SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/643686
HERBST-SMITH FABRICATION LOGGED MORE THAN 1,000 MILES ON ROESELER'S TROPHY TRUCK DURING TESTING OF THE HYDRAMAT, WHILE PRE- RUNNING THE SCORE BAJA 1000. traditional fuel tanks like those found in stock production vehicles, as well as in racing fuel cells that are foam-filled. There are a variety of sizes and shapes available to accommodate any design and size of fuel tank or cell. Knowing which one to use is as a simple as contacting Holley directly. The HydraMat comes in square, rectangular and "X" shapes. Holley also offers retrofit devices for stock tanks that use an aftermarket electronic fuel injector system like the Holley Terminator. Technology Behind It The technology behind the special nylon HydraMat is proprietary, for obvious reasons. But racers who have used it, swear by its performance. At Herbst-Smith Fabrication, technician Brett Repella, had prepped a fuel cell for the HydraMat that will be used in the number 19 Trophy Truck driven by Tim Herbst and Larry Roeseler. The process of installing it was incredibly simple and it easily adapted to the fuel pumps and lines already used in the fuel cell. How-To Installation Repella began by gutting the 100-gallon aluminum fuel cell and mounted two rectangular shaped HydraMats to the internal foam. The pickups were then attached to hard- fuel lines that are submerged in the fuel cell and connect to dual Weldon racing fuel pumps using a Y-connector. The new fuel pickup using the HydraMats were laid flat on the bottom of the fuel cell with the HydraMats' surface facing down. Fuel cell foam was arranged inside the cell to hold the HydraMat assembly in position and to keep the fuel from sloshing around inside. There are other alternatives to pinning down the HydraMat, like magnets and Click Bond fasteners that serve the same purpose. Repella inserted the fuel return line from the engine into the tank and on top of the HydraMat. Afterwards, the fittings on the fuel pump lines were tightened and the opening hatch was buttoned down. With the pump side completed, Repella installed the fuel level sensor and bolted on the fuel fill hatch. According to Holley, there is no need to clean the HydraMat, but it actually gets more efficient as it captures additional debris until it is nearly clogged. Tipton recommends that the HydraMat be inspected on an annual basis, although it can last many years, depending on its use. With the running of the 2016 Bud Light SCORE Baja Sur 500 months away, it will interesting to see how Roeseler's Trophy Truck performs now that is outfitted with the HydraMat technology. In racing, teams know that seconds mean the difference between winning and losing. So eliminating fuel starvation becomes a definite advantage when you're chasing the checked flag and you don't have time to stop for a splash of fuel. SJ 070 SCORE JOURNAL