Smokey Yunick wrote a book in the 60s or 70s on how to legally cheat. You know, using 1 inch diameter fuel lines from the tank, and inflating the tank with 5 psi air to increase the capacity etc etc It was a good read. He was fireballs mechanic.
at Darlington one year someone went thru the first turn guardrail, clipped off the telephone pole supports flush with the ground.
He was a great mechanic and seemed to understand the physics of engines. he said something like " most of the engines energy goes to produce heat" and if you could get the engine more efficient you could use a very tiny radiator.