Truckin’ Fast Wednesday: 2017 Model Is Pitted Against 2014 Version, Leads to Surprise Finish
This week’s “Truckin’ Fast Wednesday” video comes courtesy of the folks at the Speed Society and it features a new and an old Ford Raptor. But, did we mention the first-gen truck is Roush supercharged?
If you’re thinking that it’s a ridiculous comparison, especially given the new Raptor’s stock configuration, you’re right. The older truck has been fitted with an aftermarket supercharger package and is clearly packing a lot more horsepower. This really isn’t a fair fight for the new truck, especially having already seen it annihilate the old one on a leveled playing field.
There aren’t specific performance figures on the 2014 Raptor, but a fully stocked first-generation truck packs a 6.2-liter V8, making 411-horsepower and 434 lb-ft of torque. The new truck is fitted with the high-performance 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 with 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque.
The action starts off with a pair of dig races between the two trucks, in which the supercharged truck jumps out to a quick lead and never looks back. These are pretty short races, with both Raptors racing to speeds that can’t be much higher than the speed limit.
Finally, the two trucks run a quick roll race. In the last race, the new EcoBoost Raptor jumps out to a quick lead and holds that lead for quite a while. We won’t spoil the rest of the action for you, so make sure to watch the video.
In any case, it’s surprising how well the stock 2017 F-150 hangs with the more powerful, modified 2014 model. We can only imagine what a tuned 2017 Raptor could be capable of.
"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.
