Full Throttle

Ping, ping, ping… cough, cough, cough… GULP…. POW, BANG!!

NASCAR will take its first major step toward switching to unleaded fuel this weekend when the Busch Series cars will run it at St. Louis. The Busch cars will have unleaded fuel for the next four races. The change has created extra work for the engine builders.

“We’ve had to do a lot of work with the valve-face coating,” said Chris Robinson, who overseas the Busch engine program at Roush Yates Racing. “The lead in the leaded fuel worked as a lubricant on the valve train, so we’ve had to go back and make sure the valve coatings will compensate for the unleaded fuel.”

Yes, I agree. I overstated the case. Maybe.

But I feel comfortable in saying at least one valve-meets-piston collision, or one piston burnt crisper than my first attempt at pot roast will occur.