE.

(BRAD)>> YOU MIGHT FEEL THAT.

(MIKE)>> I'D SAY.

(JOE)>> TO TUNE THAT ZO SIX WE USED OUR DYNOJET'S WIDE BAND OTWO SENSOR. NOW CHANCES ARE YOU DON'T HAVE A DYNOJET IN YOUR GARAGE, BUT YOU'LL BE GLAD TO KNOW THAT THE TUNER INTERFACE HAS AN I/O PORT THAT ALLOWS YOU TO USE AN INEXPENSIVE PORTABLE WIDE BAND GAUGE. YOU CAN USE THAT WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING. NOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DOING ENGINE SWAPS THESE DAYS. THE HP TUNER LETS YOU BYPASS A LOT OF STOCK SECURITY FEATURES WHILE MAKING BIG POWER, WHICH OPENS THE DOOR TO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. OH, ONE MORE THING, IF YOU WANT TO BECOME KING OF YOUR LOCAL CAR CLUB YOU CAN BUY EXTRA CREDITS AND TUNE MULTIPLE VEHICLES WITH ONE TUNER. BUT BEFORE YOU BUY ANYTHING WHY DON'T YOU TAKE A TEST DRIVE AT HP TUNERS DOT COM. WELL COMING UP WE'RE TAKING A NOSTALGIC RIDE TO THE HISTORY OF HOT RODDING.

(ANNOUNCER)>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN OLD TIMER TO LOVE THE THRILLS OF NOSTALGIA DRAG RACING. COMING UP, A YOUNG LADY WITH A NEED FOR SPEED RACES TO A SHOWDOWN AT THE NHRA HOT ROD REUNION.

(JOE)>> WELCOME BACK TO HORSEPOWER AND A PLACE WHERE EACH YEAR THE NHRA MUSEUM CELEBRATES THE HERITAGE OF AMERICAN DRAG RACING IN MOTION, UP CLOSE, AND WITH ALL THE NOISE, SMOKE, AND THRILLS YOU CAN PACK INTO ONE WEEKEND.

IT'S THE 10TH CONSECUTIVE REUNION HERE IN THE HEARTLAND.

THERE'S NO OFFICIAL START DATE FOR HOT RODDING IN AMERICA. CALIFORNIA IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE BIRTH PLACE, AND AS EARLY AS THE 1920'S ADRENALINE LOVERS CONVENED TO RUN ON THE DRY LAKES AND SALT FLATS. AFTER WORLD WAR TWO THE CRAZE EXPLODED, NOT JUST ON THE WEST COAST BUT ACROSS THE NATION WHERE DRAG STRIPS REPLACED DESERTS AS THE PLACE TO SATISFY THAT NEED FOR SPEED. IN ORDER TO GET RACERS OFF THE STREETS AND MAKE RACING A SAFE HOBBY, A MAN NAMED WALLY PARKS STARTED THE NHRA IN 1951, AND THE POPULARITY OF DRAG RACING GREW.

CLASSES INCLUDED EVERYTHING FROM STOCK TO TOP FUEL. BY THE '60'S THE TRUE GOLDEN AGE OF HOT RODS WAS RUNNING FULL TILT.

(LINCOLN)>> I REALLY BELIEVE THE FUTURE IS IN THE PAST.

(JOE)>> THAT SUMS UP THE FEELINGS OF FANS AND RACERS WHO CONVENE HERE TO CELEBRATE THE HERITAGE OF HOT RODDING. NOSTALGIA RACING BRINGS BACK THE THRILLS OF OLD TIME COMPETITION THANKS TO RACERS LIKE LINCOLN HASSEL. HE COMPETES IN THE NOSTALGIA TOP FUEL CLASS WITH SON MATT AS CREW CHIEF.

(LINCOLN)>> IT'S NOT A CORPORATE MANIA BIG BUCKS. IT'S THE FAMILY, THE FOOD, THE FUN, THE CAMARADERIE,

IT'S ALL THAT COOL STUFF.

(MATT)>> HE'S ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS. SO WE HANG OUT, WE WORK ON THE CAR TOGETHER, AND YOU KNOW, HAVE A GOOD TIME.

(LINCOLN)>> WE WANT TO PUT THESE CARS OUT THERE BEFORE THEY GO AWAY.

AND IF WE DON'T PUT THEM OUT THERE CAUSE THE MONEY'S NOT THAT GOOD, THEN THESE PEOPLE ARE GONNA FORGET.

THE KIDS ARE NEVER GONNA KNOW WHERE THIS SPORT REALLY STARTED AND CAME FROM.

(JOE)>> UNFORTUNATELY LINCOLN LEFT THE LINE LATE AND LOST IN THE FIRST ROUND OF ELIMINATIONS. ANOTHER SERIOUS COMPETITOR IS RON HUEGLI, WHO CAME TO

KENTUCKY ALL THE WAY FROM OREGON TO COMPETE IN PRO SEVENO. IT'S A SEVEN SECOND INDEX CLASS. RON'S NEW RIDE, THE TIKI WARRIOR, IS POWERED BY A ROOTS SUPERCHARGED HEMI MAKING ABOUT 2,000 HORSEPOWER.

HE DESCRIBES LEAVING THE LINE LIKE THIS.

(RON)>> IT'S LIKE SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT AND GETTING REAR ENDED BY AN 18 WHEELER. YOU DO THE RUN AND IT TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY. YOU KNOW YOU'RE GRINNING FROM EAR TO EAR. EVEN IF THE CAR DOESN'T QUITE WORK RIGHT, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL A GOOD RUN. AND THEN IT'S ALL OVER, AND IT'S LIKE OKAY, LETS DO IT AGAIN!

(JOE)>> RON'S DRIVING AND ENGINE TUNE WERE GOOD ENOUGH FOR A FIRST ROUND VICTORY.

(RON)>> WE WERE JUST FIVE THOUSANDTHS OFF OF BEING PERFECT ON THAT ONE. SO A 695 FOR A SEVEN, WE'RE FINE, WE'RE GOOD TO GO.

(JOE)>> THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER CLASSES IN HOT ROD RACING. THEY'RE ALL COOL TO WATCH, AND FOR A LOT OF SPECTATORS FUN TO REMEMBER. DO YOU REMEMBER THE GOOD OLE GASSERS? A GASSER WAS OFTEN TRANSFORMED FROM AN EARLY '40'S WILLYS OR A SHOEBOX CHEVY.

ANGLIA'S WERE A POPULAR RACE CAR PLATFORM BECAUSE THEY WERE CHEAP AND SOMEWHAT AERODYNAMIC FOR THE TIME. A TIME WAY BEFORE CARS WERE LOADED DOWN WITH COMPANY LOGOS. INSTEAD MANY HAD NAMES AND UNIQUE PERSONALITIES.

(TOM)>> THEN IT TURNED TO CORPORATE SIDE. SO THEN YOU HAD TO HAVE YOUR PAINT JOB DIFFERENT TO GET SOME SUPPORT TO MAINTAIN A WAY TO RACE THESE CARS NOWADAYS.

(JOE)>> BACK TO THE TRACK, WATCH THIS, SOMETHING YOU DON'T SEE OFTEN. REMEMBER SEVENO PRO IS AN INDEX CLASS. ANYTHING UNDER SEVEN SECONDS IS A BREAK OUT. RON AND HIS TIKI WARRIOR RUN A PERFECT SEVENOOO.

WHILE TRUE HEADS UP RACING IS MORE FUN TO WATCH, THERE'S A SPECIAL CHALLENGE TO HITTING A SEVEN SECOND INDEX NUMBER. IN THE SEMI FINALS THOUGH RON'S IMPRESSIVE RUN WAS THREE THOUSANDTHS OF A SECOND BEHIND HIS OPPONENT.

(RON)>> THAT'S WHAT RACING IS ABOUT, AND THAT'S WHY I LIKE DRAG RACING. YOU KNOW, YOU GO OUT THERE AND YOU PUT EVERYTHING OUT THERE. YOU DON'T HAVE 35 LAPS TO MAKE IT UP.

(JOE)>> WHILE SOME EXPERIENCED COMPETITORS HAD TROUBLES, ONE YOUNG RACING STAR WAS RISING. WE'LL SHARE HER AMAZING HOT ROD REUNION DEBUT.

(JOE)>> WELCOME BACK TO THE NHRA MUSEUM'S HOT ROD REUNION. FROM THE SIZE OF THE CROWD THIS YEAR YOU GET THE FEELING THERE'S SOMETHING GREAT ABOUT HOT RODS FROM THOSE GOOD OLE DAYS, WHETHER THE CARS WERE MODIFIED FOR CUSTOMIZED COSMETICS OR ALL OUT COMPETITION. AND WHILE THE REUNION IS ABOUT RELIVING MEMORIES, IT'S ALSO ABOUT ATTRACTING THE INTEREST OF YOUNGER GENERATIONS WHO WEREN'T AROUND WHEN THESE CARS RULED THE STREETS AND STRIP.

WE SAW A WINNING EXAMPLE OF THE FUTURE IN A HEADS UP CLASS

CALLED JUNIOR COMP FUEL.

(TERA)>> IT'S ALL HEADS UP RACING, NOSTALGIA, OLD SCHOOL, WE LOVE IT!

(JOE)>> TERA WENDLAND JUST CAME UP FROM THE SUPER COMP RANKS. IT'S HER FIRST RACE IN THIS CLASS AND SHE'S ALREADY QUALIFIED NUMBER ONE. TERA RUNS A 741 AT 177 MILES AN HOUR IN ELIMINATIONS, ON HER WAY TO THE SEMI FINALS.

(TERA)>> WE'VE GOT TWO MORE ROUNDS TO GO, FINGERS CROSSED.

(JOE)>> AND ANOTHER WINNING RIDE FOR THE NOSTALGIA NOVICE. A 742 PUTS THE 21 YEAR OLD IN THE FINALS AND ON CLOUD NINE.

(TERA)>> WE'LL TRY TO TUNE IT UP A LITTLE BIT. WE WERE KINDA WORRIED ABOUT WHAT IT WAS GONNA DO

AFTER THE RAIN AND STUFF. BUT THE TRACK'S THERE, SO WE'LL TUNE IT UP A LITTLE AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THAT FINAL.

(JOE)>> YEAH, ONE MORE.

(TERA)>> I KNOW, I'M READY.

(JOE)>> JUST GETTING THIS FAR WAS A MAJOR MOVE, BUT LIKE ALL RACERS IN DRAG RACING HISTORY, YOU LIVE FOR THE WIN LIGHT. AND TERA GETS A HOLE SHOT TO BEAT KEN HAWKINS AND EARN HER FIRST JUNIOR TOP FUEL WIN, A THRILL OF A LIFETIME!

(TERA)>> OH MY GOD, I JUST, I DON'T HAVE WORDS. I FEEL LIKE I'M IN A DREAM OR SOMETHING, IT'S JUST SO AMAZING. I CANNOT THANK MY CREW, DARRELL WALDON WITH THE WALDON POWER EQUIPMENT. GAVE ME THIS CAR, GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY, AND BELIEVED IN ME, AND I JUST CAN'T THANK HIM ENOUGH FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE'S DONE FOR ME. MY BOYFRIEND CHRIS FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO THIS. I'M JUST SO OVERWHELMED, THIS IS JUST A DREAM COME TRUE.

(JOE)>> ALTHOUGH THEY'VE ALWAYS MOSTLY BEEN A RACE TRACK SPECTACLE, JET CARS GO BACK TO THE '60'S, LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER CLASSIC HOT RODS HERE. AND WITH ELAINE LARSON BEHIND THE CONTROLS, THE CROWD GETS THEIR MONEY'S WORTH OF NOISE, HEAT, AND SPEED. WOW, WHAT A WEEKEND, WHAT A REUNION, BUT IT AIN'T OVER YET. IT'S TIME FOR THE FANTASTIC FINALE OF THE HOT ROD REUNION, THE CACKLEFEST. BETTER THAN ANY FIREWORKS SHOW YOU'VE EVER SEEN. AN ELITE GROUP OF NITRO BURNING VINTAGE RACE MACHINES LINE THE STRIP FOR THIS CLASSIC FINALE. ( )>> TWO, ONE, LIGHT THEM UP! [ engines revving ]

(JOE)>> YOU HAVE TO BE HERE TO GET THE FULL IMPACT OF THE CACKLE OF THE ENGINES, THE FIRE FROM THE

HEADERS, AND THAT IN THE NOSE NITRO SENSATION. IT'S A REUNION RITUAL THAT'S GROWN OVER THE YEARS. AND LIKE HONORING THE HERITAGE OF HOT RODDING ITSELF, SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE WALLY PARK MIGHTY PROUD.

(JOE)>> IF YOU LOOKED INTO A CRYSTAL BALL YOU MIGHT SEE THIS IN THE FUTURE FOR THE FASTEST CARS AT THE TRACK. IT'S THE NEW DELTA ONE FROM WELD RACING DESIGNED TO BE THE STRONGEST, LIGHTEST, AND SAFEST WHEEL IN DRAG RACING. NOW WITH IT'S UNIQUE CONE SHAPE THIS THING IS

A ONE PIECE FORGING. AND HERE'S ANOTHER INTERESTING FEATURE.

TO ELIMINATE POINT LOADING OF THE FASTENERS THE RINGS HAVE HEMISPHERICAL SEATS AND TITANIUM WASHERS THAT MATE TOGETHER PRECISELY UNDERNEATH 12 POINT NUTS. PRICES, WELL THEY VARY ACCORDING TO THE APPLICATION, WHICH INCLUDES, NITROUS, ALCOHOL, PRO MOD, AND PRO STOCK.

(MIKE)>> IF YOU'RE PLANNING AN ENGINE BUILD, WE KNOW YOU WANT IT TO LOOK GOOD TOO, BUT YOU HAVE TO USE A PAINT THAT CAN

HANDLE THE HEAT OR IT'S GONNA COME OFF. NOW VHT'S NEW HIGH TEMP ENGINE METALLIC IS FORMULATED FOR HIGH TEMPS AND HIGH PERFORMANCE COATINGS. WHETHER YOU'RE PAINTING AN ENGINE BLOCK, INTAKE MANIFOLD, OR TIMING COVER. IT CONTAINS URETHANE AND CERAMIC RESINS TO PRODUCE A TOUGH, LONG LASTING FINISH. NOW IT'LL WITHSTAND INTERMITTENT TEMPERATURES OF UP TO 650 DEGREES AND IT'S ALMOST CHEMICAL RESISTANT. IT DRIES TO THE TOUCH IN 30 MINUTES, DRIES THOROUGHLY OVERNIGHT.

(JOE)>> IN TODAY'S WORLD OF HIGH PERFORMANCE THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF NEW POWER ADDERS AND BIG TECHNOLOGIES TO MAKE ENGINES PERFORM BETTER, BUT YOU CAN'T FORGET ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MATTER TOO. WELL LIKE THESE ETHREE SPARK PLUGS. NOW WE'VE USED THEM IN OUR DYNO SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY'VE PROVED TO INCREASE HORSEPOWER AND IMPROVE FUEL EFFICIENCY. THEIR DESIGN CREATES A FASTER FLAME FRONT TO RESULT IN FEWER UNBURNED AIR/FUEL MIXTURES. NOW THEY MAY COST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN CONVENTIONAL PLUGS, BUT IF THEY EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR CAR IT MIGHT BE WORTH IT IN THE LONG RUN.

(MIKE)>> CHASING DOWN AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE CAN BE NO

FUN, BUT IT CAN BE A LOT EASIER WITH THIS POWER PROBE THREE.

NOW BY CONNECTING THESE TWO LEADS TO YOUR BATTERY, IT GIVES YOU A MULTITUDE OF TESTERS RIGHT AT YOUR FINGER TIPS. NOW IT HAS AN EASY TO READ BACK LIT VOLT METER AND BY PRESSING THIS ROCKER SWITCH FORWARD, IT ALLOWS YOU TO POWER UP COMPONENTS LIKE FANS, MOTORS, RELAYS, AND EVEN LIGHTS. NOW SPEAKING OF THAT, IT HAS TWO BUILT IN SUPER BRIGHT LED'S THAT ALLOW YOU TO SEE EVERYTHING YOU'RE TESTING EVEN IN THE DARK. IT COMES WITH 20 FEET OF CORD, SO YOU CAN TEST THINGS FROM BUMPER TO BUMPER, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR

POWER PROBE LEAD SET. NOW THIS THING FEATURES ALL GOLD PLATE ACCESSORIES. TO GET YOURS JUST GO DOWN TO YOUR LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE.

(JOHN)>> NOW IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE GUYS WHO LIKES THE BEST PARTS POSSIBLE FOR HIS VEHICLE AND THE BEST TOOLS FOR WORKING ON IT, WELL IT PROBABLY STANDS TO REASON THAT YOU WANT THE BEST WORK SHIRT TOO. THAT'S WHY WE CHOSE THESE CREW SHIRTS FROM RED KAP. NOW THEY'RE MADE FROM A NEW RIP STOP MATERIAL DESIGNED FOR

DURABILITY AND COMFORT. NOW THEY ALSO HAVE SOME OTHER SHOP FRIENDLY FEATURES LIKE A NO SCRATCH BUTTON PLACKET, DOUBLE PENCIL STALL, AND SEWN IN COLOR STAYS. PLUS MY FAVORITE FEATURES, A DARK COLORED CUFF TO CAMOUFLAGE THOSE OIL STAINS. NOW IF YOU GUYS GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE, CHECK THEM OUT AT RED KAP DOT COM AND CHECK US OUT NEXT WEEK.