Competitors Will Be Able to Race Competitively for an Entire Season on a $7200+ Engine Program

Salem, IN (December 11, 2003) – Champion Racing Association/Sunoco Super Series officials announced today their new economical sealed engine options for the upcoming season.  Teams will now have two sealed engine options and be able to save thousands of dollars in their engine programs. Both engines are specific, race-built engines and come complete with a one year warranty on the basic engine assembly and workmanship.  The $12,000+ purchase prices, or the $7,200+ lease options, combined with the warranty, are the key elements of a program to get financially stressed racers off the sidelines and back on the race track.

Series officials point out that this program does NOT replace the current 9 to 1 rules package.  This program is merely an option to new or current teams that want to race competitively on a much smaller budget.  The key was not to discount the investments that existing teams have in their current equipment, nor diminish the performance of their current engines.  These new options are put in place to achieve a high performance level at a significantly reduced cost.  While the current plans call for NO weight breaks for the new options, series officials have made it very clear that these new engines will be extremely competitive and capable of competing with the top 9 to 1 engines in the series each night.

Series founder R. J. Scott noted, “What good is an option if it is not capable of winning?  If needed, we will take additional steps to ensure the success of these new engine options.  The future of Super Late Model Template racing at its highest performance levels depends on it. The number of racers who can spend $15,000 to $30,000 a year on an engine program is becoming less and less every year.  On the other hand, we are not going to put our traditional 9 to 1 formula at a disadvantage by any stretch of the imagination…these are the guys the series is built on, and those who choose to stay with that option will be able to and do so successfully.  This program is simply about cost effective alternatives at a high performance level.”

According to Series director Glenn Luckett, “not only will the teams benefit from the significantly reduced engine costs, but they will see a tremendous benefit from the low maintenance required with these engines. No longer will the teams have to work on tuning their engines at the race tracks, changing valve springs in the shop, and many other things that are part of maintaining a race engine.  Teams will merely be left with changing the oil and going racing.  The less time spent working on the engines, the more time teams will have to spend on a normal life and working on the rest of their car.”

Teams that choose to take advantage of the new, affordable sealed engines will have a choice between electronic fuel injection and traditional carburetion.  Schwanke Engines in Springfield MN will be the sole builder of the fuel injected option, while the carbureted option will be built solely by McGunegill Engine Performance in Muncie, IN.  Both engines have multiple seals from top to bottom.  The complete engine includes fueling system (carb. or e.f.i.), water-pump, dry sump oil pump, balancer, belts, ignition, and wires.

While both builders offered to support the series financially, based on the number of engines used in the series, Sunoco officials directed the builders to give that money back to the racers in the form of a contingency program. In an effort to encourage teams to consider their cost saving alternatives, both engine builders have agreed to identical contingency programs for teams that choose their package.  To kick off the program, a $1000 bonus will be paid by each builder to the very first team that wins with their engine.  Any subsequent winners will receive a $500 product or services certificate from their respective builders.  If neither award is won, a $250 product or services certificate from each builder will be awarded to the highest finishing car with their respective engine.

All parties agree that the integrity of the program is the first priority and series officials do not want any option to exceed the performance of the top 9 to 1 engines being used.  Both builders will post a significant “Surety Bond” that financially insures the integrity of these programs and puts to rest any fears of unfair practices by the builders.  Series officials will also have specific measures at their disposal to ensure the consistency and conformity of the new engine options.  Those measures include, but are not limited to: engine swapping, engine confiscation and testing, new diagnostic tools, series controlled and administered p.c.m’s and ignition boxes, and detailed protest procedures.

Currently, the new packages will make their debut in the Sunoco Super Series with the season opening event at Anderson Speedway on Saturday, April 17.  Competitors will also be able to use these sealed engines on the recently announced “Super Tour” that the Sunoco Super Series and Southern All-Stars co-sanction.  The “Super Tour” will feature approximately five high profile races with its on point fund and champion.  Events on this schedule already include the World Cup 300 at I-70 Speedway and the Anderson 400 at Anderson Speedway.

For more information on the sealed engine programs, including specific costs to purchase or lease, warranty details and support programs, contact the respective builders. For the electronic fuel injection sealed engine, contact Schwanke Engines at 800-423-6571.  For the carbureted sealed engine, contact McGunegill Engine Performance at 765-282-1913.