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