Day Two: AMSOIL Engine Masters Challenge is Movin'

Team 24: Raceheads

Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. 
~Enzo Ferrari  

The AMSOIL Engine Masters Challenge is as much about imagination as it is mechanics, physics and chemistry. If this year's crop of contenders brings as much imagination to the challenge as last year's teams, we'll have another week of drama, and perhaps even some laughs. AMSOIL Technical Product Manager Len Groom is on the scene watching the numbers as day two moves through the paces.

According to Hot Rod magazine, "The Engine Masters Challenge was the brainchild of Scott Parkhurst and the Popular Hot Rodding magazine staff way back in the year 2000. The idea was simple: they shoot out three different engines on the same dyno under the same conditions and with a clear set of rules used to establish a single winner. Fourteen years later the rules are far from simple and the entries more diverse, but today’s AMSOIL-sponsored event has boomed into an industry accepted standard of excellence and innovation that rewards competitors with big cash payouts based on parts contingency."

Henderson Poweraports set to pour in 5W-20

Inasmuch as Popular Hot Rodding recently ceased its print publication, the AMSOIL EMC is now presented by HOT ROD for 2014 and beyond. To get you up-to-speed on what's new in 2014, here is a chart we grabbed from the Hot Rod blog showing the highlights of how this year's competition differs from last year.

Pay special attention to the manner in which spacers are being used or prohibited. We saw some very creative configurations last year. Another area of differentiation we'll see is in the oil viscosity selection. All will be using AMSOIL synthetic motor oils, but some have chosen to go with the thinner Dominator 5W-20 oil, whereas others sprang for the thicker 10W-30 or 15W-50.

The competition runs from October 6-10 with 29 builders and 30 engines duking it out for points on the Superflow/DTS dynomometer at the University of Northwestern Ohio’s High Performance Motorsports center. Stay tuned!

AMSOIL Engine Masters Challenge Is On at UNOH

One of last year's star contenders.

We're back at the University of Northwestern Ohio for the AMSOIL Engine Masters Challenge presented by Popular Hot Rodding. As in years past, it's an experience unlike any other. Engine builders from around the country gather for a week of competition in a head-to-head dyno shootout with the ultimate build going home with the title Engine Master. After four solid days of dyno runs, six finalists will each give their best on a final day of nail biting excitemen. Though the event is but a week in length, these teams prepare all year, constantly studying the finer points of the rules in order to see how and where each one can get their edge.

Fords, Mopars, Chevys, big blocks and small bocks, Fuel Injected and old school motors all compete on identical dynos under identical atmospheric conditions. Many competitors are simply here for the adventure, but others only have their eye on the prize. And from what we've been hearing, more builders have asked rules-related questions than ever before, so we're expecting some of the most innovative engine designs ever this year.

Over $85,000 in contingency cash is on the line, so there's a pretty serious bit of gamesmanship going on. As in years past, Clarence Barnes is on hand as Master of Ceremonies to keep the show going while teams wait their turn to attack their targets.

The first team on the dyno this year was headed by Midwesterner Mark Dalquist of Throttle's Performance who drove all night to be there. After three dyno Dalquist's numbers set the bar. By day's end, he was still in first place, a good place to be heading into Day Two.

To get a feel for the action here check out this video from UNOH and the AMSOIL Engine Masters Dyno Challenge 2013.