MOORESVILLE, NC – Pat Musi Racing Engines’ 903 EFI powerplant has
been nominated for Race Engine Technology magazine’s North American Race Engine of
the Year. The nomination was revealed in Race Engine Technology issue 81,
September/October 2014.
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The nomination for this prestigious award caps off a year of unprecedented success
in nitrous-assisted Pro Modified drag racing for veteran engine builder Pat Musi.
“This year has been unreal,” Musi said. “We won a lot of races, won a lot of
championships, and set records across the board, but being recognized for a global
honor like this is truly special.”
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Musi’s 903 cubic inch masterpiece is the only drag racing engine nominated for the
award, sharing the spotlight with engines from IndyCar and sports car racing. The
engine propelled doorslammer legend Rickie Smith to the 2013 NHRA Pro Mod
championship, and Smith’s success carried over into 2014 as he set the quarter-mile
records for a nitrous-assisted car in both elapsed time and speed. With one race
remaining, Smith is also in prime position to claim back-to-back championships.
The fuel-injected, 14.8 liter V8 engine also dominated the eighth-mile drag racing
circuits, powering Pro Nitrous racer Jason Harris to the final round of all eight
Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) events. He was victorious in six of
those final rounds and was the undisputed Pro Nitrous world champion. Fellow Pro
Nitrous racer Tommy Franklin set the division’s elapsed time record and Pro Nitrous
rookie Lizzy Musi, Pat’s daughter, finished the season with the speed record.
Franklin and Musi were also the only racers to defeat Harris and claim event wins in
2014.
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Fifty practicing professionals in the diverse world of race engine design and
development participate in the judging for the North American Race Engine of the
Year and overall Race Engine of the Year awards. The winners will be revealed in
Race Engine Technology issue 83, with a cover date of December 2014/January 2015.