The battle for the Engine Masters Challenge begins long before the first engine is uncrated at World Products for a shot against the DTS dyno. Fielding an entry begins with long and thoughtful planning, using the best of a builder's knowledge, and experience in coming up with a combination. To have a shot at the money, it takes having the very best ideas, and more importantly, taking the theory and making it real in metal. Parts need to be ordered, made, and pipelined-in, often only to be heavily massaged and modified to be ready for a Challenge contender. The process can take months and untold hours, with crunch time being qualifying day. For some, it proves to be too much, with competitors falling to attrition, their race is over before even making the show. The toll was heavy this year. To the competitors who passed the test and made it to qualifying, we have to bow in congratulations for making it to that difficult point. Here's a full rundown of the field.