How Compressed Air Powers Elite Drag Racing Performance

If you consider yourself a drag racing fan then you’re probably familiar with Don Schumacher Racing (DSR). Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, DSR fields seven NHRA teams in the Mello Yellow Drag Racing Series, and they’re a 16 time World Champion, putting them among the elite teams in the sport. As owner Don Schumacher puts it, being the best means having the best from the dedicated athletes down to the equipment used to fix their funny cars.

How compressed air is used for drag racing 

Unbeknownst to many, compressed air is used throughout drag racing for things like assembling and disassembling engines, and powering air tools in the machine shop and fabrication shop.

Having a high-quality compressed air system minimizes downtime, improves efficiency and gives DSR the flexibility to make the best parts for their racing vehicles. DSR relies on a single Atlas Copco GA 26 VSD+ to run all of their air powered equipment across their 150,000-square-foot facility.  The machine’s Variable Speed Drive (VSD) closely matches the air demand by automatically adjusting the motor speed so no energy is wasted.

While they’re on the road, DSR uses the G7 Full Feature Rotary Screw Air Compressor to power the tools and equipment on their trucks. The Full Feature version comes with a built-in refrigerant air dryer that cools compressed air and removes moisture to prevent any damage to DSR’s air tools. By working together to properly design the air compressor system for their trailer, Atlas Copco and DSR were able to reduce the engine rebuilding process by 20% between runs. 

“We cannot operate our tools and equipment without compressed air. We have it at the race shop, but we also have to have it on the road on all our rigs. It’s necessary for us to have the Atlas Copco equipment available to us wherever we are,” says Don Schumacher.

For more information on how compressed air is utilized in the automotive industry, contact an Atlas Copco expert today.