Ever since the second automobile was built, gearheads have been battling each other like rock ’em sock ’em robots. There’s something about gasoline and gears that brings out the primal competitor in all of us. As early as 1878, motorized mayhem engulfed America. Back then, the state of Wisconsin offered a $10,000 prize to whoever could drive the fastest from Green Bay to Madison. True story. One thing those early racers soon discovered: junk breaks. The 201-mile road race was completed in 33 hours and 27 minutes for an average speed of 6 mph. The important thing here: two cars started the race, but just one finished.
In the intervening 139 years, vehicular and bodily damage from racing has simply become an accepted fact. This leads to the phenomenon that about five seconds after the typical wing nut decides he wants to go racing, the speed parts and the safety gear go in, and the functionality and drivability totally disappear. Adding insult to injury, guys buy tow trucks and trailers to move their racecars, meaning they never get to drive them the way they really want (if they’re completely honest with themselves). It’s the inevitable deal you make with the devil if you want to win races and live through it all.
You love stomping the loud pedal out on the mean streets, but that’s at odds with turning your pride and joy into a racecar. Unfortunately, scratching that competitive itch usually means losing the practical factor, or does it? That was certainly the sad state of affairs before Mopar Muscle created the Dyno Showdown sponsored by Petty’s Garage.
Held at National Trail Raceway (Columbus, OH) in conjunction with the Mopar Nats each August, the Dyno Showdown allows street-driven, licensed, registered, and insured Mopars to truly race each other on a level playing field without having to be racecars. No need to hack up your interior for a rollbar, put a spool and slicks on it, build a science-project suspension, or yank everything out for a weight advantage. Just drive it through the gate and onto the dyno rollers. What could be simpler than that?!
The “dyno rollers” in question happen to be the Midwest Mobile Dynojet chassis dyno operated by Redline Motorsports out of Bloomington, IL. These guys do dyno events across the country and know how to get cars on and off the dyno safely and quickly. With a reputation for accurate, reproducible results, the Midwest Mobile Dyno was the only choice for us. Think of it as a portable racetrack, but without any of the hassle. It isn’t cheap, and that’s why we were so incredibly grateful to the guys at Petty’s Garage for picking up the tab. Petty’s Garage has its own Dynojet, but as a permanent in-ground piece of equipment, it can’t be easily relocated from Randleman, NC to Columbus!
Petty’s Garage did, however, bring a transporter chock full of cars and parts, which was displayed right next to the dyno. They brought out the Smithfield Foods Giveaway Superbird and a supercharged late-model Petty Challenger, not to mention a ton of parts that they were offering free installation on at The Nats. Visitors to the Petty transporter quickly learned that Petty’s Garage not only sells parts for late-model Dodges and Jeeps, but also builds complete cars, from late-model Hemi Challengers to classic restorations.
As for the Dyno Showdown, it was a one-day affair that went down on Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. (The Mopar Nats took place over the course of the entire weekend of August 11 – 13, 2017.) It was open to any street-legal Chrysler-/AMC-powered, Chrysler-/AMC-bodied vehicle that is registered, licensed, and insured. (Sadly, none of the AMCs at The Nats made an appearance at the dyno.) To make the playing field level, we divided the cars into one of four classes: Vintage Power-Adder, Vintage Naturally Aspirated, Late-Model Power-Adder, and Late-Model Naturally Aspirated.
Throughout the day, Mopar men and women made their way to the dyno with their machines, and signed up to compete. As competitors gathered, they watched their fellow Showdown competitors run on the dyno while emcee Clarence Barnes announced all the action. The beehive of activity also included photographer John Machaqueiro, who was rapidly photographing every car that competed, and your editor, who was dutifully broadcasting the live feed to the Mopar Muscle Facebook page for those unable to attend in person.
In all, 25 competitors crossed the dyno that Friday (plus a few race machines that asked real nice that we couldn’t say “no” to). We got four red-hot winners for our efforts. Rick Trunkett three-peated in the Vintage Power-Adder class in his 1972 Duster with a crazy 1,530 hp. (He even elected to forego a second back-up run. That’s confidence!) Luther Abel floored the crowd early and hung on to the lead with his 440-powered 1979 Duster in the Vintage Naturally Aspirated class (426 hp). Hellcats understandably had a stranglehold in the Late-Model Power-Adder class, and Ron Young’s 2015 Hellcat Challenger didn’t disappoint with 670 hp. Last but not least, the Late-Model Naturally Aspirated class was dominated in solid fashion by Jason Werner’s 2010 SRT8 Challenger (481 hp).
The biggest surprise of the day, however, was Larry Rose’s Hellcat-powered 1970 Dodge Challenger RT/SE which laid down 617 hp in the Vintage Power-Adder class (click here for more). This is a car that shouldn’t even exist. Until now, a convincing, non-hacked-together Hellcat powertrain swap into a vintage Mopar has evaded all but the most well-equipped professional shops. Larry, egged-on by his wife, Kara, dove into the deep end, and figured it out on his own, using the engine, plumbing, harness, console, shifter, computer, pedals, and 8-speed automatic transmission from a totaled Hellcat. We liked it so much, we put it on the cover of the February 2018 issue of Mopar Muscle, and gave him the Mopar Muscle Dyno Showdown Editor’s Choice award.
Did you miss out this year? Don’t fret, the Mopar Muscle Dyno Showdown sponsored by Petty’s Garage will be back at The Nats next year. It’s free, it’s first-come, first-serve, and it’s happening at National Trail Raceway on Friday, August 12, 2018!
Read More!
Want more on the Mopar Muscle Dyno Showdown? Check out the 2016 results here and the 2015 results here!
Results:
Vintage Power-Adder Class
CLASS WINNER
1972 Plymouth Duster
1,530.0 HP
Car owner: Rick Trunkett
Hometown: Brunswick, OH
Engine: 446ci small-block LA-series, 9.2:1 compression, Indy 360-1 cylinder heads, Indy intake manifold, R3 Mopar Performance block, twin turbos (proprietary), Holley Dominator EFI
Exhaust: 1 ¾-inch custom turbo headers
EDITOR’S CHOICE
1970 Dodge Challenger RT/SE
617.7 HP
Car owner: Larry Rose
Hometown: Newburgh, IN
Engine: stock 6.2L Hellcat Hemi (Cleveland Power & Performance crate engine)
Exhaust: Magnaflow
Vintage Naturally Aspirated Class
WINNER
1979 Plymouth Duster
426.4 HP
Car owner: Luther Abel
Hometown: Des Moines, IA
Engine: 440ci RB-series big-block wedge, 11.4:1 compression, Indy SR cylinder heads, Edelbrock Pro-Flo intake manifold, FAST EFI, solid roller camshaft (.577-inch lift)
Exhaust: TTi long-tube headers and Flowmaster exhaust
1964 Plymouth Belvedere
390.1 HP
Car owner: Steve Clodfelter
Hometown: Yadkinville, NC
Engine: 440ci RB-series big-block wedge, bored .030-inch over, 750cfm Holley carb
Exhaust: stock style
1967 Dodge Coronet
388.2 HP
Car owner: John Jurgevich
Hometown: Moline, IL
Engine: 440ci RB-series big-block wedge, 11.1:1 compression, Max Wedge cylinder heads & intake, dual-quad QFT 650cfm carbs, Comp hydraulic roller cam (.458-/.468-inch lift)
Exhaust: Hooker Super Comp 2-inch long-tube headers, Dynomax mufflers
1969 Plymouth GTX
353.6 HP
Car owner: Ted English (survived by wife Janet English)
Hometown: Conneaut, OH
Engine: 543ci RB-series big-block wedge, 10:1 compression, 440 Source heads, Edelbrock Torqer intake, 800cfm Holley carb, Comp cam (.576-/.582-inch lift, 286-/292-degrees duration)
Exhaust: 2-inch long-tube Doug’s Headers, Hooker glasspack mufflers
1966 Dodge Charger
291.8 HP
Car owner: Tom & Tim McIntee
Hometown: Struthers, OH
Engine: 440ci RB-series big-block wedge, 10:1 compression, 906 heads, 750cfm Edelbrock carb, street-Hemi grind cam specs
Exhaust: 1 ¾-inch long-tube headers, open exhaust
1973 Dodge Charger
286.2 HP
Car owner: Edward Pettovello
Hometown: Harrison Township, OH
Engine: 440ci RB-series big-block wedge, 9.2:1 compression, 906 heads, Edelbrock intake, 1.6 ratio rocker arms, Thermoquad carb
Exhaust: stock style
1971 Dodge Challenger
242.7 HP
Car owner: John Grosse
Hometown: Hamilton, OH
Engine: 360ci LA-series small-block V8, Edelbrock Performer RPM heads, Edelbrock RPM intake
Exhaust: Hooker headers
1968 Dodge Charger
224.3 HP
Car owner: Andy Campbell
Hometown: Centerberg, OH
Engine: 440ci RB-series big-block wedge, Indy cylinder heads, Edelbrock Performer AirGap intake, Six-Pack cam specs, Edelbrock 750cfm carb
Exhaust: stock style
Late-Model Power-Adder Class
CLASS WINNER
2015 Dodge Hellcat Challenger
670.4 HP
Car owner: Ron Young
Hometown: Battle Creek, MI
Engine: stock 6.2L Hellcat Hemi, ATI balancer, eliminated catcons, AFE cold-air kit, HigHorce Performance tune, 170-degree thermostat
Exhaust: stock
2016 Dodge Hellcat Challenger
660.7 HP
Car owner: David Sanders
Hometown: Avon, IN
Engine: stock 6.2L Hellcat Hemi, Legmaker cold-air intake
Exhaust: stock
2016 Dodge Hellcat Challenger
626.8 HP
Car owner: James King
Hometown: Ozone Park, NY
Engine: stock 6.2L Hellcat Hemi
Exhaust: stock
2016 Dodge Hellcat Challenger
616.5 HP
Car owner: Phillip Derosia
Hometown: Sevierville, TN
Engine: stock 6.2L Hellcat Hemi, DiabloSport tune
Exhaust: stock
2016 Dodge Hellcat Challenger
615.8 HP
Car owner: Dan Davis
Hometown: Reynoldsburgh, OH
Engine: stock 6.2L Hellcat Hemi
Exhaust: stock exhaust
2000 Dodge Viper
590.9 HP
Car owner: Bob Hess
Hometown: Medina, OH
Engine: stock 8.0L V10, 11:1 compression, ported stock heads & intake, 150hp nitrous system
Exhaust: 1/34-inch long-tube headers, Corsa exhaust
2006 Chrysler 300C SRT8
577.4 HP
Car owner: Eric Tetuan
Hometown: Erie, PA
Engine: stock 6.1L SRT Hemi, Vortech V3 supercharger, HP Tunes
Exhaust: Dyna Tech 1 7/8-inch long-tube headers, Corsa mufflers
2016 Dodge Hellcat Challenger
513.4 HP
Car owner: Stephanie Cremeans
Hometown: Buckeye Lake, OH
Engine: stock 6.2L Hellcat Hemi
Exhaust: stock
2005 Dodge SRT4 Neon
338.6 HP
Car owner: Jarrett Yantus
Hometown: Central City, PA
Engine: stock 2.4L in-line 4-cylinder intercooled turbo, SCT tune, Precision Turbo, 75cc injectors, Mopar Performance cold-air intake, upgraded fuel pump and fuel rail
Exhaust: muffler deleted
2005 Dodge SRT4 Neon
257.6 HP
Car owner: Andy Green
Hometown: Cherokee, KS
Engine: stock 2.4L in-line 4-cylinder intercooled turbo, AGP wastegate
Exhaust: 3-inch turbo-back exhaust
Late-Model Naturally Aspirated Class
WINNER
2010 Dodge SRT8 Challenger
481.9 HP
Car owner: Jason Werner
Hometown: Clarksburg, WV
Engine: 440ci 6.1L Gen III Hemi (SRT8), 10.88:1 compression, DiabloSport custom tune, factory 6.1L heads ported by Bear, Stage 3 Arrington intake manifold, Arrington 90mm throttle body, 0.645-inch lift API camshaft
Exhaust: high-flow cats, Kooks 1 ¾-inch long-tube headers, Magnaflow mufflers w/Arrington cutouts
2017 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack
408.0 HP
Car owner: Jack Johnson
Hometown: New Palestine, IN
Engine: stock 6.4L “Apache” 392 Hemi
Exhaust: stock
2016 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack
390.2 HP
Car owner: Julze Ronan
Hometown: Newark, OH
Engine: stock 6.4L “Apache” 392 Hemi
Exhaust: stock
2009 Dodge Challenger R/T
350.6 HP
Car owner: Luke Stapleton
Hometown: Crown City, OH
Engine: stock 5.7L Hemi, DiabloSport tuner, K&N cold-air intake, 85mm throttle body
Exhaust: long-tube headers, SLP Loud Mouth mufflers
2015 Dodge Challenger R/T
350.2 HP
Car owner: Dan Swanson
Hometown: Battle Creek, MI
Engine: stock 5.7L Hemi, Airaid cold air intake
Exhaust: stock
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