600 Racing Brings All Sealed Engine Building In-House
By H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler
(Editor’s Note: The following is a letter sent out by 600 Racing to their competitors, written by H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, President and General Manager. LN will have more on this developing story in the coming weeks.)
May 2007
Dear 600 Racing competitors,
After great deliberation, we are going to embark on a new engine program for 600 Racing that is designed to not only save our racers money but even the playing field even further for all our competitors.
We are bringing all sealed engine building in-house to our headquarters in Harrisburg, NC, near Lowe’s Motor Speedway. This modern state-of-the-art engine department is where all sealed engine work on Legends, Bandolero and Thunder Cup (formerly known as the Thunder Roadster) motors will take place.
If you want a sealed engine, you will now have to get it from 600 Racing. (LN Photo)
We have hired noted engine builder, G.E. Chapman, who has rebuilt thousands of Legends engines since he started with the Legends program in 1993, to oversee the operation.
As you know, three years ago we began a sealed engine program for our products and designated certified engine builders across the nation. While this was successful -- and we are indebted to those who assisted us in this endeavor -- we feel the program will be more consistent and economical to our competitors by bringing it in-house.
As most are aware, we are very careful with any changes in the 600 Racing programs. We simply don’t make any changes unless they are very necessary and consistent with inexpensive racing.
How are we going to service and supply these engines out of one location? We will do this through our dealers located around the world. We are working toward implementing strategies such as regional engine technicians to assist you with problems (some of whom may be engine builders you are now working with) along with a hotline and the website to help with any problems you may encounter.
Also, our North Carolina 600 Racing Parts Department will be on a constant standby to ship new and rebuilt engines via ground transport or air freight. And, if one thinks about it, we have had few problems in the past supplying engines to our customers, especially utilizing the 600 Racing dealer network.
All 600 Racing engines, including the Bandoleros, will be sealed from 600 Racing. (LN Photo)
As you are aware, the racing world is beset by an epidemic of horrific expense on all levels. It is common to find Saturday night short track cars costing more than $75,000 to buy and as much as $2,000 a week to race. Engines for these cars can cost $50,000 or more.
This cost epidemic is precisely why we began the Legends program in 1992 and followed it with the successful Bandolero and the new reworked Thunder Cup, featuring the newly-developed WC1 water-cooled block.
The above is why we have made the decision to go in-house with our engine program. We want to make absolutely sure that when you race, the engine in your car is equal to that of the person you are racing against, and it is as economical as possible.
Now, we are not going to do this overnight. Many of our current certified engine builders will remain until we can quickly and easily supply our competitors across the world in an efficient fashion.
The Briggs and Stratton Bandoleros engines, which have primarily all been built in-house, will continue at their modest prices.
We realize that our success with these cars has been met with criticism in some racing industry circles, and we accept that. By requiring competitors to buy most parts from 600 Racing, we have cut a significant amount of companies in this industry out of the picture, but we have done this to keep the competition even and the cost down.
The phrase “money buys speed” has pervaded modern racing, particularly in the past two decades and is the prime reason for the terrible escalation of costs in the sport worldwide.
Reed Sorenson is a graduate of the Legends car realm. (photo courtesy Getty Images / ReedSorenson.com)
Take the 1200-1300 cc motorcycle engine like our Yamaha. There are some motorcycle racers running these engines that pay upwards of $18,000 for the modified versions – which is exactly where our costs would have gone if we hadn’t controlled them so strictly.
The Legends car itself is another example. It still costs $12,995 retail – essentially ready to race. There is no race car anywhere with as much power-to-weight ratio, torque and built-in safety for this cost. This car was designed to not only find out if you can race but to put your ability to a significant test.
And it has been a good enough car for Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kyle and Kurt Busch, Reed Sorenson, David Ragan and many others to cut their racing teeth.
David Ragan is the best example of all…he essentially is a Legends driver who went almost directly to NASCAR’s big time. He spent little time making the jump to late models and then, NASCAR Craftsman trucks. In his first race in the Roush No. 6 car, he finished fifth in the Daytona 500 and is currently leading the NEXTEL Cup rookie standings.
I will defy anyone to find a higher caliber of short track racers than you will see in the Pro division any given night worldwide. The Summer Shootout Pro division on Tuesday nights here on the quarter-mile at Lowe’s Motor Speedway is all the proof you need.
We will prove to you, just like we have done in the past, that when we make changes, it will be for the betterment of our racing and that these engines will perform in an economical, exemplary fashion and be of the highest quality and endurance.
I want to thank all of you who have supported the 600 Racing program. It has been with great joy that I have seen all of this work so well. I have seen outstanding racers come out of it. I have watched people find fun behind the wheel without it breaking their wallet.
Yours in motorsports entertainment,
H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler
President and General Manager
