Homemade Flavor
Q:You interviewed Brian Wolfe in my latest issue. In the interview, he says he's going to work on supporting Sportsman racers. So why can't I get a cast-iron cylinder head for my Late-Model Dirt car?
I've been looking for an N351 head for months. I could use N352s just as well. I've been running these heads for about 12 years on a Dirt Late-Model and they perform very well. I'm now building an engine to go into a new car for my youngest son, and he's ready to get a Chevrolet because it's so difficult to get parts for our Ford stuff. I have the short-block completed now. I have one old head that would work, but I need at least one more.
Some of us are are trying to fight the battle on the local dirt tracks and it looks like Ford is willing to just give it away. I've been racing with homemade stuff for 30 years, and I need some help. Every once in a while Ford will come out with some new program and give me hope, but every time Ford gets it running well, it just quits.
I don't expect the parts to be free, but they do need to be available and reasonably priced. I used to get parts from RDI in Charlotte, but it finally had to give it up. Where is the support for us grassroots racers who are trying to swim against the tide?
Ford needs to decide if it's going to be involved in racing or not. Throwing obscene amounts of money at NASCAR might get the company on TV, but the short-tracks around the country also help sell cars and trucks.
John Murray
Blackshear, GA
A:Thanks for writing, John. Since I just write about this stuff, I touched base with Ford Racing's Jesse Kershaw to answer your question. Here's what he had to say:
"The N351 head tooling took a turn for the worse about two years ago. We initially tried to rehab it and managed to get about a season's worth of heads from it. Since that time, we worked with NASCAR to try to combine the N351 and N352 heads. After some discussion, the decision was made to retain the N351 head and allow for some improvements for durability and casting quality. This required all-new tooling, which is both time-consuming and expensive. As of this date, we have submitted the head to NASCAR for approval and expect to have it through by PRI this year.
As for other circle-track racing, we have released two sealed circle-track engines, a 347 and 351. We now have another lower horsepower 347-cid to compete in 350hp, two-barrel competition. We'll have more details at PRI on this as well.
Finally, we're meeting with a number of different late-model series to work out how we can become more effective. At the least we'd like to offer some contingency in 2009. As you know, times are tough and selling new cars is Job 1, but we also want to support the grassroots racers as best as possible."
In short, John, be patient. The Brian Wolfe era is just beginning at Ford Racing, and it appears things are bound to improve for many grassroots Ford racers.
Breed Reading
Q:I'm writing in regards to the "Wonder Bred" article in the Jan. '09 issue of your publication. The car mentioned in the article was claiming 10-second quarter-mile times on an NHRA track. I don't own a 10-second car, but I do know that anyone who does have a legitimate 10-second car on an NHRA track must have certain safety features that are absent from the vehicle shown. Even if that were to slip by, the car has a stock automatic transmission with a stock stall converter with only 3.72 gearing. Unless something is missing from this article this is a 12-second Mustang-period.
Zak Erickson
Via email
A:I appreciate you reading the magazine with such care, Zak. I asked Livernois Motorsports' Rick LeBlanc if he'd like to comment on your letter. This is what Rick had to say: