SEPTEMBER 13, 2008 (SATURDAY) RACE #13 Petaluma Speedway Petaluma, CA Pits Open: Gates Open: Qualifying: 2:00pm 5:00pm 6:30pm Racing to Follow Qualifying Ticket Information Adults: Jr's: Children: $20.00 $15.00 $5.00 $20.00 $12.00 $5.00 Seasons: |'07|'06|'05|'04| |'03|'02|'01|'00| |'99| Rule Book History Points System Former Champions Cars Tracks Personnel Silver Dollar Speedway Placerville Speedway Golden State Challenge - King of California Series GOLD CUP Race of Champions HELP MENU Site Map Contact Us Search the Site Sponsor Index

The Cars of the California Sprint Car Civil War Series
Sprint Cars are the most powerful machines on Dirt. But as much as they are powerful, they are simple. There is no dead weight on the car. If a part doesn't contribute to the car's performance, it is left off. The suspension consists of a live axle up front, and torsion bars for springs.

The chassis is a minimal tube frame with a short 84-inch wheelbase. The strongest and most expensive tubing is used in the roll cage for safety & weight savings. Their geometric chassis designs flex & work with the suspension but also are designed to withstand the most ferocious crashes.

A V8 engine, fueled by methanol, no starter motor, and the battery is only large enough to power the ignition system for the evening. Chevy is the most common motor but Ford & Mopar engines can be found in many pits. The price of competitive power is between $10,000 - $25,000. These engines are based on production cast-iron blocks and heads.

Two huge floppy rear tires of different sizes couple the irresistible force to the soft clay below. Soft sidewalls allow them to flex & roll over on the clay to apply the most horsepower to the ground.

The driver sits atop the rear axle, his legs straddling the driveshaft. It's connected to a quick-change rear axle by a coupler called an "in-out box".

The large wings create "downforce" to help the car stick to the track. The large end plates also act like the feathers on a dart, helping the car stay pointed in the right direction and keeping it from getting too far sideways. It also cushions the blow when a car gets upside down. Wings have greatly increased safety in open wheel racing.

A Sprint Car has the highest power-to-weight ratio on dirt, spending most of its time broadsliding around the corners, wheelstanding on the straights, and throwing clay high into the air, while the driver wrestles hard with the steering wheel, trying to control it. This is why some people describe a sprint car race as a "Motorized Rodeo".