Trucks have no business on the drag strip unless they are hauling or offering emergency services – not in the US of 'A.' Motorheads in America will race anything with a powertrain and enough guts to bolt down a straight line, including semi-trucks and lawnmowers.
The folks at Hoonigan had an exciting drag race on their most recent This vs. That YouTube series– a 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport versus a 2017 Ford Raptor.
While it's unfair to put a 6,000 lbs (2,722 kg) hauler against a thoroughbred speed demon like the C6 Corvette, with the right mods, these monolithic American trucks are known to push incredible numbers on the straight line.
The 2017 Ford Raptor was brought in by Ryan of Kibbetech (client unit). Kibbetech is an off-road fabrication and CNC machining outfit based in Newbury Park, California. Simply put, they build trucks for truck people.
The Ford Raptor in question is unlike anything that rolled out of the Blue Oval's factory five years ago. Under the hood, it runs a twin-turbo 5.2-liter Coyote V8 swap good for 1,017 ponies to the wheels (1,196 hp/1213 ps).
To harness that power, it packs a 10-speed automatic transmission sending all that power to the rear wheels.
Part of the mods includes twin Precision 64 turbos, a custom 42-gallon fuel cell, two trans coolers in the truck bed, and king coilovers.
"We did like a custom exhaust on it with a big muffler, and then out of that muffler where there are two other mufflers, and so this thing basically sounds like a stock truck when it's idling," Ryan said about the 2017 Ford Raptor.
The 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport belongs to Hoonigan's Zach. According to Scotto of Hoonigan, this is the most normal car Ryan owns. It's powered by a 6.2-liter (LS3)naturally aspirated V8 engine dyno'd at 550 hp (558 ps). It runs on a 6-speed manual transmission sending all that juice to the rear wheels.
Part of the mods includes a BFD LS3 camshafts, PRC 260cc heads, off-road x-pipe, and an SLP Performance catback exhaust.
"It's very simple. It's basic. I mean, look, most of the parts are still stock, and it makes good power." Zach's said about his 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport.
Everyone on the Hoonigan team put their money on the C6 Corvette apart from Vin. He decided to sit on the fence on this one. Ryan's Ford Raptor had no takers.
Well, Ryan's Raptor broke down seconds into the race. Fortunately, Christopher's 2023 Ford Raptor R (Baja 1000 Champion) stepped in for its older sibling. It doesn't pack a 1,017 hp engine, but a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 dyno'd at 700 hp (710 ps). It has a 10-speed automatic transmission running on a four-wheel-drive setup.
The first race was a 1,000 ft head-to-head race – Zach's 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport beat the Raptor R by three cars. The second race was a 500 ft drag race (the loser gets the hit). Christopher's Raptor R had a perfect launch and won.
Curious about who won the last race? We recommend catching that raw action in the video below.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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