Racing and Performance

Designers of racing engines try to increase their engines power and dynamic tuning profile (the curve of torque versus engine speed), while maintaining consistent and reliable operation under demanding conditions.

Engines misfire when the fuel in a cylinder does not ignite, either because the plug is fouled or because the spark is inadequate to ignite the air/fuel mixture. A top drag-racing engine can produce over 5,000 horsepower, using a rich nitro-methane fuel. A misfire could result in losing the race—and/or losing the engine.

Knite’s Kinetic Spark Ignition (KSI) system produces a spark that  allowes more precise tuning, including at high speeds, and 100 times large valume than the spark of a conventional ignition system. The faster and more consistent combustion resulting from the KSI ignition can give a competitive advantage—higher engine speed, more peak horsepower and a broader torque curve.

Engine technologies developed and refined for racing often become products in the performance aftermarket. Today’s market for performance ignition systems is estimated to be more than $150 million annually. Although current ignition upgrades offer superior performance to today’s factory-installed systems, they are still constrained by the inherent limitations of the technology currently used. The improvements in spark volume and combustion are minimal and far below what the KSI system can deliver.