Perhaps nowhere are the performance and durability of Goodyear Gatorback belts put to the test as much as at Bristol Motor Speedway, the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile,” which will host the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series March 18-20. “Belts see the hardest wear at Bristol with constantly changing engine speed,” said Mike Gregg, chief belt engineer for Veyance. “Races like Bristol are proof why NASCAR engines are a perfect testing ground for us to push the envelope on new ‘trackto- street’ technology. Having our belts on every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car in the circuit helps us develop our products for the future and improve belts used by everyday motorists.”
With more than 30 years of experience providing innovative solutions to NASCAR teams, Gatorback belts have been responsible for a number of key racing developments during the past decade. Most notably, a 2002 rule change that was driven by advancements in Goodyear Gatorback belts permits the use of Poly-V belts to prevent “roll-over,” a serious concern for v-belts rotating at NASCAR speeds.
“Goodyear Gatorback belts have been a game changer for Hendrick Motorsports over the past 10 years,” said Andrews, director of engine operations at Hendrick Motorsports. “Since NASCAR changed the rule in 2002 to accommodate increased horsepower with Poly-V belts, every Hendrick car on the track has switched to Gatorback belts.”
Other notable Gatorback belt technology achievements over the past 10 years include: 2002: Veyance designed a new Poly-V belt using a combination of helical cogged ribs and an EPDM synthetic rubber compound. Introduced at Daytona in Feb., the new compound was put into production later that same year for Gatorback Poly-V belts sold to the automotive aftermarket.
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