You guys know I don't work for a team or anything like that, I am just a curious fan and a Lightning nut. If there is anyone lurking around with inside information, here are a few questions.

DW said recently on a TV broadcast (either at the Winston or the 600) that he was hearing numbers over 800 HP. I am assuming this is crank HP and not rear wheel HP (there is no way it could be rear wheel HP). Ok, so now my questions:

1. how much torque are these 800 HP engines making? at what RPM?

2. At what RPM are they making 800 HP, 9000? more?

3. What kind of rear wheel numbers (torque and HP) are they making on a dynojet?

The main reason I am asking is, I wondered if an 800 HP Winston Cup engine makes more or less torque than a Lightning

 

to answer your queston is really hard, you see engines only make tg and not hp.

hp is a calculation between tq and rpm. this is why a 500ci engine can "only" produce say 250hp at 2000rpm's and a honda s2000 also make 240hp, but at 8000 rpms.

Can you tow a boat at 8000 rpms from every stop lite for the next 5 years? I think not!

people aways think that if your car can make x hp that it always making x hp at every rpm this is not the case!

another thing to remember is the heaver the car the lower the hp it will usually make by design from the factory, but also the tq will come on at a lower rpm. is this rocket science?

You can sort of see at like this, a cheap electric drill from sears can only drill throught really hard steel really fast, but a good Makita can do it at any speed because you can put a much weigth behind it as needed.

 

Ive seen a formula some where that can estamate HP and TQ using the weight of the car and its top speed or something like that. Or maybe not.

 

Ok, well along those lines here is a general idea of what they are capable of. This example is a Michigan qualifying setup with a completely taped up front end.

Weight: 3400lbs including driver and fluids
Gear ratio: 3.52:1
Speed/RPM at lift point for turn one: 201mph @ 8800 rpms

 

All I ever wanted to know is with some races lasting 4-5hrs, what do they do to relieve themselves while in a race after a beer and crab dinner the night before?

 

Probably the same thing I do on a long drive...........the ole slurpee cup

 

DR.D and Fast Gator, I can't thank you enough for your contribution to this thread. Your input is very appreciated.

 

Well I'd guess that the speed they're racing at would create wind flow enough so that the crab dinners won't do to much