CONCORD, N.C. – Building an engine is no small task.
This week’s edition of Valvoline’s “Power & Passion” video series follows Hendrick Motorsports engine builder Danny Emerick.
“That engine is the heart of that race car,” Emerick said. “If it skips a beat, you’re going straight to the back.”
Emerick explained that each engine has 2,500 different components, creating 2,500 opportunities to make a mistake. That’s why attention to detail is so crucial in the engine department.
“You really have to slow down to go fast,” he said.
And that has translated to plenty of success on the track, as the Hendrick Motorsports engine department has accumulated 399 wins.
“The minute you’re sitting still or you’re sitting idle, the competition, they’re working,” Emerick said. “They’re doing all they can to be the best. Knowing that, we just have to outwork them.”
Hear more from the engine builder in the video above.
Emerick is a past champion of the Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown, and this year’s edition kicks off next week.
Thanks to Valvoline, fans will be able to stream the competition live as it happens.
Stay tuned to HendrickMotorsports.com for more details.