Turbocharging was not a theory for us. It was winning on the water and threatening to do the same in drag racing. In offshore competition, Banks twin-turbo engines stacked up championships, won at Key West, and set speed records. The response was not better competition. Turbos got banned. The same pattern showed up in top fuel, where our Pacemaker was quick enough that the rulebook closed the door before turbocharged top fuelers could get a real shot. The point is simple: when a turbo system is engineered right, it changes the performance ceiling fast enough to make old rules uncomfortable.
In the 1970s, Gale Banks says being too fast could get a racing team banned, and according to him, it happened three times. Banks turbocharged engines were already proving highly competitive in offshore endurance, river, and circuit racing around the world.
In 1982, Butch Ryan used Banks twin-turbo engines to win the World Championship at Key West. With the same engines, the team went on to set a flying-kilometer record.
According to Gale, the performance advantage became significant enough that the APBA subsequently banned turbocharged boats.
The pattern continued in 1983 when Jim du Newer won his second championship in the Banks twin-turbo King Sting.
Gale says the boat's performance contributed to the Pacific Offshore Power Boat Racing Association permanently banning turbocharged boats from competition.
During the same era, Banks Engineering was also experimenting with turbocharged Top Fuel dragsters.
The Banks Pacemaker demonstrated enough potential that Hot Rod Magazine reportedly expected the combination would eventually be banned from competition.
Gale recalls meeting with NHRA founder Wally Parks to discuss allowing turbochargers in Top Fuel. According to Gale, Parks rejected the idea outright.
Gale concludes by noting that turbochargers remain prohibited in NHRA Top Fuel competition today.
