Gallery: Some of Our Favorite Mopars (Cars & Engines) From PRI 2018


The annual Performance Racing Industry Trade Show (PRI) is typically held annually during the second weekend in December. Of course, the days before the show are filled with various motorsports-related conferences, seminars and special events as part of Race Industry Week. The Indiana Convention Center welcomes thousands of trade-only exhibitors and attendees, ensuring no lookie-loos or tire kickers are milling around wasting people’s precious time.

The 31st anniversary PRI Trade Show welcomed over 1,100 exhibitors filling 3,300 booths during this year’s show, as tens of thousands of buyers from all 50 states and 70 countries converged on this single location. Mopar Connection was on-hand not only to shake hands with new and returning advertisers, but also personally thank those companies who have supported us throughout the years. That, and of course, to soak in some of the amazing cars, engines and new performance products.

Above: This wicked 417-cubic inch G3 Hemi with ThiTek cylinder heads, a Visner intake manifold force-fed by twin Precision turbochargers producing 23 pounds of boost. On an E85, this monster creates an astounding 1,200 horsepower at the rear wheels.

Above: Many will recognize this Bill Mitchell Products (BMP) aluminum Hemi as the powerplant behind Mike Finnegan’s ne’erdowell BlaspHEMI ’55 Chevy gasser. With its current setup, Mike has piloted this ’55 deep into the 9’s and has since, hit the 8’s. It’s taken a while to work all the bugs out, but it’s really bangin’ nowadays.

Joined with Staff Editor Gavin Wollenburg, Editor-in-Chief Kevin Shaw greedily hustled from one display to the next to check out what cool stuff the aftermarket was knocking out for the Mopar loyal. Certainly, racing of all forms were on display at PRI, including the most popular innovations in drag and circle track racing for sure. But as so many buyers and attendees came representing high horsepower-minded street-driven enthusiasts, there was definitely something for everyone.

Once the goals of the most funded and top tier racers, these days, four-digit horsepower numbers and single-digital quarter mile times seem to be all the rage. A wheel-standing supercharged Challenger is commonplace when FCA is producing Drag Pak cars and 9-second street-legal Demons. We did enjoy walking up on some multi-turbo Cummins diesels, Hemi-powered Jeeps and just a bunch of boosted Hemis. Because forced-induction is all everybody seems to want to talk about.

Above: For the truly daring, there was no shortage of top fuel and blown alcohol Hemis on display, showing off their dual plug, all-aluminum, dry block glory. Can you imagine being pushed by more than 10,000 horsepower and at least 7,400 foot-pounds of torque?!

Above: Demons, 1320’s and Drag Paks, oh my! That’s right, there was every shape, stage and trim level of Challenger on display throughout the halls of the Indiana Convention Center. And yes, that’s Leah Pritchett‘s 7-second factory built race car, “El Bandito”.

Here is just a couple handfuls of amazing eye-candy we spied at PRI. Yes, there certainly was much, much more in the way of individual parts and products to be showcased, but seeing that we’ve got all year to highlight (and try out) these goodies, we’re gonna sprinkle those out throughout the year. So for now, we’ve got a few glimpses at some seriously wild stuff that we’re hoping you’ll definitely enjoy.

Above: Overkill? Never heard of it! Yeah, that’s a six-turbo Cummins right there. Eyed in the OptiTorque booth, this insane powerplant is likely found in heavy-duty tractor pull rigs than your Ram 2500. (But we’re not telling you that it can’t.)

Above: If a crank-driven supercharger is more your speed, there were plenty of those to go around as well. Of course, as both of these were all-aluminum dry blocks, you don’t need to worry about where to place your radiator.

Above: We’d be remiss if we didn’t poke our head into the INDY booth. We’d like it a little more if Russ didn’t give us the evil eye when he saw our badges saying “Media” instead of “Buyer”, though. We also really liked what we found at the Powermaster booth; they’re always cranking out awesome stuff for the Mopar crowd (high amp alternators and super-torquey starters).

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Kevin Shaw

Editor-in-Chief – kevin.shaw@shawgroupmedia.com Kevin Shaw is a decade-long powersports and automotive journalist whose love for things that go too fast has led him to launching Mopar Connection Magazine. Almost always found with stained hands and dirt under his fingernails, Kevin has an eye for the technical while keeping a eye out for beautiful photography and a great story. He's also the co-author of "The Chrysler B-Body Restoration Guide."

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