Gasoline internal combustion engines need three fundamental things: fuel, oxygen, and spark. The sexy aspects of modifying cars are focused on the first two elements: Double Pumper carburetors, ...

At 7,000 rpm, a spark plug ignites the air/fuel mixture nearly 60 times per second. Any one of those 60 sparks going amiss can at best be mildly annoying, and at worst cost you a race or an engine.