Engineering: Keeping it down

UK motorsport engineering company Prodrive has pioneered a new exhaust silencer which may help keep speedway racing alive.

Increasingly, tracks are closing down due to noise restrictions, causing the International Motorcycling Federation to introduce a noise limit of 115 db, effective from 1 January, 2010.

The impetus was to make an exhaust that met noise requirements but didn’t compromise on performance levels. Rising to the challenge, Prodrive has produced a new silencer in just 10 weeks.
Mick Metcalfe, principal design engineer at Prodrive, explains: “Noise is a key element in creating atmosphere in any motorsport and while most race circuits are in rural locations, many speedway tracks are in more urban locations.  As a result, many have been forced to close while several others are currently fighting for survival. The Prodrive 115 silencer was borne out of mine and several others’ passion for the sport.  I hope what we have managed to do is create something that can appeal to the competitors and that will satisfy planning authorities in the UK and overseas.”
The new device can fit existing engines without extensive re-tuning, thereby saving on cost.

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