San Diego, CA – Beal Racing, a 300mph NHRA nitro funny car team, signs Autolite, a leading U.S. spark plug brand, to a deal to become the official spark plug of Beal Racing in 2016. During each run, the team’s nitromethane-burning V-8 engine uses 16 spark plugs harnessing 44 amps each.
“I don’t think there’s a form of racing that’s harder on spark plugs than nitro drag racing,” Chuck Beal said. “We completely use up 16 spark plugs in a 1,000 ft. run, so we can’t take a chance on spark plugs that won’t perform or won’t last. Autolite’s plugs consistently deliver power and durability when we need them most.”
Look for Beal Racing and driver, Brandon Welch, on the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour starting in Houston at the NHRA Spring Nationals April 29-May 1st.
Nitro spark plug facts:
- Each cylinder in the Beal Racing V-8 engine has two spark plugs harnessing 44 amps each.
- The spark plugs are replaced after each 1,000 foot pass.
- At .014 to .018, gap settings for nitro spark plugs are much narrower than a typical passenger vehicle.
- Why two plugs, so many amps, and such a narrow gap? The Beal Racing funny car pumps fuel into the motor at up to 100 gallons per minute and the supercharger makes more than 50 psi of boost pressure. At this rate, the fuel volume would extinguish the spark if there were only one plug, if amperage decreased below 44 amps, or if the plug gap was too wide.
- The combination of fuel volume, supercharger pressure, and spark are what allow a nitro funny car engine to produce over 10,000 horsepower, or 1,250 horsepower per cylinder.
ABOUT BEAL RACING
San Diego-based Beal Racing campaigns a 300+ mph nitro funny car on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. The team is owned by Chuck Beal and driven by 2016 rookie and Chuck’s grandson, Brandon Welch. After 45 years in drag racing, veteran driver Beal handed over the reins of the family race car to grandson, Brandon in 2015. Beal Racing is sure to be a focus of media and fan attention with a new driver continuing a storied family racing legacy. To learn more about Beal Racing visit www.bealracing.com, or tune in to NHRA competition on Fox and Fox Sports 1.
Beal Racing will begin their 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series campaign in Houston, TX on April 29-May 1 with driver Brandon Welch.