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exhaust question about open headers?

i thought running open exhaust would promote better performance due to less restriction. but i heard that you lose power.

so why does nascar and drag racing run open headers?

and for drag racing there are some cars that are fuel injection that run open header, why?

Open headers does flow better but prob is it moves the torque curve up and there for it feels like you lost alot of power in the RPM range you drive at.

Nascar engines makes 750 HP to 850 HP in an RPM band of 6000-9500 rpm.. The only time they are at any lower RPM than that is during a pit stop.

Drag engines, depending on class makes power from 4500 rpm and up.. They are NEVER raced at any lower rpm.. They stage the car, hit the transbrake, and bring engine up to 4500 RPM or more against a low side rev limiter (2 step) with the throttle wide open, the lights come down and they let off the transbrake button and lauch at full throttle..

Race engines are built to run at and make power at much higher RPMs..

Now you get to your street cars, and street/strip cars.. They NEVER see the RPM of a full race engine..

So you have to try to make the most power at the RPMs you run at..

On my street/strip 11 second camaro.. I make power from 2000-6500 rpm.. I drive it alot of the streets, and race it at the track.. So theres trade offs for me.. I launch my car at 2600 rpm and I cross the stripe at 6000 rpm.

I need the most torque I can get from 2000 rpm and up..

I run a full exhaust.. If I went to open headers my torque peak would move up another 1500 or 2000 rpm.. Leaving me with 20-30 ft lbs less torque at the RPM I launch at. It's not worth a 10 HP gain for a 25 ft lbs loss.. That extra torque will net me a faster ET than that slight HP gain would