What Are Sprint Cars
There are really no rivals in the automotive racing world when it comes to dirt-slinging Sprint Cars. Driving a Sprint Car has often been compared to riding a 1,300 pound angry rodeo bull in circles for several laps. Modern methanol-guzzling Sprint Cars top out at over 950 horsepower. The power-to-weight ratio is unparalleled among other dirt track racing cars. There are no transmissions, no clutch, and no electrical system - only the essentials for speed remain. There can be no fear. You have to turn right to go left, and only drivers with nerves of steel can pilot these controlled explosions.
Sprint Car lineage can be traced to early open wheel Indy cars. We can trace some of the earliest Sprint Car races to the Indiana State Fairgrounds, before World War I. Sprint Cars, in their basic form are very much the same today, as they were then, but of course, evolution has taken place. Sprint Cars still use an oval shaped body. They are open wheel racers in which the driver has to ride them like a bucking bronco, with the control & finesse of a ballerina. If the wheels touch another car, look out! Some of the greatest drivers of all time cut their teeth piloting these beasts. Drivers like Jeff Gordon, Jan Opperman, Doug Wolfgang, Tony Stewart, AJ Foyt, Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski, Johnny Rutherford, and Mario Andretti all spent time behind the wheel of a Sprint Car.
When a person is picking through Sprint Car parts for sale, one has to remind themselves that only the best quality stuff will do. These cars have incredible performance capabilities, so safety is of the utmost importance. There are several forms of Sprint Cars. Winged Sprint Cars utilize a large wing positioned above the driver, along with a smaller wing on the nose of the car, to apply downforce, keeping the car glued to the track. There are also non-winged Sprint Cars that run in the United States Auto Club (USAC) championship series. Sprint Cars are frequently ran on dirt tracks, while some variations run on pavement asphalt tracks. Close cousins of Sprint Cars include Micro Sprints, Mini Sprints, Quarter Midgets, Midget Racing Cars, and Silver Crown cars (as well as Super Modifieds).
Types of Sprint Cars
The most common type of Sprint Car in the United States is the winged Sprint Car. They fill the stands at dirt tracks across the nation, thrilling spectators as they storm down the straights and power slide through the corners. Here is an overview of Sprint Car racing classes and Sprint parts differences:
- 305 Sprint Cars - An entry-level, budget-conscious class featuring a 305 c.i. Chevy V8 iron block engine with spec heads & injector. The engine rules are stringent, but they still are mighty quick with around 450 hp.
- 360 Sprint Cars - As the name implies, these cars pack plenty of punch with their 700 horsepower injected V8 engines that are limited to 5.9 liters.
- 410 Sprint Cars - The 410 Sprint Cars are the premier class and regularly produce 950 horsepower. Brutally quick, they require the most skill to build, tune and drive.
Some classes allow aluminum engine blocks, while other require cast iron. Most all Sprint Cars use aluminum cylinder heads. Most 360 Sprint Car parts and 410 Sprint Car parts are very similar, but the ever-popular RaceSaver 305 Sprint Car parts are a bit different due to the lower budget nature of these cars.
Anatomy of a Sprint Car
Sprint Car parts are attached to a lightweight tubular chromoly chassis. A motor plate carries the engine and fuel injection system pump. Suspension consists of a torque tube with an internal driveshaft connected to a quickchange rear axle with an in/out cable to disengage the wheels from the engine. The quickchange live axle allows for easy gear ratio changes for various track lengths. A straight front tube axle spins hubs on kingpin style spindles. Sprint Cars use torsion bars to suspend the vehicle in both the front and rear, along with very high tech shock absorbers to dampen them. A power steering box sector runs a Pitman arm and drag link to keep it turning left.
The front tires are typically smaller while the rear tires are massive. The outer rear tire is a larger diameter than the inner for proper "stagger" helping the car turn in. Then there is the wing assemblies to keep the car aerodynamically balanced. The fuel tank houses a fuel bladder that protects fuel in the event of an accident. A full containment racing seat helps protect and contain the driver.
Sprint Car accessories are readily available throughout the Speedway Motors catalog. We have been involved in Sprint Car racing longer than most. As a matter of fact, the original Sprint Car outlaw, Jan Opperman, piloted the famous Speedway Motors 4x Sprint Car to many victories in the 1970s. Not long after the Opperman era ,world famous driver Doug Wolfgang took the helm of the 4x Sprint Car and found the winner’s circle many times. To say that Speedway Motors knows Sprint Car parts would be an understatement.
Speedway Motors is dedicated to fully supporting the Sprint Car racing community by supplying the very finest sprint car parts and accessories. To learn more about our expertise with Sprint parts, watch our 410 Sprint Car build video series.
