Far be it from me to make the insane suggestion that the true might of the turbocharger had not been unleashed until the world of drag racing really figured them out. Yes, they have been used with success in all kinds of motorsports from tractor pulling to Formula One and all things in-between but when the drag racers finally got a handle on the suckers, the horsepower levels have spiraled up and up like so many rockets.
This video is proof that there is no end in sight for a nuclear level horsepower war being driven by the turbocharger manufacturers themselves. This time it is Garrett who supplied Mike Moran with a pair of their new GTX5544R Gen II turbos that have 102 or 106mm impeller sizes. Garrett claims that these turbos can support 2,850hp….a piece.
There was a very long time when the most powerful alcohol burning engines out there had screw blowers on them. Those days have long since passed. While screw blown engines are certainly horsepower makers are a proven commodity in drag racing, big hemi engines on alcohol with turbos have swallowed them whole. That’s not a total surprise because turbos have dominated every form of racing that they have ever been allowed in. They are the most efficient power maker and they keep getting better and better. While there are some mitigating physical limitations on superchargers, turbos still have loads of room to grow.
This engine makes half the power of a modern top fuel engine. How long until we’re talking about an engine making 60%, 75%, 85% or more? Will the king of the jungle be challenged in the coming years by the turbocharger? Only time will tell and we’re interested to see what happens.
Incredidible! Now, someone tell me why nobody wants to use nitro with turbos? Gale Banks proved the viability looong ago. Who’s first?
Because you need a license from the dept of homeland security to buy it.
Does anybody remember a Top Fuel car with three huge turbos hung off the back of it that was raced in the 1970s?
I seem to remember a front-engine car with a pair(?) blowing into stack injection.
I win the lottery and………….