Fixing SR-18

[terral]

My name is Terral Klaassen. I have posted three posts about the SR-18. There is a fix for this problem. When we got the first sample a year ago and Kenny and I first looked at it, we noticed it was the same color as C-25. We told Sunoco this would be a problem and we didn't like the color. At Pomona this year when this problem first started, after a discussion with NHRA and Sunoco I later talked to Russ Bradford of Sunoco Fuel and told him what I would do to fix the problem. The first thing I told him was that they should never have made the fuel the same color as C-25. This makes it too easy to mix and a different color of the fuel would eliminate this problem. The next thing I told him is they have a handling problem and it needs to be changed. Shipping the fuel in trucks and rail cars is not a good idea. I recommended packaging the fuel in metal containers as it was being made would eliminate this problem. This could then be distributed in sealed containers to their distributors. The last thing I told him is that they need to recall the fuel that doesn't pass and get it off the market. Russ told me this would be very expensive and the company would not go for it. I told him "What do you think this is going to cost you"? This was at the first race on the first day. I had no idea that they wouldn't fix their problem. The whole year they have blamed the fuel check people for not checking it properly and that their fuel is okay. I would recommend that the racers contact some upper management of Sunoco Racing Fuels and tell them that if they think they don't have a problem, then go to any Divisional or National race and go to the Comp Pits and ask any Comp Racers what they think of SR-18. Until I was fired after the Norwalk race, I have kept track of all of the fuels sold at the National races until then. From the late 1990's, we have had no issues at all with the VP C-25. After Pomona until Norwalk, all of the SR-18 passed our spec except for Houston. It was at the Divisional races where the problem is. It has carried over to the National. Throughout the year, I kept a list of where the fuel was purchased that didn't pass our spec. I forwarded this information to Tim White and Glen Gray and they gave it to Sunoco. Sunoco is putting a lot of pressure on NHRA to pass this fuel. I have worked with Glen and Tim since they started. They are two very smart and highly educated engineers that do a very good job for NHRA. They, as well as the NHRA management, have not been exposed to fuel check because there have not been any problems with fuel check for the 23 years I have worked there. They only get their information from Sunoco telling them everything is fine and that fuel check is not doing a good job. A comp racer recently told me that Terry Thompson of Sunoco was bragging about me getting fired at Chicago and that Sunoco had sent a letter to NHRA telling them to fire me and that I was the problem. I was fired when I got home from the Norwalk race. I am not sure what is going on at Indy because I don't have access to any of the information on how the fuel is checking. I only get the information from the Internet and from several of the racers that call me or have sent texts. Glen and Tim have been getting a bad rap over this. They didn't make the fuel and they don't sell it. I recommend, not being an employee anymore, that Sunoco needs to be contacted and tell them to fix the problem. Again, I thank all of my racer friends for all of the support that they have given me. Remember, Sunoco is a good company and has a good product but they have one thing that they need to fix.

[FINESPLINE]

Thanks Terral, It takes a big man to speak good things about a company that indirectly / directly was responsible for your dismissal. As far as the NHRA is concerned, that was pretty damn gutless for throwing a valued employee under the bus for no reason but to satisfy pressure from a vendor.

[Jeff Johnson]

Not that it is a big hit BUT I will not buy Sunoco fuel for my cars, trucks,or motorcycles because of what they are doing to the Comp. racers just my small way to protest I would ask that you all join me.Thank You

[Chevy55]

You got my vote Jeff!

[buzzinhalfdozen]

I've never ran sunoco SR-18 however it seems that it is presenting a problem for the racers as well as the officials charged with testing it. So I've got 2 questions, first isn't NHRA an organization founded for the betterment of it's members to promote safe and fair competition? Second, if this were an issue with a racer or group of racers would NHRA merely turn a blind eye to it or would that racer or group of racers be told to fix the issue or don't come back. I understand that agreements were made and contracts signed but we are to believe that in the agreements and contracts there is no provision stating that Sunocos' fuel supply MUST meet certain criteria? If that is indeed the case then maybe whom ever made the deal and signed the contracts should be held reponsible to come up with a solution. Not simply passing the buck and scapegoating employees.

[FED 387]

If as Sunoco claims the "fuel" is being tested wrong 1)what would be the "correct way" in Sunoco's view to get the fuel to pass? and 2) why the great variations between the fuel sold from one batch to another or from the fuel sold at say Brainerd for example and the fuel sold at Indy?
Now we all know that due to Sunoco's formulation the fuel is DOWN on power when compared to VP C-25 when doing A-B-A tests. How can that be explained? My understanding is SR-18 was originally sold to Snowmobile/Bike racers . How do these types of engines compare to Drag Racing engines in their fuel requirements? Perhaps in a "hi performance" street machine or in a racing engine where the absolute most amount of power is NOT trying to be extracted it may in fact be OK but it sure is not looking like that in real life!!
Now the fuel that the Pro Stocks are getting is this a "special " batch that has been tested PRIOR to being distributed to them AND not the "same" fuel that just any body else can walk up and purchase?? FED 387

[SSDiv6]

While at Indy, we were parked close to were the Pro Stock fueling was taking place.

NHRA brought a sealed drum of fuel close to the staging lanes with a whole crew of NHRA tech people.

Pro Stocks arrived to the fueling area with their fuel cells dry that were inspected by NHRA personnel . An NHRA employee would open the drum, pump the SR-18 into fuel jugs and another NHRA employee would fill the fuel cell and then put a seal on the cap. My buddy asked the tech guys if they checked the fuel after every run and they said they did. However, they did not say if they gave a pass/fail after every run to the Pro Stock guys.

I was going to film the whole process to post it, however, we did not want any possible repercussions from NHRA.

[FED 387]

Sounds just like the Union 76 "Special gas" we ran a few years back--it definitely worked better than the "normal " stuff---in all fairness so just how is Sunoco's version of testing SR-18 different than what NHRA is doing--- they claim it is being tested WRONG --- ok what is WRONG ??? and what does NHRA have to do test the fuel according to Sunoco?? FED 387

[Dyno]

I saw them fueling the Pro Stock cars the same way at Brainerd.

[Jeff Johnson]

Do you think the Comp. guy's or anyone else are getting the same "SR-18" that the Pro Stock cars are getting? My guess is no!