THE 46 or the 24 SOME MAY NOT KNOW THIS

One thing is the same on that Jeff Gordon #46 from 1992 and today's #24, besides both being Chevys. In 2014, Hendrick Motorsports returned to the Valvoline Motor Oil affiliation whose decals were on the 1992 Gordon car. That marked another Hendrick flip-flop - from Exxon Superflo to Valvoline to Quaker State and now back to Valvoline. I once pitched the Superflo account back in 1989, but it couldn't be wrested from old Hendrick chum, Max Muhleman, the former Ford Racing PR guru from the 60s who moved to L.A. for Ford from his Charlotte newspaper sports writing position then back to Charlotte to found Muhleman Marketing. Today Muhleman is best known for bringing NBA basketball (the Hornets) to Charlotte (Hendrick & Felix Sabates were both minority owners) and creating the Permanent Seat License (PSL) to help fund the Carolina Panthers NFL football stadium.

I'd guess that whichever motor oil adorns those Hendrick mounts, including Gordon, is also pumped in the service bays at Hendrick Automotive dealerships from coast to coast. "$$$ Talks, Nobody Walks."

Before that #46 Jeff Gordon Dupont car appeared in the Hendrick shop, the Superflo #46 for Cole Trickle was prepared there!

Dave, I'm sure the oil is pumped in the shop at all Hendrick dealerships, as all Hendrick body shops sprayed DuPont paint all those years. What's not so clear .....what oil is/was REALLY utilized by the race engines, regardless of adorning stickers? Like everything else, engine oil has become a technical component............ always wondered if Quaker State was really in the race cars.

Bobby, back in 1985, when Southland's family of corporations -7-Eleven/CITGO/Chief Auto Parts - began sponsoring Wood Brothers Racing with Kyle Petty - Glen Wood, Leonard Wood and motor builder, Tommy Turner wanted to continue to use Valvoline oil on the sly, rather than the CITGO product.

That wouldn't do and CITGO chemists and engineers formulated a proprietary blend for the Wood race cars that was never available for sale to the public. The oil was shipped from the CITGO refinery in Lake Charles, Louisiana to Stuart, Virginia in 5 gallon cans. In Stuart, the Woods poured the oil into empty plastic CITGO quart bottles and put the bottles in cardboard CITGO cases before they went to the track to carry out the deception.

Exxon and Hendrick swore they used 30 weight Superflo just like the product sold to the public. Who knows what was really in those Dorton engines.

I have always been true to the brand of Valvoline and only used part number "235" 50 wt.

It isnt easy to get now and only if you know someone in the parts house. I buy it by the case or like 5 cases at a time. The NAPA store here orders it for me. its getting kinda expensive. its just short of $100 for a oil change and filters.

I had a local parts house here in the 80s supply me with oil and filters, the oil came in 5 gal cans and the filters were a name that I cant remember, the oil poured like water and the oil filters you could crush with your hands, think the filters were Big Chief or something like that. not a good deal on sponsorship .

Here's Big Chief Johnny... maybe.

At Wilson, NC in the 70s, we all ran dark green 50 WT Wolf's Head.

Johnny, Valvoline 235 50wt racing oil is easy to get........I keep it on the shelf. How much you need?

I was under the impression that this racing oil had higher amounts of zinc in it and was bad for push rod and flat tappet motors that was/are used in the older motors. not even sure where I heard this..

I read several places that the Big 3 automakers pushed for ZDDP levels to be reduced to preserve the life of catalytic converters. Being an all thumbs non-mechanic, I am clueless.

In short its the stuff thats put in gas to replace the ping or knock if you will, otherwise known as lead which is very deadly on catalytic converters. It doesnt do nothing for octane for some reason. Now after all that someone put it in words of another wit..