Auto Racing: oil ring gap, free horsepower, oil rings

Question
Hi John,I race a sbc 305 that is basically stock. My rings are plasma molly and my oil rings are low tension.  I'm using .030 pistons and my rings are file fit .035. The 1st and 2nd rings I gap myself and the oil rings I install as is. Approximately what gap should the oil rings have and what gap is too big for the oil rings?  The reason I ask is that I don't want oil on the plugs.   Thanks.  

Bruce.  

Answer
HI BRUCE . I'M GUESSING YOUR CHOICE OF LOW TENSION OIL RINGS IS BECAUSE YOUR IN A CLASS THAT ALLOWS MINIMUM MODIFICATIONS .OIL RINGS CONTRIBUTE APROX.20% OF ENGINE ROTATIONAL DRAG SO IT MAKES SENSEI BELIEVE THE GAP AS LONG AS YOU DON'T GO TO EXTREMES ISN'T CRITICAL ,I'VE SEEN AS SMALL AS ,.020 GAP TO AS LARGE AS AN .090 GAP THAT MADE NO REAL DIFFERENCE.I'D PAY ATTENTION MORE TO THE TYPE AND TENSION OF THE SECOND RING IT CAN ACT AS A SQUEEGEE/SCRAPER.GO TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE WEB SITES... http://www.rehermorrison.com/.CLICK ON - TECH TALK -TOPIC=FREE HORSEPOWER.VERY INCITEFUL RING IDEAS.I HOPE I'VE BEEN OF SOME HELP .GOOD LUCK, J. MAZIO