NASCAR to run fuel injection in 2012

This morning, NASCAR announced that their flagship racing circuit – the Sprint Cup Series – will join the age of electronic technology as all cars will be required to run a fuel injection system in the 2012 season.

As one of America’s most popular sports, this change is likely to meet some resistance from the fans but this is something that teams have been preparing for over the past few years and if things go as planned, NASCAR plans to have the mandated fuel injection system in place in time for the 2012 Daytona 500 next February. Britain's McLaren Electronic Systems will provide the electronic control system needed for the fuel injection setup and when the change is complete, it will mark the first time since 1947 that carbureted engines weren’t under the hood of every car when the opening green flag drops at the fabled Daytona 500.

While NASCAR fans might be opposed to the change as racing is dominated by the idea of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ and whenever NASCAR requires the teams to do anything that the fans perceive as trying to control the races – fans get angry. In this case, NASCAR is trying to reassure fans by pointing out that the engines will make the same about of power (if not more) but they will have more control over the teams as all racers will be required to run the same engine control unit (ECU) software and the race officials will have electronic scanners on hand to make sure that everyone is running approved software.

NASCAR will spend the 2011 calendar year testing the new electronic fuel injection system with the help of some of the sport’s top teams so we can be sure that by the time the green flag drops on the 2012 Daytona 500, the engineers and engine builders from every team will have their new fuel injected V8 pumping out plenty of ponies. NASCAR has been on the slide for a while now as popularity has gradually dipped and something like a newly mandated fuel injection system slowing the cars down is something that would hurt the sport – and that is something that the group’s management isn’t going to let happen.

Source: Fox Sports

Other NASCAR News:
NASCAR going to ethanol in 2011
Robbie Gordon joins Dodge for 2011 NASCAR season
Earnhardt Budweiser Chevy Offered At Mecum Collector Car Auction