The Gauntlet Has Been ThrownAs is our tradition, the new format for the Jegs Engine Masters Challenge was announced at the Performance and Racing Industry (PRI) tradeshow this last December. The anticipation was high, and the turnout in our meeting room was standing room only. For the last two events, we initiated an open-displacement format, with the limitations that the engines must be over 300 cubic inches and based upon an OEM passenger-car bore and stroke combination. From this sprang the most significant change for 2009, removing the restriction specifying a factory-based bore and stroke combination. For 2009, any bore and stroke combination over the legal minimum is fair game. This rule change opens the door for a wide variety of popular stroker combinations, as well as the wide range of bore sizes possible with today's aftermarket blocks.
Probably just as significant as the new rule on displacement is the change to allow modern domestic V-8 engine types. Up until now the contest has been limited to traditional V-8 engines of an earlier era. While these engines have been the mainstay of performance enthusiasts for decades, in recent years the number of engine types routinely modified in the performance market has grown. There is no questioning the popularity of the GM LS-series, the modern Mopar Hemi, and of course the Modular Ford engine in a variety of performance applications, from current production vehicles to retrofits in earlier machines. With specialty aftermarket and engine builders alike deeply engaged in making the most from these powerplants, there is little argument for their continued exclusion.
Of course, including these modern engines brings up a variety of factors that affect other aspects of our previous rules, and this resulted in several changes. Going back to the issue of displacement, our previous minimum of 300 cubic inches required a change to 281 cubic inches in deference to the factory displacement of Ford's little Mod motor. Clearly, our requirement of a flat-tappet camshaft would present a problem, considering none of these engines were ever so equipped. The most sensible solution here was to allow roller cams, a specification we had used in previous Engine Masters competitions. Likewise, these factory engines take advantage of other advances in technology, such as fuel injection, coil-on-plug ignition, and electronic engine management, all of which can be retrofitted for use on older engine types, if desired. All of these are legal for 2009.
EMC Competition Director David...
EMC Competition Director David Freiburger will bring years of experience to the 2009 competition. Besides David's well-chronicled career in print media, he's also an experienced engine builder and competition director for events such as the Pump Gas Drags and Drag Week.
With the above changes, and the move to allow multiple carbs in carbureted applications, the mix of engines battling it out for 2009 will be like nothing we've seen before. If you haven't seen all the details for this year's event, the rules can be viewed at www.enginemasters.com.
David Freiburger Named 2009 Competition DirectorWe're pleased to report that David Freiburger has been named the competition director for our 2009 Challenge. David may be familiar to many of you from his long career in print media, having been editor of Four Wheel & Off Road, Car Craft, Rod & Custom, and Hot Rod over his 16-year career with magazines. David comes to the show with considerable experience in administering competitive events, having been instrumental in creating and directing Hot Rod magazine's Drag Week, and the Pump Gas Drags. David was also involved in the original Hot Rod Fastest Street Car Shootout, for which he wrote the rules in years two and three. Having built five engines that powered multiple record-holding land-speed racing Camaros leaves little doubt of David's knowledge of engines. David stepped away from his formal position in the automotive press to engage other pursuits, and comes to the Jegs Engine Masters Challenge as an impartial, independent official.