My Indy DQ

Evan Smith · 09-02-2008, 02:45 PM

As most of you know, my engine did not pass the teardown inspection at the US Nationals due to an intake valve that was too big. A few months ago I had a problem with a broken valvespring, which resulted in a bent valve.

Rather than sending the heads to my normal engine builder, Jim Kuntz, I had a repair done closer to home and all new valves installed. The spec for my engine calls for 1.840-inch intake valves, but the aftermarket valves from Manley, SI, Ferrea and the other companies all come in at 1.85 inches so the valves must be cut down. As you can guess, the valves in my engine were not cut down, despite the fact that I paid for a valve job and to have them cut. The valve job was simply done and the valves were reinstalled. Because I paid a quality shop to do the work, I assumed the spec would be looked up and the valves cut down—I was dead wrong. I reinstalled the heads on the engine without checking them (my mistake). The NHRA rule allows for +.005 inch (or -.015-inch) and since my valve measured 1.851 the valve was out of spec by .006-inch. Every other part of the car passed teardown, but at that point it didn't matter. It was not my intent for the valve to be too big, but I accept that it was and I am held responsible. This was my third time to the barn and this is the first problem I have ever had.

Needless to say, I was embarrassed beyond belief. The emotions during the ordeal were hard to describe and I wouldn't wish that anyone have to go though this. I work hard on my car in order to go fast and to earn the respect of my racing peers. It was not my intent to have a car that was illegal and you can bet that I will be checking the little things in the future. This was one of the worst experiences I have ever gone through as a racer, but there is a lesson to be learned. Ultimately, it was my fault because I own the engine and I should have been aware of what was inside.

As a side note, the NHRA tech department treated me fairly and checked the valve over and over, but it was too big. I was not treated poorly or unfairly. I was treated with respect the whole time by the NHRA (Bruce, Danny and Ryck Campbell) and by the other racers in teardown. I would like to thank Jim Conte and his dad, as welll as my crew, Frank, JB, Russ and Jeff for helping with the car. Also thanks to Bruce Noland, John Gray, Ed Bednaz, Jason Line, John Shaul, Steve Wann, Lincoln and Ron Morehead and a host of others who kept me from wanting to lay on the tracks.

Thanks,

Evan

Tom Goldman · 09-02-2008, 04:17 PM

Evan,sorry to hear about your DQ. ....Countless others have been thru the same thing. .....We all hope we can trust a reputable shop,but still end up having to check it ourselves ,"just to be sure". .....It does sound ,however, like a good topic for a future column in ND.. ........Tom

Bruce Noland · 09-02-2008, 04:39 PM

Evan,

I knew you would post something about this and you hit it dead-on!

Get your valves squared away and go racing as soon as you can.

Jeff Lee · 09-02-2008, 04:45 PM

Don't worry, your reputation has not been tarnished. As much as we would all like to say that we have measured against the machinest every component in our race car, the truth is we all place a lot of trust in who is doing the work. Even if we do all the assembly ourselves, very few can honestly state we know for a fact everything is perfect.
That's why we have the tech department.
Just take the vacation and use the time to find more horsepower!

Bruce Noland · 09-02-2008, 04:52 PM

I don't believe this will be considered a flagrant violation and probably no vacation.

Randy · 09-02-2008, 05:13 PM

Man that sucks Evan. Hate to see you go all the way to Indy and not get to race. See you at E town this weekend .

Steve Sullivan · 09-02-2008, 07:39 PM

Evan,
As Bill C. once said "I feel your pain!".
I got to enjoy the same exact experience (albeit it was the exhaust valve that did me in) back in 2002. After experiencing a minor miracle in the class final (covered by a tenth by my opponent who red lighted) I was invited to the barn. Everything checked out until the last thing which was the exhaust valve that was too big. Wayne handed me a razor blade to see if I could "scrape off some carbon" on the edge. Unfortunately it wasn't stout enough to remove .008" of Stainless! Same deal, had some valves replaced and did not check them myself. I don't remember the trip home from Indy and it took me two weeks to even look at the car. Thankfully Bill Sempsrott and Rick Winchester kept me away from sharp objects after my disqualification.

Like they say "time heals all wounds". Fortunately I have had some good things happen since then including a class win where I subsequently passed teardown. Plus my "friends" still get to raze me about being a teardown scofflaw.

Being a journalist I'm sure somewhere there is an award winning story you can make of this. LOL
Hang in there!

BRETV · 09-02-2008, 08:07 PM

Evan,

Just think you will have to check 32 valves in the near future! We are gonna have some fun in tear down then.

Bret Velde
3057 A/S 03 Cobra

John H186 · 09-03-2008, 09:26 AM

I don't know how many racers here will care about what I have to say but I have worked with Evan for four years with the magazine and have been close friends with him for a very long time. I can honestly say that he would never, ever intentionally bend the rules at all for any type of performance advantage as he is way too honest to do that. I have worked on his Stocker many times in the past and can tell you that it is to the rules 100-percent and this was just a small mistake by the part of the local engine builder who just did not measure the valves after repairing the head as Evan stated.
Evan is like a brother to me and I am sure he is very upset about all of this but you can bet he will be back better than ever and ready to race. He is way too strong of a racer and man to let a small thing like this keep him down! Hang in there buddy and see you this weekend at E-Town.

John Hedenburg
Pro ET / Street ET H186

RPinoski1 · 09-03-2008, 10:12 AM

What is going to happen to the seats in the head? Are they now cut larger to accomodate the larger valves? Sounds like the head guy might have to fork out the cash for new castings too.

09-02-2008, 02:45 PM	#1
Evan Smith Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Tampa Posts: 400 Likes: 7 Liked 115 Times in 5 Posts	My Indy DQ As most of you know, my engine did not pass the teardown inspection at the US Nationals due to an intake valve that was too big. A few months ago I had a problem with a broken valvespring, which resulted in a bent valve. Rather than sending the heads to my normal engine builder, Jim Kuntz, I had a repair done closer to home and all new valves installed. The spec for my engine calls for 1.840-inch intake valves, but the aftermarket valves from Manley, SI, Ferrea and the other companies all come in at 1.85 inches so the valves must be cut down. As you can guess, the valves in my engine were not cut down, despite the fact that I paid for a valve job and to have them cut. The valve job was simply done and the valves were reinstalled. Because I paid a quality shop to do the work, I assumed the spec would be looked up and the valves cut down—I was dead wrong. I reinstalled the heads on the engine without checking them (my mistake). The NHRA rule allows for +.005 inch (or -.015-inch) and since my valve measured 1.851 the valve was out of spec by .006-inch. Every other part of the car passed teardown, but at that point it didn't matter. It was not my intent for the valve to be too big, but I accept that it was and I am held responsible. This was my third time to the barn and this is the first problem I have ever had. Needless to say, I was embarrassed beyond belief. The emotions during the ordeal were hard to describe and I wouldn't wish that anyone have to go though this. I work hard on my car in order to go fast and to earn the respect of my racing peers. It was not my intent to have a car that was illegal and you can bet that I will be checking the little things in the future. This was one of the worst experiences I have ever gone through as a racer, but there is a lesson to be learned. Ultimately, it was my fault because I own the engine and I should have been aware of what was inside. As a side note, the NHRA tech department treated me fairly and checked the valve over and over, but it was too big. I was not treated poorly or unfairly. I was treated with respect the whole time by the NHRA (Bruce, Danny and Ryck Campbell) and by the other racers in teardown. I would like to thank Jim Conte and his dad, as welll as my crew, Frank, JB, Russ and Jeff for helping with the car. Also thanks to Bruce Noland, John Gray, Ed Bednaz, Jason Line, John Shaul, Steve Wann, Lincoln and Ron Morehead and a host of others who kept me from wanting to lay on the tracks. Thanks, Evan __________________ Evan Smith 1798 STK

09-02-2008, 04:17 PM	#2
Tom Goldman VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Allentown,PA Posts: 2,475 Likes: 886 Liked 863 Times in 235 Posts	Re: My Indy DQ Evan,sorry to hear about your DQ. ....Countless others have been thru the same thing. .....We all hope we can trust a reputable shop,but still end up having to check it ourselves ,"just to be sure". .....It does sound ,however, like a good topic for a future column in ND.. ........Tom __________________ Tom Goldman 1500 SG , 1506 STK

09-02-2008, 04:39 PM	#3
Bruce Noland VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,855 Likes: 83 Liked 444 Times in 145 Posts	Re: My Indy DQ Evan, I knew you would post something about this and you hit it dead-on! Get your valves squared away and go racing as soon as you can. __________________ Bruce Noland 1788 STK

09-02-2008, 04:45 PM	#4
Jeff Lee VIP Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Anthem, Arizona Posts: 2,766 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: My Indy DQ Don't worry, your reputation has not been tarnished. As much as we would all like to say that we have measured against the machinest every component in our race car, the truth is we all place a lot of trust in who is doing the work. Even if we do all the assembly ourselves, very few can honestly state we know for a fact everything is perfect. That's why we have the tech department. Just take the vacation and use the time to find more horsepower! __________________ Jeff Lee 7494 D/S '70 AMX

09-02-2008, 04:52 PM	#5
Bruce Noland VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,855 Likes: 83 Liked 444 Times in 145 Posts	Re: My Indy DQ I don't believe this will be considered a flagrant violation and probably no vacation. __________________ Bruce Noland 1788 STK

09-02-2008, 05:13 PM	#6
Randy Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 24 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: My Indy DQ Man that sucks Evan. Hate to see you go all the way to Indy and not get to race. See you at E town this weekend .

09-02-2008, 07:39 PM	#7
Steve Sullivan Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: West Chester Posts: 67 Likes: 28 Liked 29 Times in 14 Posts	Re: My Indy DQ Evan, As Bill C. once said "I feel your pain!". I got to enjoy the same exact experience (albeit it was the exhaust valve that did me in) back in 2002. After experiencing a minor miracle in the class final (covered by a tenth by my opponent who red lighted) I was invited to the barn. Everything checked out until the last thing which was the exhaust valve that was too big. Wayne handed me a razor blade to see if I could "scrape off some carbon" on the edge. Unfortunately it wasn't stout enough to remove .008" of Stainless! Same deal, had some valves replaced and did not check them myself. I don't remember the trip home from Indy and it took me two weeks to even look at the car. Thankfully Bill Sempsrott and Rick Winchester kept me away from sharp objects after my disqualification. Like they say "time heals all wounds". Fortunately I have had some good things happen since then including a class win where I subsequently passed teardown. Plus my "friends" still get to raze me about being a teardown scofflaw. Being a journalist I'm sure somewhere there is an award winning story you can make of this. LOL Hang in there!

09-02-2008, 08:07 PM	#8
BRETV Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 566 Likes: 4,140 Liked 776 Times in 199 Posts	Re: My Indy DQ Evan, Just think you will have to check 32 valves in the near future! We are gonna have some fun in tear down then. Bret Velde 3057 A/S 03 Cobra

09-03-2008, 09:26 AM	#9
John H186 Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 154 Likes: 1 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: My Indy DQ I don't know how many racers here will care about what I have to say but I have worked with Evan for four years with the magazine and have been close friends with him for a very long time. I can honestly say that he would never, ever intentionally bend the rules at all for any type of performance advantage as he is way too honest to do that. I have worked on his Stocker many times in the past and can tell you that it is to the rules 100-percent and this was just a small mistake by the part of the local engine builder who just did not measure the valves after repairing the head as Evan stated. Evan is like a brother to me and I am sure he is very upset about all of this but you can bet he will be back better than ever and ready to race. He is way too strong of a racer and man to let a small thing like this keep him down! Hang in there buddy and see you this weekend at E-Town. John Hedenburg Pro ET / Street ET H186

09-03-2008, 10:12 AM	#10
RPinoski1 Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: PLACERVILLE, CA Posts: 182 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: My Indy DQ What is going to happen to the seats in the head? Are they now cut larger to accomodate the larger valves? Sounds like the head guy might have to fork out the cash for new castings too.