The most valuable tool for a drag racing crew chief, including one on a wild Top Fuel Nitro Harley Drag Bike team, is not a ratchet or wrench; it’s the laptop computer and all the equipment used for data logging, aka data acquisition. In this video Nitro Harley racers Rickey “Nitro Shark” House and crew chief Mark of Team Magic Dry and Michael Beland explain how these sophisticated drag bikes monitor dozens of functions with sensors on the motorcycle. This information is used to make tuning adjustments and calls that often separate the winners from the losers. As Beland points out, a minor adjustment, such as a couple of grams on the clutch can make the difference between smoking the tire and running a world record pass. The analysis and interpretation of data is vital to drag racing success. The crew that can apply their knowledge most effectively will reap the benefits. We also catch a glimpse of world record holder, both for the supercharged and injected Top Fuel Harley combo, Tak Shigematsu and his astute crew chief Don “DJ” Johnson, aka “Nitro Santa.” Johnson’s resume proves he’s an expert at data analysis.
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