Wayne Daley could be a threat in the Australian Pro Stock Championship this season with the Diamond T Products team producing big numbers in testing.
Daley recorded a personal best 7.04 from the Mopar, with the one-meeting old Rick Watters Racing Engine proving its worth in the horsepower department.
Crew chief Michael Marriott said the team felt like they were down on power last season but the new motor had made a big difference.
“The engine immediately showed gains with the car going the quickest it had gone in time and speed,” he said. “With the extra power we have now turned our attention to car set up and balance.
“We still had good data from our Pro Stock Monaro which had gone a best of 7.07, however the Dodge has a different body shape and chassis so its set up is definitely different. We ended up running a new personal best of 7.04 which we are thrilled with.”
Marriott said the development of the Mopar remains an ongoing evolution. The team has also formed an alliance with Lee Bektash.
“At different times we are working more significantly in different areas, although all areas of performance are constantly being looked at,” he said. “We feel very positive about working together with Lee and Team Mopar.”
The Diamond T team isn’t yet sure if they will be travelling down to Adelaide for the opening round but Marriott thinks they would be able to get a handle on the unique surface.
“At this stage we are keen to attend but haven’t made a final commitment to running due to a number of logistical issues,” he said. “If we do go we believe we can come up with a suitable set up.”
Daley was one of a number of drivers to make some big gains in testing during the off-season. Bektash managed to belt out a 196mph (315kph) pass to be the first Pro Stock car to, unofficially at least, break that marker, while Shane Tucker in the Monster Energy Pontiac improved his PB to a 7.03.
The ANDRA Drag Racing Series starts on October 20 at Adelaide International Raceway.