SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/643686
up to the fuel injectors. Consider that a racing engine at this level of performance averages about 2-3 miles per gallon, and you realize that there has to be enough fuel capacity in the vehicle to avoid additional stops to refuel. Todd Gorsuch, manager at Herbst- Smith Fabrication, says that a typical fuel cell on one of the Herbst-Smith Trophy Trucks can carry about 100 gallons of fuel, so getting as much fuel delivery efficiently is a vital factor to the team that can determine if they win or lose a race. Fuel Cell Design And Safety Although fuel delivery systems vary depending on the type of race vehicle, keeping the system free-flowing and safe from spilling and fire is important to any racing class within SCORE. With this in mind, the first step in creating a safe and efficient fuel system starts at the fuel cell. "Off-road racing is the most demanding type of land-based racing there is," says Jim Harmon, of Harmon Racing Cells. "The cells have to be tougher structurally and engineered technically better to handle both the environmental conditions, like heat and altitude, as well as the racing conditions, such as jumps and steep inclines or declines." To be safe and effective for competition, fuel cells need to be SFI or FIA certified so that they meet the highest level of safety standards to avoid spilling fuel after a crash or roll-over. "The importance of choosing an SFI or FIA certified fuel cell is the peace of mind knowing the cell has been tested to meet the highest level of safety standards," says Mike Torvik, Marketing Manager at Fuel Safe. "There are a number of tests done by SFI and FIA to determine whether the fuel cells are crash worthy enough to meet these strict sanctioning standards. Puncture resistance, seam strength, tensile strength, and tear strength tests are some of the crucial tests that are done by SFI and FIA to determine if a cell truly can meet top safety demands of the industry." EXTERNAL FUEL PUMPS LIKE THIS HOLLEY BILLET IN-LINE PUMP (PN 12-1800-2) CAN DELIVER UP TO 200GPH AND IS LIKE HAVING TWO PUMPS IN ONE TO KEEP FUEL PRESSURES HIGH AND COOL. THE PUMP CAN BE COMPLETELY SUBMERGED IN THE FUEL TANK OR RUN ALONG THE VEHICLE CHASSIS. FUEL FILTERS ARE ALSO MANDATORY ON ANY FUEL SYSTEM. THIS WELDON FUEL FILTER IS ONE EXAMPLE THAT FEATURES A 100-MICRON STAINLESS STEEL, 40-MICRON CELLULOSE PAPER, AND 10-MICRON CELLULOSE PAPER ELEMENTS INSIDE OF A COMPACT FILTER CASE. 074 SCORE JOURNAL