Ram Report for NAPA 300K at Pike's Peak International Raceway

THE CHALLENGES OF THIN AIR
Most of the 25 races on the 1999 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule are raced at or near sea level, but there is one exception - Pike's Peak International Raceway in Colorado Springs, Colo. This facility sits at nearly 4,000 feet, with its namesake mountain towering in the background. What kind of an effect does 4,000 feet have on a NASCAR race truck and more specifically on a Dodge Ram race truck and the Dodge Ram driver?

"Horsepower is how much air and fuel get into the cylinder and there is less air at altitude which means less horsepower," said Ted Flack, Engine Program Manager for Dodge Motorsports. "We compensate by using a smaller jet in the carburetor to get the correct air to fuel ratio, with the optimum being 14:1. There is really no way to ever get all of the horsepower back that you lose to the altitude, but this is the best way we have found so far."

The engine is the largest issue affected by the change in altitude, but there is another area that needs attention, says Kevin Cram, crew chief for the #86 RC Dodge. "The transmission and the rear end on the truck can get hot in the higher altitude due to the lack of air," said Cram. "We have to make sure that all of the cooling systems in the truck are functioning properly prior to the race. Even the hauler drivers notice that the trucks begin to run hotter when they go up in altitude."

The lack of air at the 4,000-foot level will obviously affect the race trucks, so one must wonder how the drivers will deal with less air to take into their bodies during the 200-lap race.

"Last year I had to take a lot of fluid because I had the flu when we arrived at Pike's Peak," said Jimmy Hensley, driver of the #43 Dodge By Petty. "I could feel the difference in my breathing due to the lack of air, but I don't think that it will be a problem during this year's race."

"I don't think that there will be a big difference in the conditions for the drivers," said Dennis Setzer, driver of the # 1 Mopar Dodge. "Because the temperatures will be lower there in the spring than they were in the summer when we raced last year, I think that will make the biggest difference of all."