Racing enthusiasts often treat their passenger vehicles as though they were competitive racecars, cruising down the track at well over 100 miles per hour and winning trophy after trophy. Surely, these drivers know their own cars aren't quite NASCAR-ready, but that doesn't mean they can't still equip their vehicles with some performance equipment that provides their cars with that competitive edge. Below, we'll breakdown 5 areas where racing enthusiasts can make some serious gains through the use of aftermarket modifications, and then you can decide for yourself if any are worthy of your time and effort. After all, if you're reaching for the gold, you can't settle for the silver standard.
Any good racing enthusiast knows that the more aerodynamic the design of a car is, the less potential wind resistance it faces. Since greater wind resistance results in an engine that has to strain harder to reach full speed and power, avoiding unnecessary wind resistance can be a huge help to any racecar-in-training. Items such as air dams, front spoilers, rear spoilers, and even wings can help create a more aerodynamic design for your car. Just be sure that if you're seeking out aftermarket spoilers and wings, that you find a pair that also fits well with the current design of your vehicle.
If your vehicle is equipped with an air intake sensor, then you can take advantage of a performance chip. In less than a half hour, you can install a vehicular performance chip and watch your car gain up to 60 extra horsepower, and potentially even 4-7 miles per gallon in fuel savings. For such an easy add-on, this little guy can pack quite the punch.
For top of the line power and speed, you'll have to strain your wallet a little bit. Turbochargers can cost several thousand dollars before installation, and that cost only goes up if you also want to have it professionally installed. But with the potential for up to 400 extra horsepower, many racing enthusiasts find this offer too hard to refuse.
OEM hoods are often quite heavy, but such weight is often unnecessary as a heavy hood doesn't necessarily protect the car's engine compartment any better than a lighter one. For the lightest hood replacement possible, go with an ultra-light fiberglass hood, which can shave up to a hundred pounds off of your vehicle's weight. Need a replacement hood that's a bit stronger? Go with a light and durable carbon fiber hood instead.
Any of these add-ons can contribute to better race times and improved speed on the road. How you decide to install one over the other, or even choosing to install them all, is entirely up to you.