2009 Engine Masters Challenge

[CPG Marketing]

COMP Cams® Enjoys Major Success At 2009 JEGS Engine Masters Challenge Presented By Popular Hod Rodding

Five of the six 2009 finalists choose COMP Cams® valve train products, including repeating champion Jon Kaase with his impressive 388ci Ford powerplant

Considered by many to be the most prestigious of engine competitions and often referred to as the “Olympics of Dyno Testing,” the 2009 JEGS Engine Masters Challenge presented by Popular Hot Rodding magazine was staged Monday, October 5 through Friday, October 9 at the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima, OH.

Legendary Pro Stock engine builder Jon Kaase and crew returned to the top spot this year with a potent 388c.i. Ford engine, once again edging out two-time EMC champion Tony Bischoff and the B.E.S. Racing Engines team with their COMP Cams®-equipped 435c.i. Chevrolet. In fact, Kaase's victory was merely a difference of 1.4 points! When all the numbers were tallied, Hot Heads Research/Gene Adams Performance rounded out the top three with their 365ci Chrysler.

“This was actually our third year to run this engine in the competition,” said now four-time champion, Jon Kaase. “So far, it’s won two straight and was runner up its first year. Of course, the new rules this year really helped smaller engines. The roller valve train combination was certainly a big factor, especially with all we’ve learned from the COMP Cams® R&D team over the years. And even more impressive were the COMP® Lightweight Tool Steel retainers we used this year. Big props to the guys at COMP Cams® for all they’ve done to help us.”

The Engine Masters Challenge is reserved for normally aspirated, gasoline powered, domestic V8 passenger car engines produced by AMC, Ford, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Buick. Power adders, such as superchargers, turbochargers, nitrous oxide or other such devices, are not allowed, along with any methods of artificially heating or cooling engine fluid, fuel, etc. New to this year's competition rules were provisions for fuel injection and/or multiple carburetors, along with the inclusion of roller valve train combinations.

The Challenge included 30 competitors this year, with each team being given three consecutive acceleration warm-up pulls from 3,000 to 7,000 rpm. This was followed by a five minute discussion period for the team to assess dyno data and then an additional 20 minute "Tuning Period" in which contestants could make as many dyno pulls, tuning adjustments and repairs as necessary. Once this final period was up, three competition pulls were completed. Performance rankings were then computed using Dynamic Test Systems (DTS) software. Points were awarded by adding together average torque and horsepower figures, then dividing by the claimed cubic inch and multiplying that number by 1,000.

Stated Kaase, “I give huge credit to Gordon Holloway and Chris Mays at COMP Cams® for helping to design the camshafts for my engines. Once again, we tested only a few new camshafts before we settled on what would become our winning combination.”

2009 saw the widest variety of engines ever seen in the competition. And with fuel injection legal for the first time, along with the inclusion of late model domestic V8s and multi-carbs, this was the fiercest one yet. One interesting note – despite the addition of fuel injection, the finals included an all-carb line-up. For more information about the JEGS Engine Masters Challenge presented by Popular Hot Rodding, visit www.popularhotrodding.com. For more information about COMP Cams® or any COMP Cams® product, call 1-800-999-0853 or visit us online at www.compcams.com.

Final results:

Position Team Name Engine Points
1st Jon Kaase Racing (Almost Kaase) 388c.i. Ford Cleveland 2,632.8
2nd B.E.S. Racing Engines 435c.i. Chevy 2,631.4
3rd Hot Heads Res./Gene Adams Perf. 365c.i. Chrysler 2,598.2
4th Performance Crankshaft, Inc. 403c.i. Chevy 2,598.0
5th School of Automotive Machinists 384c.i. Ford 2,585.4
6th Jon Kaase Racing 511c.i. Ford 2,583.2