Three races between the F-150 and the Sierra prove the importance of a good driver.
This week’s Truckin Fast Wednesday video comes to us from the Kunes Country TV YouTube channeland it features a trio of drag races between a 2018 Ford F-150 and a 2018 GMC Sierra. Unfortunately, questionable driving leaves some question as to which truck is quicker, but the twin turbocharged V6 appears to have the edge.
The Competitors
The video above features a 2018 Ford F-150 and a 2018 GMC Sierra. Both trucks have their largest cab configuration, four-wheel-drive and automatic transmissions, but they have very different engines.
Under the hood of the F-150 is the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, delivering 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque while the Sierra packs the 6.2-liter V8. With 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, this is the most powerful V8 in the half-ton truck segment, but thanks to its aluminum body, the Ford has an advantage in weight.
Line Them Up
After a brief introduction to the trucks, they line up for the first race. When the flagger drops her arms, both trucks launch, but the F-150 gets out much better. In the comment section of the video, some people insist that the Ford got an early start, but it might just be a case of one driver reacting more quickly to the starting signal.
In any case, the Ford beats the GMC soundly in the first race.
In the second race, the drivers switch and we have a similar situation to the first race, except the roles are reversed. The GMC appears to get out to an early start on this run and as a result, it hands the Ford a sound beating.
For the third and final run, the drivers switch once again and this time, the start appears to be much more even. The GMC and Ford appear to launch at the same time, but it doesn’t take long for the svelte F-150 to pull ahead and cruise to the win. On this run, the even start leads to a closer race, but the Ford still takes the clear-cut win.
While the drivers need some work on their launch timing, this video shows that the EcoBoost V6 is every bit as quick- if not quicker – than the GMC with the segment’s most powerful V8 engine.
"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.
