|
Five of six finalists and 27 of 30 competitors run COMP Cams® valve train products, including EMC champion Jon Kaase with his potent 403cid Ford
Billed as the “Olympics of dyno testing,” the most prestigious of engine competitions, the Popular Hot Rodding Magazine Engine Master’s Challenge, was staged Sept. 29 –Oct. 3 at the University of Northwestern Ohio. Winning the top prize was legendary Pro Stock engine builder Jon Kaase who returned to the top spot this year with a 403cid Ford Cleveland engine after a two year absence and beat out two-time EMC champion Tony Bischoff and his COMP Cams-equipped 403cid Chevrolet. When all the numbers were tallied, Kaase’s second engine entry, a wild Boss 429 Ford, was a close third, the Hemi-headed Ford again equipped with a COMP Cams® camshaft and valve train.
“This championship was harder than winning in a Pro Stock drag racing competition. Everything has to come together perfectly to win the Engine Masters Challenge,” noted an elated Kaase after the win. “To earn the title, you have to make 12 perfect dyno pulls so things have to go exactly right. In addition, I’ve learned over the years that this competition is all about finding the right combination, specifically the right camshaft and valve train, the right header design and the right manifold. The head design is not nearly as important as everyone believes.”
The Engine Master Challenge competition is reserved for 1955-1985 factory production engines. These engines must have been generally available to the public, normally aspirated, gasoline powered, carburetor-equipped, flat tappet, domestic V8 passenger car engines. Only Ford, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, & Buick engines are allowed in the competition. Power adders such as superchargers, turbochargers, nitrous oxide or other such devices are not allowed.
The 2008 Engine Master’s Challenge included 30 competitors, each given three test pulls, a five minute discussion period for the team to assess the data and an additional 20 minutes to tune the engine for optimum performance. The three “Money Pulls” follow in succession with no time for cool down and noting the engine’s power and torque from 2500 through 6500 rpm. Points are awarded by adding together average torque and average horsepower figures, then dividing by the claimed cubic inch and multiplying that number by 1,000. Students from the University of Northwestern Ohio did all of the engine set-up and were supported by DTS technicians who ran the dyno under the watchful eyes of the Popular Hot Rodding staff members.
|