Gale Banks’ “Unfair Advantage”

In his latest vlog, Kyle at LA Chevy Grinder shows off a pristine piece of Banks history of dominance and innovation: the twin-turbocharged beast of an engine from Gale’s Made In The USA Funny Car from the late ’80s. This 500 cubic inch engine featured an aluminum big block with Pontiac Big Chief cylinder heads and was equipped with a Banks-designed dual-Dominator blow-through carburetor configuration and a pair of TE06 Offenhauser Indy turbos equipped with a prototype variable-geometry at the turbine inlets. Gale’s granddaddy of all VG turbos used a variable gate to select a single turbine inlet volute, allowing all exhaust to flow through it, then opening for both inlets after launch. 

Stuffed into a rolling-chassis provided by NHRA legend Don Prudhomme, the engine produced over 1,800 horsepower, making the car the quickest gas-burning drag car. This same technology was used in the Banks Pacemaker Top Fuel Dragster. 

Thanks to their use of turbochargers, NHRA founder Wally Parks decided that both vehicles posed an “unfair advantage” in their classes. He promptly banned them from ever competing—a decision that remains in the rulebook to this day.