| Automobile racing is one of the most popular sports | | | | The turbocharger and auto racing |
| in the world, and certainly has its place among the | | | | The first use of a turbocharger in auto racing was in |
| most watched sports in North America. Every year, | | | | the late 1970s, when auto producer Renault of |
| thousands of people watch what is happening on the | | | | France introduced the turbo charged engine into their |
| NASCAR and CART circuits and every year | | | | Formula One vehicles. This was a relatively late |
| thousands of people seek to emulate the pros. | | | | development given the long history of the turbo |
| The history of professional and amateur auto racing | | | | charger, but up until this point racecar developers |
| probably goes back to the days when the automobile | | | | believed the technology was not fuel efficient or |
| was first invented and the first competitive spirit | | | | reliable enough to power a successful racecar. |
| jumped into his driver's seat, while his friend jumped | | | | Renault proved critics wrong, however, by using a |
| into their car. Since that time, the sport has been | | | | turbocharger that provided a significant boost to the |
| refined and marketed to become the past time that | | | | speed of the car with the use of a fairly small engine. |
| it is today, and that has meant a lot of change along | | | | By the early 1980s, all Formula One cars were |
| the way. | | | | equipped with turbo chargers. |
| The turbocharger | | | | Turbo charging and the driver |
| One of the big changes that revolutionized auto | | | | Aside from increasing the speed a racecar could hit in |
| racing was the introduction of the turbo charger. The | | | | a short amount of time, the skill needed to use a |
| charger itself was actually invented in the very first | | | | turbo charger in an engine also meant a new breed |
| years of the 20th century, and began showing up in | | | | of drivers were needed. This development was not |
| practical applications (specifically ships and | | | | just limited to professional circuits like Formula One; |
| locomotives) around the 1920s. | | | | amateurs all over the world found that successfully |
| Turbochargers increase the amount of air drawn into | | | | racing a turbo driven car meant an increase in timing |
| the piston of an engine at each stroke, thereby | | | | ability, reflexes, and even strength. |
| increasing the power boost that the engine supplies | | | | The introduction of the turbo charger changed auto |
| to the vehicle in motion (more air equals more fuel). | | | | racing forever. Today, there are several styles of |
| Turbochargers use the rotation of the crankshaft as | | | | auto racing that do not allow turbo chargers, but |
| their power source, using the heat produced to | | | | even so, the very fact that there has to be litigation |
| power in the extra air. They are said to be more | | | | against these innovations is an indication of their far |
| efficient than superchargers, which draw power from | | | | reaching impact and application! |
| the engine itself. | | | | |