With 25 NASCAR seasons under its belt, Goodyear Engineered Products is tapping its experience to introduce two more automotive belts that can help race teams save energy under the hood.
Goodyear Gatorback timing belts and Goodyear Super Torque Pd oil pump drive belts are making their track debuts this season to enhance race engine performance, according to Mike Gregg, chief engineer for Goodyear’s power transmission products.
Gregg said stock car racing is all about finding a little bit more power, while sticking to rules and regulations. “Gatorback and Super Torque Pd do just that,” he said.
The Gatorback eight-millimeter tooth-pitch cam drive belt was developed specifically for NASCAR to withstand stretching during a race. Gregg said conventional belts tend to wilt under torturous race conditions, which can cause stretching, slippage and loss of energy.
“Gatorback is constructed with a revolutionary heat resistant compound that reduces friction, which means less energy consumption,” said Gregg. “It also withstands 300 degrees Fahrenheit, well above engine temperatures from 225 to 275 degrees experienced during a race.”
The belt cord is made from high-tensile-strength glass fiber that is 60 percent stronger than glass cord used in conventional belts.
“Its unique construction provides added strength and stability critical to smooth tooth-and-sprocket engagement needed for synchronous power transfer,” said Gregg. “From green to checkered flags, the new Gatorback belt delivers precise engine timing, while consuming less energy.”
More power is important, but a product that requires less space also makes a NASCAR engine builder happy, which is exactly what the Super Torque Pd oil pump drive belt delivers.
Originally designed for industrial applications, the five-millimeter tooth-pitch belt uses smaller pulleys, which reduce the size of a drive system. The belt’s compactness and efficiency give engine builders a greater choice of sprocket ratios between oil pump drives and engines.
“Gatorback and Super Torque Pd are designed to operate components more efficiently, saving power for another use,” said Gregg.
He said several Nextel Cup teams are equipped with both belts, but it’s too early in the season to divulge names because “it’s one of the secrets of the track.”
All teams have access to the new belts; additional cars are scheduled to be equipped with the products, as the season progresses.
The timing and oil pump belts join Goodyear Gatorback Poly-V belts, the unanimous choice of component drive belts for every Nextel Cup Series car on the track.
Goodyear uses information gained from racing, including feedback from NASCAR Nextel Cup engine builders and crew chiefs, to expedite next-generation products for racing. At the same time, the track-to-street connection provides information to improve Goodyear belts that race fans can purchase at installers and do-it-yourself auto parts stores.
Goodyear Engineered Products is the exclusive NASCAR Performance licensee of automotive aftermarket belts and hose, including Goodyear Gatorback Poly-V and v-belts, timing belts and curved radiator hose.
Visit www.goodyearbeltsandhose.com for additional information.