Event Recap of JPC's Fall Dyno Day 2012

Just off the highway between Baltimore and Annapolis lies JPC Racing, and owner Justin Burcham and his staff reward his customers at the end of the year with a chance to hit the rollers for a steeply discounted rate. Dyno Day 2012 was one of their best ever!

There were six Saleens, including a 2012 SMS Supercharged 302, 2012 Saleen 5.0 packing a 80mm turbo, a pair of 2006 Saleen S-281 Extremes (2 of the 50 total built) and an ultra-rare Saleen Cobra. There was also one 2008 Shelby Super Snake, a 2012 Shelby GT500, and a 2012 supercharged Roush. You had two cars that showed up wearing parachutes, including Brian Zaid’s ultra-sleeper; a Fox Notch that runs a gear-driven F2 ProCharger supercharger on a 439-cube engine – lurking beneath the stock hood! Although most were driven in, several were towed in. The long-haul award goes to Al Davis who made the drive towing his NMRA SST 2012 5.0 Coyote Mustang rocking a 76mm Precision Turbo turbocharger. He came out to take his shot at the trophy and leave the car for winter upgrades. Many arrived even before the staff as the line of cars was waiting for the 9am opening, and 30 cars took their shot at the title and the trophy!

JPC's Main Man, Justin Burcham, performed all of the dyno driving duties throughout the day.

First up was John Tearney in his 2012 SMS, and set a high water mark with 521 HP! Not bad for a car with only six thousand miles, an intake and JPC tune away from stock. Up next, Ben Alpert in his bone stock 2003 Terminator Cobra laid out a stout 401 horsepower, giddy to say the least was the 22 year old owner. JR Hose and his turbocharged 4.6L 2V Mustang came close with 501 horsepower, while Mike Grogan’s supercharged 2001 Mustang convertible followed with a respectable 401 horsepower.

Jim Goddard rolled in his Whippled Terminator, and got the star next to his name when he put down 568 RWHP. Carl Ruleman’s 1970 Mach 1 was super-clean and sporting a very original-looking SBF; the stock 302 laid down 222 rear-wheel ponies. Keys in hand, Justin Burcham headed into the lot and emerges with Chris Matters’ newest toy, a 2006 Saleen S281 Extreme, which has a 300 cubic-inch JDM Engineering-built 3v with all the goodies and a recent tune from JPC’s Kevin MacDonald. Matters’ car went right to the top of the field with 611 RWHP. Gimble took the dyno next, his 4 –Eye features a Rich Groh Mean Street legal motor and slicks, with Burcham behind the wheel to dump the clutch resulting in 457 ponies to the wheels.

Back to action was Ryan Bradley’s Bullet Mustang putting down 285 horses. Now more than halfway through the event, the heavy hitters were licking their chops. Up next was Carl Washington Carl Washington Carl Washington Carl Washington in his wicked GT500 with the big black Whipple beneath the hood, but at the end all it had was 568 RWHP leaving Matters safe for the moment. But up next was Nick Carlson with his flawless JPC-tuned ‘08 Shelby Super Snake, Alcoa wheels and all; the big Kenne Bell Blower was up to the task and 680 RWHP was the newest number at the top! Before the rollers even cooled off Al Davis was up next. Al threatened to leave the rods on the floor as the offseason calls for a new motor, all bets were off where this was going, and the PTE turbo sprung to life and ended with 808 RWHP that put Davis clearly out in front!

Dino Rallis' Terminator has been upgraded to make enough power to spin the tires on the dyno - that's tire smoke you see.

Then business was picked up to mega proportions. Dino Rallis had been waiting patiently all day, and even had the staff at JPC bring a jug full of racing gas to the convertible and top off the fuel tank. First pull and the crowd knew this would be it, maybe. So Justin gets it up into gear and mats the gas and comes up with a screeching belts and 12 lbs of boost. That might seem good, but not when your car features a 322 cubic-inch RGR built motor and a 4 liter Whipple supercharger. The entire crew jumped into action, and it was decided that a larger pulley and a smaller belt might keep the slippage down.

With the motor hot and the belt now swapped out, Burcham again let go of the horses and Cobra responded, no more slip, the car was alive like a animal as the car lurched as Burcham poured the coals to the fire. Still down on boost traction the car was shut off. Straps were checked and tighten in the rear, as the IRS makes it difficult to keep that power planted on the dyno, extra straps were added to the front end as well. Now with less than optimal conditions for a max power output Justin said here we go! In the testament to the staff at JPC the Cobra didn’t disappoint the crowd. Being in the 50s and high 40s all day the crowd had waited for this, and as the RPM built and the exhaust screamed the tires smoking as they overpowered the dyno Justin took it the limiter and the clicked it off. A quick key stroke and the screen flashed 936.3 RWHP!

With that Dino was awarded the Trophy, and strapped it in the passenger seat as he was driving home with nearly 1000 RWHP under his right foot!