The 434 small-block Ford has recently been shipped back to Bennett Racing Engines for a horsepower upgrade. Byron wants to gain approximately 125 more horsepower that will push the car to the ceiling of Pro category bracket racing.
The
Mark Williams Enterprises 9-inch Ford rearend has 40 -spline Williams axles and 4.56:1 ratio ring and pinion. The rear is 4-link suspended on
Afco Performance Group double-adjustable coilover shocks. Byron adds, “I am always fine-tuning the rear suspension for the most repeatable launch and 60-foot time. The Afco shocks are nicely predictable with what an adjustment will do for the car.”
Power is provided by a
Bennett Racing Engines crate 434 ci naturally aspirated small-block Ford engine. They used Trick Flow ported heads and a Ken Jones 950 Holley-based alcohol carburetor. Additional components include a
GZ Motorsports vacuum pump,
Kooks Headers and Exhaust custom headers,
Holley Performance/MSD Digital 7 Ignition, and a
Meziere Enterprises electric water pump.
We are somewhere pretty much every weekend during racing season. The Mustang and junior dragster get a real workout. -Byron Kinne
We spoke to Byron during his wintertime off-season maintenance program. “The engine just left on the UPS truck to go back to Bennett Racing Engines for some needed upgrades and tweaks,” Byron says. “I wanted to increase the amount of accessible horsepower.”
“I like being the fastest dial-in within the class we compete in and chase the other competitors at the ‘stripe,” he says. “The current engine combination came off the dyno rated at 775 hp. When I get it back in the Mustang, it should make 850 hp. At least, that’s the goal we are going after.”
Byron, daughter Lily, and wife Mandy are dedicated to points competition at Gateway Motorsports Park with both the Mustang and a junior dragster. They also enjoy traveling to events throughout the Midwest when the opportunity arises.
Byron’s shift point is at 7,600 rpm with his current combination. “We have a good Powerglide built by Mike’s Transmission,” he says. “In front of that is an Abruzzi Racing 5,900 rpm stall converter and JW Performance Transmissions flexplate.”
Best performance to date is a 5.72 e.t. at 119 mph in the 1/8 mile. He gets to the 60-foot mark in 1.24 seconds.
“I’m trying to get the car into the 5.40 zone,” Byron adds. “I also just want to hit the elapsed time cutoff ceiling for Pro category of bracket racing and stay within the rules for the class. That will also set me up well for the 6.0 index classes featured at many muscle car events. That’s how I like to race.”