Speedmaster in PRI Magazine - June 2016

Performance Racing Industry's June 2016 issue featured Speedmaster's Jay Verduzco across two segments: road race driveline components and pushrod and lifter technology. The coverage addressed both current product lines and what Speedmaster is engineering next.

Road Race Driveline: Durability as the Starting Point

The road race driveline segment focused on the shift toward lighter, stronger components made possible by advancements in material technology. Verduzco framed Speedmaster's approach around a direct principle:

"Durability continues to be the driving force behind road race component production - what is absolutely necessary to win a race is to finish a race." - Jay Verduzco, Speedmaster

Carbon fiber and CNC-machined aluminium components are becoming more prominent in road racing. Speedmaster's current lineup includes complete aluminium third-member dropouts for the nine-inch Ford - widely used across multiple racing disciplines, including road racing. These dropouts replace the stock steel housing with high-tensile-strength aluminium, paired with billet aluminium pinion supports and billet steel pinion yokes.

"We also offer the nine-inch housing itself made from aluminium for a stronger lightweight housing than the original design." - Jay Verduzco, Speedmaster

Verduzco noted that CNC-machined aluminium dropouts for the nine-inch Ford were in development at the time of publication.

Pushrods and Lifters: Engineering for the Application

In a separate segment on valvetrain components, Verduzco addressed the practical challenges of flat-tappet camshaft break-in and proper lifter selection. The removal of zinc from most motor oils has made the initial 20-minute break-in period - when lifter bottoms mate with cam lobes - more critical than it has ever been.

"Proper flat-tappet camshaft break-in procedure is more critical than ever before, due to the mandated removal of zinc from most motor oils." - Jay Verduzco, Speedmaster

On roller lifters, Verduzco noted that they are not prone to major issues when valve spring pressure is correctly matched to the application. Speedmaster's approach is to assess each customer's intended use before making component recommendations - a consultative process rather than a catalogue transaction.

New Product: Chromoly Swedge-End Pushrods

The feature also covered Speedmaster's then-upcoming release of one-piece chromoly swedge-end pushrods, manufactured from high-quality material and positioned at a mid-market price point.

"We manufacture pushrods to a one-quality-fits-all ideal - mid-market priced with the best available quality." - Jay Verduzco, Speedmaster

Industry experts quoted in the same PRI segment reinforced the importance of pushrod stiffness, particularly on high-horsepower exhaust-side applications where remaining cylinder pressure at exhaust opening increases significantly. Inadequate pushrod stiffness can lead to valvespring failure and loss of valvetrain control - a point that underscores why material quality and engineering precision matter at every level of the valvetrain.