I have competition eliminator on the brain lately as I am doing some prep work for the upcoming NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series even I’ll be announcing at good ol’ New England Dragway next weekend. The sights and sounds of comp are unmatched in drag racing. It is full of strange and wonderful machines, most of which really haul some serious ass. That ass is hauled because of guys like engine builder Steve Schmidt. He’s been a high profile builder for comp eliminator and a vast array of other engines now for decades. His shop turns out mills to racers all across the country and if you have spent any time at serious drag racing events, there’s no doubt you have seen some engraved “Steve Schmidt Racing Engines” valve covers rumbling by you in the pits or blasting by you on the strip.

This is a dyno video featuring a 477ci engine build on the GM DRCE 2 block (DRCE 2= Drag Race Competition Engine version 2). If this engine has a single four barrel on it, the mill could be destined for an econo-dragster or something similar. Frankly, there are so many potential classes that this motor could fit into, it is a bit of a fool’s errand to even guess. One thing we don’t have to guess about is the RPM and power  figures of the engine because they are displayed at the close of the video. According to the poster, the engine made 1300+hp and more than 700 lb/ft of torque! It also touched 10,300 RPM at peak. It sure sounds like every bit of 10,300 to us! Imagine how quickly you’ll be swapping valve springs in this mother.

Competition eliminator is one heck of a class for fans of drag racing to watch. There’s a bunch of convoluted rules regarding indexes and stuff (CIC penalties) but taking it for what it is at base, comp is our favorite class. Different cars left and right, weirdo engines being hot rodded to ends no one ever expected, racers that can claw the paint off the bulbs of the tree, and creative thinkers all gathered together with their own “best mouse traps”. It is how drag racing started…and how comp still lives.

PRESS PLAY BELOW TO WATCH A STEVE SCHMIDT MILL TURN 10,300 RPM AND SCREAM TO THE HEAVENS!