You may have been noticing a new and revolutionary tool being used by fuel car teams on the track’s surface this year. Starting nearly for years ago, Bill Miller Engineering’s Eddie Litke stop being one of those crew chiefs that relied on foot power to gauge horsepower. Instead he started using a tool to gain numerical readings related to track conditions.

Called the Track Meter, the new tool was designed, constructed and build by Larry Wolyniec and Litke. It’s a tool we built so we could determine just how good the race track was – without any emotions – so we would know how we needed to run,” Litke said.

“We can see rapid changes in the track where temperatures vacillate and cloud cover alters the tracks condition,” Wolyniec added. “This is an exciting tool. It makes a difference. After all, we’ve kept volumes of data about everything except the track, until now.”

So, what is the Track Meter? It begins with a 4-1/2 inch rubber disc that meets the ground. There’s a spring inside the all-aluminum body that is compressed by bodyweight.
The person performing the measurements stands on the perforated aluminum body and puts pressure on the rubber pad. A spring-loaded shaft inside the device allows free play when the torque wrench above is turned. It peaks out at the highest value, according to Wolyniec.

You can read the full Drag Racing Action article in the images below.

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