Ken Duttweiler

The Business of Speed in PRI Magazine

The lead cover feature of Performance Racing Magazine’s June 2015 issue is on land speed racing. The magazine asked me to examine the sport from a business perspective, an angle I haven’t covered in many years but enjoyed developing immensely. You will see some very familiar names, some brand new and an unvarnished statement of serious concern from Turbocharger Wizard Kenny Duttweiler that caps the piece. While the profit margins are rather low for high performance vendors selling the the Land Speed  Racing crowd, there is a magical allure that seems to outweigh the bottom line. No surprise to those …

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Pennzoil Platinum Synthetic Racing Oil: Pretty Puffery or Power Protector?

    In late June, I was the guest of Shell and Pennzoil at the Shell Technology Center as well as the Grand Prix of Houston. While many were enamored with the double-header of open-wheel racing I was focused on getting details about the Pennzoil Platinum synthetic motor oil. Yeah, OK, another snake oil in a pretty silver package, right? Maybe. What caught my attention is that this “synthetic” is derived from nearly pure natural gas. Some big brains figured out how turn gas into a liquid to form a base oil into which they then blend in some additives …

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