The History of Cummins' Diesel Race Car

Clessie Cummins, the founder of Cummins Engine Company, first entered a diesel car in the 1931 Indianapolis 500. His car was a modified Series A Dusenberg that weighed a heavy 3,389 pounds, according to DieselPowerMag.com. Cummins also entered cars in the 1934, 1950 and 1952 Indy.

1931

Cummins' first race car was a 4-cycle 85 horsepower engine that averaged about 86 miles per hour and placed 13th in the race. It used only 31 gallons of diesel, 1 quart of oil, and 2 pints of water, demonstrating its effieciency over conventional engines. The car was entered in the "special engineering" class.

1934

Cummins entered two modified Dusenbergs in the 1934 Indy. He wanted to test a 2-stroke diesel, in which combustion required only two cycles of a piston, against a regular 4-stroke engine. The 4-stroke engine did not finish due to transmission problems. The 2-stroke engine had vibration and overheating problems, but came in 12th in the race. Its pistons seized after the race,

1950 and 1952

In 1950, Cummins entered Indy with a car with a 4-valve 340 horsepower truck engine. Vibration problems stopped the car after 52 laps. In 1952, Cummins' entered a lighter car with a 380 horsepower, horizontally mounted engine and a supercharger. The car had to stop after 72 laps, running in fifth place. The crankshaft had cracked and the supercharger had clogged.

References

• Diesel Power: Cummins Engine Company