Ballou engine
 

Anyone know who does his engines? We were standing in the pits in turns 1+2 at Eldora and his car sounded the strongest of everyone all night.

Re: Ballou engine
 

Don ott

In my opinion the car out front always sounds that way.

Someone told me he got pumped in the eastern storm deal, and his engine isn't a 410. Might be why it sounds a little different. That came from another fan and I forgot where he heard it.

Even if his engine wasn't a "410" it doesn't matter. He could have a -12 for all I care and still win races. The engine doesn't make you run above the cushion or on the wall at most places. That my friend is called talent.

I heard it was a 305 and Roberts talent makes up for the rest.

Re: Ballou engine
 

There has been, or currently very few the can rim ride a non wing car at Eldora as Robert can. I think one of Robert's biggest improvement this season is not qualifying so deep in the field. I liked it better when he qualified toward the back, because of his ability to go to the front.

The style of header can make a huge difference in sound as well.

Re: Ballou engine
 

Actually Chuck Norris makes the engines. Nobody messes with Chuck Norris. :5:

Re: Ballou engine
 

It always amazes me just how little value is placed on driving when it comes to the equation of what makes a race car fast. People always assume a secret motor or a new idea in chassis design. I guess this is because those object can be purchased. The driving skills must be earned and honed to perfection. How many race car drivers has anyone ever talked to that say they were just out driven by the other guy. It is always tires>>>chassis>>>engine that beat them.

A great race driver once told an over anxious race car owner that the owner sets the car up to the best of his ability but when the car hits the track it is the drivers responsibility to get every last ounce of performance out of the car. Which meant he would adapt his driving style to make the car work.


Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Ballou engine
 

I read somewhere AJ Watson once asked Jud Larson How you want the car set up Jud told him That's your job mines to drive it as fast as it will go I guess they both did their job cuz ol Jud was fast time won heat dash and feature Guess my point is its not always bout the motor but a combination of motor set up and driver to make a fast race car Always was still is always will be ;)

Re: Ballou engine
 

For what it's worth, this was a BOSS race:

E) The Engines
1) Only normally aspirated engines are allowed. No turbochargers, no superchargers, and no forced air induction of any kind is permitted.
2) No big block engines allowed.
3) Only one spark plug per cylinder allowed.
4) Methanol fuel ONLY! No additives of any kind allowed!
5) Absolutely no traction control devices of any kind are permitted. Anything BOSS officials feel could be a traction control device is subject to being confiscated and being sent off for testing. Any items would be returned to the car owner. If found to be using traction control, the team owner and driver will be suspended for one year from BOSS competition.

You couldn't say it any better!!. Now a days no one is ever good, they are always cheating or some BS. This drives me crazy. When I was sponsored by AJ Foyt people automatically assumed that I was cheating.

Re: Ballou engine
 

Well all I have to say on this is I was down on fence in turn 4 all night and no one including the wing guys were running up on that wall like Robert.By the time BOSS took to the feature Eldora was eating up cars on the cushion.HE Drove the wheels off that car.He won that feature with flat out great driving.

I find it a bit amusing how this thread got turned around to debate driving skills as opposed to the sound of Roberts engine. By posting what I had been told by a reputable sprint car fan it was only to put out a possible explanation for a different engine tone. There's many factors I'm sure, and I'm also sure cubic inches is one of them. To make it clear, if anyone took me to give any disrespect to the madman, you completely misunderstood my intent. I am a huge Ballou fan, have been for some time. What an outstanding season he has had. And I wish him continued success!

Re: Ballou engine
 

Flag

Could it be that you were hearing his exhaust reverberate off of the retaining wall giving it a distinct sound to you at your vantage point? Engine Sound and driving skills are very subjective to most racers. The best way to change the sound of an engine noticeably is to add or subtract cylinders or raise or lower the RPM's. In the case of Midgets and Mini Sprints the racer can change header design 4 into 2 into 1 that can make for a very distinctive sound. However in the case of a V8 it would require the crossing over of header tubes from the right to the left (remember them old Yate's Motors), AKA NASCAR engines. I don't think that Robert is doing this however. I perhaps thought you were equating sound with performance, would his engine have sounded different had he been back in 10th place?:)

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Ballou engine
 

Other very distinctive sounding race engine with an unmistakable sound all of their own.

1. The SCAT Midget motor. (They PUKED) (Chevy V8 cut intwo in the middle to make a V4 )

2. The Autocraft VW Midget Motor. (they chirped)

3. Indy "Novi Motor" (They HOWLED) (They had a siren mounted up front they called it a supercharger)

4. Any V6 Motor (they sound like a "Heard of Mad Bumble Bee's") Some called the Potter V6 the "Tasmanian Devil" because of the sound they heard as it went by.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Ballou engine
 

Im in complete agreement, DAD took it to a place it was never meant to go.

Re: Ballou engine
 

Charles

Da Devil made me do it;):5:

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Ballou engine
 

Did he have turnouts on the headers? (I don't remember seeing them). I know the Hazen 57 had turnouts, and you could hear the noise eching off the backstretch wall all the way into turn three from the grandstands-above everyone else's engines. Maybe that's what was being heard instead of Robert's engine...

Why would he put himself at a disadvantage and run something smaller than a 410? Come on now.

Dad, I remember those scat engines. When you say they puked, did you mean come apart or sounding like puke? I don't remember them being around long.
But also on the sound of engines, I remember the Kurtz silver crown car, back when Gurney was killing them in it, always seems to sing a different song than the rest. Also heard plenty of gossip why;)

Loved the sound of the v4 scat. I remember it well from when I was a kid going to the dome races.

Re: Ballou engine
 

Flag

well they did sound like someone was doing an extended really loud "BARF" and yes they were a little short in the dependability department also. ;)

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Ballou engine
 

I loved the sound of a Scat V4 sounded deep instead of whinny like a inline does. Just think of a V Twin Bike vs a inline four.

Re: Ballou engine
 

Charles

Sounded like a "Vulcan AA gun" or a "Mini Gun" to me. "BBUUURRP"

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Ballou engine
 

Ballou does run Don Ott engines. Since the beginning of the year, Don Ott and Rider Engines have had some "experimental" 410 engines that sound different than other engines. Ballou has had access to the experimental Ott engine a few times this year. It has been used in the wingless car and also winged cars in central PA. They seem to be higher compression than "normal", definitely can run a few hundred rpm's higher than what we have been seeing the last few years. The down side to them is they do not have a very long life before rebuilds. But when set up properly, they have been fast!

Re: Ballou engine
 

Another thing is, Many of the teams probably were running mufflers anyway. But Eldora doesn't mandate em. So teams with multiple sets of headers probably didn't run em.

Hopefully the sound of the engine and the way that he ran at Eldora will carry over for the next 7 usac events. I've seen him run a couple times but that was the madman at its best. Hopefully that he will keep his head on his shoulder and don't do something stupid and he can get what his dream was coming to Indiana and win the usac points season championship. Go Robert Ballou motorsport.

Re: Ballou engine
 

They don't call Robert Ballou Madman for nothing, never seen anyone drive Eldora like he does, up on the wall & hard on the hammer:10:. 1st time I saw him I thought, "He's either gonna win it, or wear it", he was fast:8:

Yeah, Roberts right foot would probably change the sound of most engines!