Racing Oils with Lake Speed Jr (Total Seal Piston Rings)

Racing oils - they're everyone's favourite thing to discuss because they represent the pinnacle of engine oil performance. But what exactly makes them different from the everyday oils that you and I use in our daily drivers? In this interview on Lubrication Experts, Rafe Britton speaks with Lake Speed Jr., an expert in racing oils. Lake shares his experience working for Joe Gibbs Racing, where he was responsible for the oil program. He recounts the challenges they faced in finding off-the-shelf API-rated oils that provided both high performance and durability in the racing environment. He goes into detail on the partnership with Lubrizol, a company that developed bespoke formulas for their racing engines. This collaboration helped them address issues with flat-tappet camshafts and the need for higher spring loads to control the valve train at high RPMs. The interview touches on the fact that racing oils generally don't carry approvals like API or OEM, which leads to differences in formulation. These differences may include using different base oils, additives, or varying quantities of additives.