SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1524296
THE PERFECT BLEND Inside Maxima Racing Oils By Dan Sanchez Racers are always looking for the slightest advantage over the competition, especially when it comes to engine and drivetrain performance. When racers Dick Lechien and his partner Roland Reed, couldn’t find a better oil to lubricate the nitro-burning engine on their front-engine dragster, they began developing a blend of their own. As their drag racing careers turned to other motorsports and boats, Lechien and Reed eventually came to own and operate Honda and Kawasaki dealerships. Their racing experiences shifted to enjoying motorcycle and buggy racing in Mexico, and during that time, they saw speed-limit signs that read, “Velocidad Maxima” (maximum velocity). Then in 1979, after Dick’s son Ronnie Lechien, grew to become a top motocross racer, the team began looking for a good two-stroke premix oil for the motorcycle. Once again, Lechien Sr. decided to make his own, and using the signs he saw in Mexico as inspiration, he named his new company, Maxima Racing Oils. The original two-stroke oil is still made today, Castor 927, but the product line has grown to include the development of a multitude of engine oils and gear oils for every type of vehicle in power sports and auto racing. The company’s race-proven products have always been popular with off-road racers such as the SCORE teams of Cantina Racing, Coleman Motorsports, and several Pro Moto teams, who use Maxima Oils on their race vehicles. Maxima’s heritage has always been in racing. This led to the production of synthetic and modified castors, including petroleum-based motor and drivetrain lubricants. However, the company also manufactures hydraulic and shock fluids, air filter oils, penetrants, oil filters, cleaners, detail sprays, and much more. Recently, Maxima Racing Oils came out with complete oil change kits for the growing power sports industry. The kits include a high-quality filter and oil for Polaris, Can-Am, and other side-by-side vehicles, all in one box. DEVELOPMENT AND PROBLEM-SOLVING Creating an abundance of products for enthusiast motorcycle, off-road, and UTV owners is one thing, but formulating specific blends for racing teams and racing component manufacturers is completely different and unique to Maxima’s commitment to motorsports. According to Paul Hawley, Maxima Oils Product Manager, it starts with a race team or engine/drivetrain builder approaching the company with a specific problem they want to solve. “We want to know what’s happening with the components or the vehicle, and want to dive down deep into finding out the root of the problem,” he says. “Then we can either recommend a product, revise an existing one, or create a completely new one from scratch. We’re fortunate enough to have the experience and knowledge of different chemistries to use as building blocks to deliver a solution.” While Maxima Oils has a variety of products for the enthusiast, it’s within their involvement in off-road racing where specific formulations and solutions have been created. This includes everything from specific oils that prevent wear from the desert’s dusty environment to finding the right coolant for teams, specifically for racing in Baja. Over the years, both racing teams and component builders have found working with Maxima has given them an edge over the competition. Chris Schell, who handles the West Coast Business Development for Maxima Racing Oils says the company works with companies such as GearWorks Transmissions, Rancho Drivetrain, Weller Racing, Fortin Racing, Weddle, and many other top racing teams and component manufacturers. “My initial focus is to get their blessing to use Maxima products,” he says. “Now, all of these companies and many others, recommend our fluids, and 90 percent of their components come with our fluids in them.” PRODUCTION FACILITY Maxima Racing Oil’s facility in Santee, California offered an opportunity to witness how some of its racing oils are blended and tested. Everything begins with high-quality base oils that are from select refineries. Depending on what is needed for a specific application, additives are blended into the base to create the desired product. James Stevenson, Product Specialist at Maxima Racing Oils, performs the quality control standards and testing, of each product in the in-house lab. Once the blend is finished, it’s sent to Quality Control where Stevenson puts it through a series of tests for viscosity, and cold cranking ability (engine oils), determining all of the elements inside the oil. Once all the lab testing is done, additional testing is done on the race course. Off-road racing provides the most extreme testing and as many SCORE racers will attest to, Maxima Racing Oil products are what keep their engines and drivetrains running smoothly. Video: Behind The Scenes At Maxima Racing Oils