The inaugural American Iron 2-valve Shootout Race Engine Challenge will be held October 3-6, 2018 in Charlotte, NC. The event will feature 15 engine builders from across the United States putting their most creative builds against each other in a dyno racing competition.
“There continues to be excitement from engine builders about dyno competitions and we’re pleased to host this new event,” says Greg Finnican, contest director.

The four-day event will feature five engines per day on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with the two top engines battling each other on Saturday, Finnican says. Scores will be determined by averaging three of the best HP dyno pulls out of the up to 10 pulls permitted. The contest will use a cubic inch divider to compensate for varied engine displacement. Scored test RPM range is 4,000-7,500 RPM; the dyno correction factor will be SAE J607. Pulls will be made on a Land & Sea Pro 2000 dyno.
Finnican says Charlotte is the ideal location for the Race Engine Challenge and the dyno location is only seven miles from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. “There’s a wide range of hotels, dining options and shopping all within a five minute walk, and Charlotte’s Center City and the NASCAR Hall of Fame are only a short ride on the light rail, boarding just a half block from the dyno testing location.”
In addition to the dyno pulls, contestants and their guests can also participate in the 2018 Technical Engine Conference (TEC) seminars at the same location as the Race Engine Challenge. Technical experts and industry leaders will cover topics such as valve train dynamics, cam selection, exhaust header design, EFI systems, lubrication, cryogenics and more.
Engine Builder magazine is the official media partner of the 2018 Race Engine Challenge.
For more information about the event or to download the official rules and application form, visit www.RaceEngineChallenge.com. All selected participants will be notified of their contest status by February 1, 2018.