Tuned EcoBoost stays with the Ram for the first hundred feet but the Ram pulls hard to the top end.
This week’s Track Time Tuesday video comes to us from the YouTube channel of Kevin Toraya and it features a 2018 Ram 1500 taking on a 2018 Ford F-150 in an eighth mile shootout. This clash between the EcoBoost V6 and the Hemi V8 was run on what appears to be the pit lane of Homestead Miami Speedway, so starting line conditions probably aren’t as good as they would be at a dedicated track, but this still serves as a great battleground for the area’s high performance street machines.
Competitors
In the near lane, we have a 2018 Ram 1500 with the regular cab/short bed configuration. This rear-wheel-drive pickup is powered by the 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which sends its power to the rear wheels by means of an 8-speed automatic transmission. Upgrades include a 180-degree thermostat, Diablosport Trinity t2 loaded with a Hemifever custom tune, an S&B cold air intake, JBA longtube headers, a Catless y-pipe, a Belltech lowering kit, Fan clutch/grill shutter delete and a set of Hoosier 28×10/17 drag slicks.
In the far lane, we have a 2018 Ford F-150 with a four-door cab and a short bed. This truck appears to be a four-wheel-drive model, based on the ride height and launch, and we know that it is powered by the 3.5-liter EcoBoost mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Upgrades include, but are not limited to, a cold air intake, exhaust and a tune, but with this F-150 packing a twin turbo V6, a tune can make a big difference in terms of power output.
Unfortunately for this Ford owner, it wasn’t enough.
The Battle
After the Ram gets the tires good and hot, both trucks ease to the starting line. When the green lights drop, the Ford gets a good launch and may even be ahead for a few seconds, but it only takes the Hemi about a hundred feet to pull even, pass and pull away from the V6 truck.
On the top end, the Ram ran a 8.467 at 83.3 miles per hour while the F-150 ran an 8.716 at 77.1 miles per hour.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
