Incredible Racing History: This Film Shows How Firestone Worked To Develop The Racing Fuel Cell More Than 50 Years Ago

After the deaths of world famous racers like Fireball Roberts and others, the racing neighborhood ultimately decided that sufficient sufficed and that a new solution to controlling as well as carrying fuel was needed. USAC took the lead and also went to Firestone to see what they can figure out in establishing a “secure” fuel container. The firm had large experience in developing bladderized gas cells for airplane as well as various other applications and also they were an all-natural fit for this task. They were additionally neck deep in competing then also, so it all made complete sense.

The work was not as simple as you would certainly anticipate, mostly because of the reality that the fuel control requirements of a race car were totally various than that of a plane. With the enhancement of a bladder, it traditional baffles were eliminated from the gas storage tank which left the fuel cost-free to slosh to and fro with some violence. This dismayed the weight balance of the auto as well as often starved the engine. You’ll see some extraordinary video of that as they ran an Indy Car with clear plastic gas containers to assess the gas movement.

It was the Scott Paper Company that supplied the service (extremely). Their development of the polyurethane foam referred to as “Safe Foam” was the crucial to making the fuel cell work in the 1960 and also it is still the trick to making them job (mostly) today.

Once the concept was shown, evaluated, and shows to be effective, practically every racing body on the planet called for gas cells to keep their rivals secure.

We commonly recognize why we utilize specific things in racing but this is the uncommon opportunity to see just how everything collaborated. Offer it a watch!

Take a look at this movie on how Firestone aided develop the auto racing fuel cell–