[Dan Bennett]

This has been pretty interesting to read, and all I have to add is some ancient anecdotal evidence.

i was racing a 70 Duster 340 4 spd I'd bought new. A year or so later, the alternator went out during the time Accel was expanding into more than plug wires. They brought out an alternator with a switch for the field circuit. In my young mind, that was Mopar Missile trick stuff.

I never saw any difference using it. Of course, that was a long time ago when 99% didn't measure or track weather data and long before data loggers existed.

When I moved into data acquition and analysis, nothing I ever worked with had an alternator. So, I ask the people who would know - is it a sure thing the small amount of hp sapped by a working alternator (I don't even know how many amps headlights draw) is actually a measurable and significant amount?

Whether it's some genius racing trick or not, it doesn't affect my admiriaton for what the Sorensons have accomplished.