2008 Engine Masters Challenge - Thursday Updates!

MPG heads came to the show with a Ford 400M/ CHI cylinder heads combination, an engine that showed tremendous potential last year prior to a disastrous camshaft failure. These seasoned competitors came prepared, and the mighty Ford delivered power to be reckoned with, showing over xxx lb-ft of peak torque. The score told the story, with a hair under 2500 points to take the lead position.

Jon Kaase is a veteran Engine Masters competitor and two-time champion, so there always attention when this team enters the test cell. This year there was a special treat in store for Engine Masters fans, with the debut of Kaase's brand-new "Boss 429" cylinder heads and top-end package. The Boss engine is a larger-than-life relic of the factory musclecar wars, and original parts are exceedingly rare. After last years Challenge Kaase went to work to develop this modern version of the famous Boss, and for his effort captured the current first place in the standings.

McKeown Motorsports Engineering came to the show once again with a Cleveland-head 400 Ford. Known for their tuning expertise, Mckeown could see that the calibration of the deep-breathing Ford was off the mark. The team went in during the tuning period looking to get the engine tune on track. Rather than taking an excessive toll with repeated tuning pulls during the twenty minute period, the changes made were conservative, but enough to garner third place.

School of Automotive Machinists' Ford entry is another CHI-equipped 400 block, breathed on by Judson and his crew of students. From the first warm-up pull, the engine showed brutal force, twisting the torque dial with a vengeance. While clearly satisfactory numbers were on hand in the warm-up, the SAM's team went in for some tuning changes in the allotted time. The end result of the effort was a stunning score gaining the team first place in the current standings.

Deciding to battle against the many big engines with a small-displacement powerplant, Power Shop Racing brought a 302 Chevrolet based engine displacing 307 cubes. This formula proved favorable for the team in the past, and there was no reason to argue with success. The engine pulled through the rev range like a buzz-saw during the warm-up pulls, and tugged nicely during the following warm-up pull to put Power Shop in the finals.

Jon Kaase Racing is an name well known to Engine Masters fans and competitors. The team came with a dangerous-looking 400M/ CHI Cleveland combo that was sure to put fear into the competition. True to expectations, the engine sounded the part upon fire-up, and the warm-up pull that followed proved the point. We could see the torque needle swing like it had come unhinged, with unusually strong torque at the tip-in, and carrying nicely as the tach climbed. Choosing to make no tuning changes the engine didn't disappoint, with score handily putting the effort into first place.

Tony Bischoff from BES Racing brought a 400 Chevrolet engine combination, and prior to running the wily former champion Bischoff claimed low expectations from his engine, citing pre-event testing at home. Tony's engine, however, seemed to have other ideas, showing healthy numbers during the warm-up pulls. According to Tony, the engine was scoring a hundred or so points better in competition than expected. The resultant score was enough to put the engine in the second qualifying position going into the finals.