Here is what we have learned so far:
Smitty’s engines have been rebuilt and “decked” (As understand it, this means the heads and/or engine block have been machined down to compensate for warping or other irregularities). By removing this material, there was a resulting increase in compression ratio. Innovation discovered this when the engines where sent to them for sealing. Innovation was instructed to grind-out material from the combustion chambers to compensate for the increased compression ratio.
My questions are:
1.) Who instructed Innovation to grind out the combustion chambers?
2.) Wouldn’t grinding the combustion chambers require a change in the intake runners to compensate for the change from the original design of the combustion chamber in order to keep the engine in spec?
3.) Did any of these changes give the engines more horsepower or more torque?
4.) Where any horsepower/torque changes any greater than the difference between a stock Mercury 525 and a Mercury 525 rebuilt by Mercury?
5.) When Mercury rebuilds a 525, what do they do to compensate for increased compression ratio when an engine is “decked”?
Aside from these questions, it occurs to me that it is quite possible that although there have been have modifications to Smitty’s engines, and Innovation tested and sealed the engines, it is quite possible that these changes did not give him a competitive advantage. So, who would benefit from his disqualification? The obvious answer is Mercury and OSS for the following reasons:
1.) Disqualification for all previous races and the return of prize money puts cash back into the coffers of the sanctioning body, who is reportedly already financially strapped.
2.) Disqualification will cast doubt on the integrity of Innovation, a company who builds marine engines in competition with Mercury.
3.) Disqualification will cast doubt on Fountain Powerboats, a company who is the primary Sponsor of SBI/APBA, a rival racing organization who uses Innovation as their primary engine inspection and sealing source.
4.) Disqualification enhances the perception that OSS inspections are thorough and unbiased when the inspection was actually performed by Mercury, who has a vested interest in assuring the engines do not pass inspection.
5.) Disqualification will result in the sale of at least two additional new engine packages during a time when marine engine sales are at the lowest they have been in the past twenty years.
6.) Disqualification will discredit any future suggestions that engine inspection and sealing be performed by anyone other than Mercury.
7.) Disqualification will ensure that Mercury will benefit through increased sales of parts and services from future racing engine repairs and rebuilds.
8.) Disqualification solidifies Mercury’s position as sole source provider of new engines and supplier of repair services.
9.) Disqualification enhances the perception that Fountain boats win by cheating and all World Speed Records, National Championship, and World Championship Titles previously won by teams running Fountain boats are questioned as to their validity. In doing this, it undermines the sanctioning bodies from whom these titles where awarded…SBI and APBA…and legitimizes the very same titles awarded by OSS.
As for Innovation, my experience has been that they have always been fair and up front with every racer they have come in contact with. I am disheartened to see negative posts by other racers who only a few days ago where singing praises about Innovation. Where are your loyalties and of honor?
I believe that although Smitty’s engines had been worked before they arrived at Innovation, every effort was taken by Dave Stiff and his fine crew to assure they fell into the performance parameters of the Mercury 525. I also believe that this is nothing more than a smear campaign instigated by Mercury and condoned by OSS to further the respective agendas of each.
As for David Knight and Fountain, it is the general perception that Fountain has been, if not cheating, at the very least working in the gray areas of the rules for a long time. Fountain has an image problem, and as a publicly traded company, its time for some damage control. How should they do this? Endorse every suggested rule change that they have fought for the past three years. They should support the idea of publicly posting of the dyno sheets of every sealed racing motor so everyone can see who has how much power and torque. Support the “Race ECM” program where each team puts a new ECM on the trailer and draws their ECM from the pool before each race. Support the one ratio drive rule for SSM6 drives. Support…and initiate every idea that would remove the perception that Fountain is cheating.
Fountain builds one heck of a boat and has the best factory racing support program in the sport. They also field 80% of the V-bottom boats competing in Offshore. Numbers alone give them the advantage to be on the podium every race.
Sorry Smitty, it looks to me that you just got caught in the middle of a classic political and corporate mud slinging campaign. Its not personal…its Offshore racing.
Ken Doyle
VIP Member
