Fel-Pro(R) Gaskets from Federal-Mogul Now 2 for 2 In Dodge NASCAR Winston Cup Victories

FEL-PRO(R) LOGO
Fel-Pro(R) logo. (PRNewsFoto)[EM]
SOUTHFIELD, MI USA 03/20/2001
    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Sept. 4 Each of the first two Dodge
vehicles to win NASCAR Winston Cup races since 1977 have been equipped with
Fel-Pro(R) multi-layer steel (MLS) head gaskets from Federal-Mogul Corporation
.  Fel-Pro is a "NASCAR Officially Licensed" brand and the leading
choice of engine builders in NASCAR competition, NHRA drag racing and
virtually every other form of motor sport.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010320/DETU019LOGO )
    Driver Sterling Marlin's breakthrough win in the No. 40 Coors Light Dodge
at Michigan International Speedway August 19 was the culmination of a several-
month-long product development effort by Fel-Pro gasket engineers in Skokie,
Ill.  That win was backed up this past weekend by Ward Burton, whose No. 22
Caterpillar Dodge took the checkered flag in the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at
Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.
    Marlin, Burton and other Dodge drivers also rely on Fel-Pro valve covers,
oil pans, intake manifolds, water manifolds and front and rear cover gaskets
in their race-day motors.
    "Fel-Pro played a key role in our historic win, not only by designing and
building a great new head gasket, but through first-class engineering support
of our program every step of the way," said Ernie Elliott, builder of Marlin's
Dodge R5/P7 engine for team owner Chip Ganassi.
    Terry Elledge, chief engine builder for the Bill Davis Racing-owned No. 22
Caterpillar Dodge said, "We had a brand new engine and a lot of unknowns on
this project, and we just couldn't get a normal head gasket to work.  We
tested MLS gaskets from Fel-Pro and another manufacturer, and the other
company's gasket consistently leaked into the cooling system.  With Fel-Pro we
haven't had a single problem."
    The new Dodge R5/P7 NASCAR engine platform features a unique "open deck"
block design that is ideally suited to the Fel-Pro MLS head gasket.  With
free-standing cylinders, the R5/P7 design allows the cylinders and block to
move independent of one another during operation.  The Fel-Pro MLS head
gasket, which features four stainless steel layers, allows for this lateral
and vertical motion without compromising sealing performance.  The gasket also
includes a welded "stopper" combustion seal and fully embossed secondary seal
to ensure leak-free performance at maximum rpms and water temperatures.  The
gasket's top and bottom stainless steel layers are coated on both sides with a
proprietary semi-cured rubber coating to maximize combustion and fluid
sealability.
    Fel-Pro performance MLS gaskets are capable of absorbing and recovering
from extreme motion between the engine block and head, all without the loss of
sealing contact.  Each "active" layer of stainless steel within the Fel-Pro
MLS gasket can recover from varying pressures rather than flattening out.
Greater recovery is achieved with each new active layer, resulting in a
stronger and more reliable seal in even the most demanding operating
environments.
    "Fel-Pro revolutionized engine sealing in NASCAR Winston Cup applications
nearly 20 years ago and we have built on that reputation for quality with each
new generation of gaskets for Cup motors," said Fel-Pro Product Manager Jay
Rohrback.  "Our success with the new Dodge NASCAR engine platform in these two
key races demonstrates why Fel-Pro gaskets are the gaskets professionals
trust."
    The Fel-Pro brand's roots in NASCAR competition date back to the early
1980s, when the cylinder head gasket represented one of the most difficult
technological challenges facing engine builders.  Fel-Pro engineers worked
closely with leading NASCAR teams to develop advanced gasket materials and
designs that could withstand the tremendous combustion pressures and extreme
temperatures encountered in Winston Cup engines.
    "We pride ourselves on the fact that Fel-Pro is the first call for engine
builders and original-equipment manufacturers who are developing new head and
block designs for NASCAR and NHRA competition," said Fel-Pro Chief Engineer
Jerry Rosenquist.  "The risks are simply too great to rely on unproven
technologies."
    Fel-Pro gaskets also are the gaskets professionals trust in tens of
thousands of automotive engine rebuilding businesses and vehicle service shops
across North America.
    Headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, Federal-Mogul Corporation is an
automotive parts manufacturer providing innovative solutions and systems to
global customers in the automotive, small engine, heavy-duty and industrial
markets.  The company was founded in 1899.  Visit the company's web site at
http://www.federal-mogul.com for more information.

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