Professional Racing And The Reliance on Gauges - Gauging Success

The gauges inside a stock car are simple. They're specifically designed so a driver can take a quick glance at them and make sure all of the race car's components are operating properly. Whether it's a NASCAR Winston Cup Series car or one from a Saturday-night short track, more than likely they are equipped with five standard gauges. A driver can take a peek at those gauges to monitor engine rpm, fuel pressure, water and oil temperatures, and most importantly, oil pressure.

To learn more about what gauges tell race teams, we went to veteran NASCAR Goody's Dash Series crew chief Dean Combs. He's the all-time victory leader in the Dash Series with five championships to his credit, and was a Winston Cup crew chief for a team owned by Junior Johnson.

* Tachometer: In most cases, the largest of the gauges is the tachometer. A switch enables the drivers to keep up with how much rpm their engine is turning. "For example, if we're racing at a track like Daytona, we will want to be running around 6,200 rpm," Combs says. "The tachometer also has a switch that can be flipped up and down to set and recall what (maximum) rpm is being turned. We look at that when the driver comes into the pits because when we want to see the recall, it tells you your peak rpm. Every time my driver comes into the pits, I'll tell him to look at how many rpm he was turning. After he tells me, I'll tell him to reset the switch before he gets back out on the track."

* Water Temperature Gauge: Most of the gauges are somewhat self-explanatory, just like the water temperature gauge. "Usually you want the water temperature to be about 200 degrees," Combs says. "Most engine builders make their motors to perform the best at or around 200 degrees. If the temperature gets above 220 degrees, that's letting you know the motor is getting a little warm."

* Oil Pressure Gauge: Combs says the oil pressure gauge is the most vital. "Most of the time in the Dash Series, we use about 60 pounds (per square inch) of oil pressure wherever we race," says Combs, "Some of the Winston Cup cars will run a little more than we do. Usually, as the oil temperatures go up the oil pressure will come down, so that has to be looked at pretty closely. Most of the time the oil pressure gauge has a light that comes on if the oil pressure drops and lets you know you're in trouble."

* Fuel Pressure Gauge: Since most of NASCAR's top divisions make fuel economy a part of the race strategy, you're more apt to see those teams using a fuel pressure gauge. At a local Friday- or Saturday-night short track, they don't really need to keep up with fuel as closely because 10 gallons of gas for a 50-lap feature is more than enough to get the job done.

"Most teams will run seven to nine pounds (per square inch) of fuel pressure; that goes for a Dash car or a Winston Cup car," Combs says. "That gauge stays pretty close to the same unless there's a problem somewhere.

If that gauge drops, you know you'd better get to the pits and get some gas in the car."

* Oil Temperature Gauge: One gauge Combs says he could do without is the oil temperature gauge, for the simple fact that he believes the gauge can go bad and give false readings.

"The oil temperature gauge usually runs 20 or 30 degrees hotter than the water, around 220 or 230 degrees," Combs says. "As long as the water temperature gauge looks good, I have seen the oil temperature gauge run as high as 260 or 270 degrees. As long as the motor keeps running, you're in good shape. When I first used an oil temperature gauge as a driver, I called in and told the guys it was getting real hot. The hotter it got, the more they told me not to worry about it. I called back in and told them if the gauge didn't matter then I wanted the thing out of the car because I didn't want it in there worrying me."