Drag Illustrated Issue 148, September 2019 | Page 22
Dirt
Hub of
Activity
FuelTech’s Luis Fernando Backes
de Leon keeps moving forward
with hub dyno and development
of EFI systems for racing
By Brad Littlefield
L
uis Fernando Backes de Leon took
an unconventional path to becoming
a familiar face in the pits as Technical
Director at FuelTech USA. The native
Brazilian used opportunity and a savvy mind for
all things mechanical to become an integral part
of the leading-edge manufacturer of performance
engine management systems.
The international company has had record-
breaking results in Sportsman, Pro Drag, Circuit,
Off-Road, Rally, Motorbike and Marine applica-
tions. The FT series’ ECU features a built-in inter-
face that eliminates the user’s need for a laptop.
More recently, the Georgia-based U.S. branch
of the Brazilian company has drawn attention
for their unique hub dyno equipped to handle
3,000-plus horsepower machines.
De Leon spoke with D rag I llustrated to share
his rise to prominence and give a behind-the-
scenes look at FuelTech.
Fill us in on your background. How did
you get from growing up in Brazil to your
current position at FuelTech USA?
I was always passionate about vehicles even
when I was a kid. When I turned 18, I was going to
business school until I stopped to go to the Army
for four years. I learned there was an opening for
an automotive engineer in my hometown. Back
then, I already used FuelTech product during the
first year of the company 16-17 years ago. That
led me to know [FuelTech founder] Anderson
Dick. About a year from leaving the Army, I was
working at Delphi when Anderson offered me a
job at FuelTech. I started as a trainee and built
myself up inside the company. I’m now one of
the partners in the USA branch. I moved from
Brazil to the U.S. five years ago with my wife. My
son was born in the United States, and we are
expecting a daughter.
When you were climbing the ladder at
FuelTech, what did you find to be your
specialty?
It’s an electronics company with the main
STEVE MATUSEK NHRA PRO MOD
22 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
We’ve seen the fascinating video clips of
the hub dyno. Please tell us more.
We literally have a room just like a drag strip
GARRETT® GTX SERIES TURBOCHARGERS
GTX5533R GEN II Turbochargers
88mm SFI GTX5533R Gen II
garrettmotion
product being electronic fuel injection, so most
of the engineers in the company were related to
either computer or electrical stuff. I was one of
the first ones that had the mechanical side. I don’t
compete, but I love to drive — road racing, drag
racing, whatever. Right now, I’m being kind of a
driver racing vehicles stationary on a hub dyno.
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© 2019 Garrett Motion Inc.
Issue 148