Obviously, using good-condition oil is important for any combustion engine-propelled car, but it’s a minimum requirement for a race car. Some racers are so worried about harming their highly-abused motors that they change out their oil at extremely short intervals. Aside from this practice getting expensive, it’s downright wasteful. Others go the other direction and let over-used oil shorten engine life. A company named IntelliStick, has come out with a product (of the same name), that can tell you exactly when your oil is due for a change.  [Read more…]

If you prefer safety equipment that does its job well in an emergency situation, and can look pretty when it’s not, you can add the new Brey-Krause R-9520 fire extinguisher bracket to your list. Most importantly, it allows for fast, one-handed retrieval of your extinguisher, if the need should ever arise. Aesthetically, it’s a nice looking, clear-anodized aluminum, universally mountable bracket that weighs 1 pound. It is designed to hold a 2.5 pound AMEREX model 417 extinguisher. The R-9520 can be found for around $220.

Brey-Krause R-9520 Fire Extinguisher Bracket

Another item in the “kids play” category. Kinda cool though. I came across this while flipping through the April 07 issue of Automobile magazine. Hot Wheels is making a radar gun for kids to see how fast their toys can go. Topping out at 100 MPH (in life-size scale mode) keeps it from clocking all your grown up toys, but it’s still pretty cool for 35 bucks!

Hot Wheels Radar Gun

The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) and Race2Play have teamed up to create a comprehensive online virtual racing environment. The system, NASASimRacing, will host sanctioned sim racing events. This means that you can compete (individually or as a team) in sim racing series, in a similar way to real life. Many find racing sims to be a good way to learn circuits, while others consider them to simply be fun entertainment. Either way, with NASASimRacing, you can compete in an online racing environment with regularily scheduled races, in defined series, with the befefit of live officials. That last part is key, because it allows you to race in an environment with strangers, where rules are enforced. In fact there is a set of codes and regulations covering rough driving, going off course, and blocking, to name a few. The environment lets you build your rank over a season, and there are plans to introduce prizes.

The next championship points season begins Jan 19, ’07. The basic membership is free and only requires that you have a supported racing sim and the PC hardware to run it. The season will run for 15 weeks and will have 8-12 events, depending on the series. Most of the series will be made available at multiple times of the day to accomodate different racers’ schedules and timezones.

NASARacingSim is not tied to a single software simulator. Some of the sims currently supported are:

• GTR 2
• GT Legends
• rFactor
• RACE
• Richard Burns Rally

If you’re like me, you have more project cars than space to put them. If you’re HOA frowns upon cars parked on your lawn, and you don’t have the garage height to stack cars with a conventional lift, American Custom Lifts has a nice alternative. How does tapping into the space below your garage floor sound? That’s the solution they have come up with, in their Phantom Park line. A lift with two platforms is placed below ground. When the lift is raised, the lower platform is level with the garage floor, and a car may be driven onto it. After the lift is lowered, the car is stored below ground and another car may be driven onto the upper platform. The platforms can be made to match the rest of the garage flooring, so that there is little sign of the sophisticated parking system. The manufacturer offers multiple models, of different sizes and lifting capacities, with various available options. They also claim to have many safety features in place, so that it can be used in a typical home.

American Custom Lifts – Phantom Park

What a time to be a kid. If you want to get your 3 year old started on that path to full sponsorship, this might be a good way to spark some interest. A scaled-down ALMS GT1 Vette, complete with working lights and engine sounds. It even has a two-speed tranny that tops out at a whopping 5 MPH. The “C5 Racer Corvette” sells for $300.  [Read more…]

You have probably seen the brake rotors out there with colored markings that indicate their temperature, from companies like DBA and Frozen Rotors. Did you know that you can buy a special paint that has the same color-changing properties? Genesis Technologies makes a paint that has six different color levels, covering 0 – 1239° F. Knowing the rotors’ temperature can help you adjust your system components and/or driving style to where the brakes can operate in their optimum heat range. Just use the supplied brush to paint a mark on the outside edge of the rotor. The paint can also be applied to various other metallic surfaces where approximate temperature readings are desired at a glance. A 1 oz bottle of GB1000 can be found for under $60.

Genesis Technologies

If you’re concerned about paint/light damage to your track vehicle, an adhesive bra can be a worthwhile investment. There are various manufacturers that make kits covering bumpers, fenders, hoods, headlights, parking lights, and foglights. Not only do these offer protection from rocks and other debris, but they can even minimize the effect of light contact on the track. Venture Shield has examples of their film protecting racing vehicles from damage.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to quickly disconnect fuel/oil/water lines without spilling fluid everywhere? The thought of that mess and effort has many of us jumping through hoops to avoid disconnecting lines. Jiffy-tite, a long-time manufacturer of OEM fluid connectors, has a complete line of fittings to make this a thing of the past. Their Quick Connect Fluid Fittings allow lines to be disconnected by hand within seconds. Additionally, once they are disconnected, they are designed to be 100% leak-free. Not only does this provide convenience, but the auto-shutoff feature can increase safety. They are made of 6061-T6 aluminum, with brass valves and stainless steel ball bearings, for lightweight construction and corrosion-resistance. High pressures and temperatures are not a problem, as the manufacturer claims they have been tested up to 200 psi and 350º F.

Jiffy-tite Quick Connect Fluid Fittings

If you bring your own fuel to the track, you might be interested in the FLO-FAST portable fluid transfer system, made by Product Development Group LLC. In most situations, it will allow you to fill your tank/cell without having to lift a container; a pump mechanism draws fuel from the container to your tank via a 7-foot line. Its efficient design allows for 5 gallons to be transferred in just one minute. The pump is bi-directional, so fluid can be drawn back into the storage container. This is useful if you would like to keep a dry system when the vehicle is not in use. The pump can work with most other types of fluids as well. Various containers are made for the FLO-FAST pumps and a drum extractor kit is available too. The pump by itself sells for $160.

PDG LLC – FLO-FAST