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[h=2]IHRA: Partner Profile - TMS Titanium[/h]Steven Cole Smith
For decades, the materials we used in our dragsters were primarily sourced from two outlets: the neighborhood junkyard and the neighborhood speed shop. Aside from that, if it didn't come on the car, it likely didn't find its way inside our dragsters unless we were top-dollar contestants.


That has changed over the years, as racers have found that it is a much better investment to spend a little more for purpose-built parts that last than OEM or more conventional parts that don't.
Which brings us to – titanium. Still regarded as something far more exotic than it actually is, titanium was discovered in 1791. Why is it a gift from the periodic table gods to drag racers – and most every other sort of motorsports participants as well? Two reasons. Titanium doesn't rust – but then a lot of materials don't rust – and because pound for pound, it has the highest strength-to-density ratio of any metal.
Meaning: It's light. Very light. And very strong. And it's pretty easy to make titanium into an alloy with other metals like iron or aluminum, allowing it to be developed for specific uses – everything from dental implants to drill bits to the frame of the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane. In general, if you need a part that is light and strong, go with aluminum. But if you need it to be really light, and really strong, titanium.
When it comes to motorsports, "light" and "strong" are two of the drag racer's favorite words. But you need to know how to use titanium properly, in a myriad of applications.
Enter TMS, or Titanium Metal Supply, founded a decade ago in chief executive officer Todd Harrison's garage in Mira Mesa, California (were there any motorsports companies in Southern California that weren't founded in somebody's garage?).
Just two years later, the company moved to a much larger facility in nearby Poway, where it remains. Original customers were in the aviation and defense industries, but it wasn't long before auto racing became a major outlet, leading TMS to start its own racing program, as well as sponsor teams in a variety of series.
Besides the IHRA, you'll find TMS titanium in cars on the NASCAR, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Verizon IndyCar Series, Supercross and Formula Drift.
Though titanium is no stranger to professional teams, the proper use of the material is less familiar to sportsman competitors. That's why TMS has written a detailed book called "The Builder's Guide to Titanium for Racing," and it's available as a free PDF download at the company's website, TMStitanium.com.
The Guide details the best and proper use of titanium in everything from wheelie bars to engine valves, from bell housings to exhaust systems. It is also important to know the rules for whatever series you are running in as it pertains to titanium – some applications are not allowed for a variety of reasons.
For more information on TMS Titanium, the official supplier of titanium to the IHRA, log onto TMStitanium.com or call 858-748-8510.