How to be Competitive in the World's First "Virtual" Engine CompetitionLadies and Gentlemen, start...your...engines! The 2004 Virtual Engine Masters Challenge is heating up and if you haven't already entered our newest contest, there's still time to get in before the September 30th deadline. If you're not familiar with the Virtual Engine Masters Challenge ("Virtual Challenge") here's the bottom line, we've created a unique software-based competition that will pay large sums of cold, hard, cash and media exposure to the thirty-three top competitors, including a nice $10,000 payout to the winner! As the name implies, it's an engine contest, one that's based on American, V-8, gasoline-powered, high performance powerplants. So, whether you're a horsepower junkie, casual enthusiast or a professional engine builder this contest was designed for you. Since it's software-based, there's no need to build a real engine, in fact, you don't even need to know how to build a real engine in order to win! The Virtual Challenge will be entertaining and educational, regardless of your skill level.
Turning our Virtual Challenge idea into reality was made possible with the support of our friends at Pro Racing Sim of Memphis, Tennessee. Their Dyno Sim software will allow you to easily design hundreds of virtual engine combinations then dyno test them with just a single mouse click. The software also has many "iterator" functions that will work on your behalf to maximize power where you need it. Need higher peak horsepower? Ask the iterator to find it for you. Need a broader torque curve? The iterator will quickly sort through hundreds of combinations to find the best curve for your particular application. One of the many benefits of entering the Virtual Challenge is that you will receive a free copy of Dyno Sim software, it's yours to keep and use long after the contest is over. You'll retain the capability to design and test the engine of your dreams before you turn a single wrench, thus saving you valuable time and money. 
We've been receiving lots of inquiries about our Virtual Challenge, so we thought it would be beneficial to provide you with some insight on how to be competitive in this year's virtual rumble. To get started, you will need to visit www.enginemasters.com to receive a free copy of the Entry Information and Contest Rules. Once you arrive on the home page, click on the Virtual Engine Masters Challenge logo then scroll down to the menus at the bottom of the page. It will take a few minutes to print and review all of the contest related information, its important and the more you know about the contest the better your chances of winning the large $10,000 payout.
While visiting the Engine Masters web site, you would be very wise to also check out the 2002 Jeg's Engine Masters Challenge ("Jeg's Challenge") winning engine designs and the 2004 Jeg's Challenge Contest Rules. As you will soon see, our Virtual Challenge is a software-based version of our popular Jeg's Challenge, so familiarizing oneself with both contests will assist immensely in the development of your winning virtual engine.
Since its inception in 2002, the Jeg's Challenge has gained the attention of our readers, the automotive aftermarket, and many of racing's best minds. Each year, fifty of the nation's finest engine builders are invited to compete in our "dyno racing" shootout. The competitors have nearly six months to design, build and test their powerplants based on a specific set of rules. In October, competing engines from around the nation will be shipped to the World Products dyno facility and loaded onto certified DTS dynamometers to determine who can produce the most average horsepower and torque over our specified rpm range of 2,500 to 6,500. With a Grand Prize worth over $100,000 in cash, the Jeg's Challenge has become one of the most closely watched motorsports competitions of the year.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to design a virtual engine that most closely replicates the average horsepower and torque output of the 2004 Jeg's Challenge winning engine, obviously it'll take some work and a little bit of luck to nail it. I know what you're thinking, the entry deadline for the Virtual Challenge is September 30th but the Jeg's Challenge won't be held until October, how will I know the output of the winning engine? You won't, but that's what makes the Virtual Challenge so interesting and fun, but it's far from being a just a sweepstakes where anyone could win by simply dropping his or her name in a hat. The Virtual Challenge is truly a knowledge-based contest that will require you to conduct some research and formulate a strategy, but as we've mentioned, we're willing to reward your research with a small fortune.
Immediately after fulfilling the entry requirements, you should begin developing a target "score" for your virtual engine, that's the sum of average of horsepower and torque over the specified rpm range of 2,500 to 6,500 (e.g. average hp 502.3 + average tq 473.6 = "score" 975.9). This is relatively easy to do and it won't take but a few minutes to accomplish. Log onto the Engine Masters web site and take a look at the score posted by the 2002 Jeg's Challenge winning engine that was built by Joe Sherman of Sherman Racing Engines. Using Sherman's scoring information as a starting point, you can begin developing your target "score" by dividing his total score (903.6) by the engines cubic inch displacement (366), then multiple that number by 410 (the cubic inch limit of the 2004 Virtual Challenge and Jeg's Challenge). While this target "score" is obviously an educated guess, it does represent a pretty good starting point. Various factors such as frictional losses, bore and stroke combinations, cylinder head flow, compression ratio, cam profile, atmospheric conditions and other considerations will effect the Jeg's Challenge winning score so you may choose to increase or decrease your actual posted "score". The question is, how much? That's where your research could pay off big time.
So, if you're into making big power and you've got what it takes to develop a winning strategy, then our 2004 Virtual Engine Masters Challenge is right up your alley. Remember, the entry deadline is coming soon, so don't wait! Log onto www.enginemasters.com for the most up to date information, then secure your entry and begin building the ultimate virtual screamer. Who knows, you could become the world's first Virtual Engine Masters Challenge Champion.