One tuning tool that elite level crew chiefs in every major motorsport - except in the NHRA nitro classes of Top Fuel and Funny Car - have is a state-of-the-art electronic ignition with the capability to adjust and control ignition timing in each individual cylinder of their engines.

Despite an announced moratorium on new, expensive horsepower-improving parts in the aftermath of Darrell Russell's untimely death in 2004, the NHRA tech department nevertheless approved redesigned expensive new cylinder heads, improved superchargers, six-disc clutches and larger fuel pumps. Those improved-design parts have not only meant steadily increased performance numbers but also continued violent and expensive engine explosions, fires and oil-downs.

So the question is, is there anything the NHRA tech department could allow tuners to use that might help them make nitro engines more reliable and less prone to going "kaboom" at the wrong time? Strangely, the answer is yes.

Current NHRA rules allow tuners to exactly control fuel flow, supercharger boost, clutch function, and timing advance and retard,  looking for that fine line between an engine that makes power, is "happy" and doesn't hurt a lot of parts, and an engine that explodes, catches fire and deposits oil and parts on the track. Currently one expensive tool the NHRA tech department doesn't allow is for the crew chief to map individual cylinder timing. Even though the MSD 44 magneto and ignition components used on all NHRA nitro funny cars and dragsters could be easily and inexpensively re-configured to allow a tuner individual adjustable cylinder timing.

How can a nitro tuner's ability to individually control the spark timing for each cylinder help both performance and mitigate engine explosions and why.