Evolution Performance Dark Horse Burst Through 9-Second Door

The S650 competition has been thriving, with numerous companies building full-weight cars to push the supercharged Gen-4 Coyote further into the performance spectrum. After all, not everyone wants to gut their brand-new vehicle. We’ve seen naturally aspirated, nitrous, and, now more commonly, supercharged builds. Each has contributed to making the seventh-generation Mustang faster on the track, but the supercharger and tuning from Whipple have propelled many down the dragstrip in record times. The latest example is from Evolution Performance and their 2024 Mustang Dark Horse.

Four-Digit Dyno Power

Given that Whipple is the only company with tuning capabilities for the 2024 Mustang, it’s no surprise that Evolution Performance utilized the Whipple Gen-6 3.0-liter kit to harness the power. In the case of Evolution Performance’s Grabber Blue Metallic Dark Horse, the car achieved 1,045 rear-wheel horsepower and 719 lb-ft of torque on the dyno! While these numbers are attention-grabbing, the track day results were actually achieved with less horsepower.

With a rear-wheel horsepower of only 977 and 676 lb-ft of torque, the best run clocked in at 9.53 seconds at 142 mph at Cecil County Dragway in Rising Sun, Maryland. Behind the wheel was none other than Evolution Performance’s lead technician, who not only built the car but also piloted it down the 1,320-foot track, marking his second time driving the car on the track.

The only weight-saving measures were a carbon-fiber driveshaft and a drag pack, which could easily be argued were more about rigidity, safety, and the ability to hook rather than weight savings, most of which was offset by the supercharger unit. Additionally, the car is not lightweight, being equipped with Brembo brakes on the front and rear, Magneride suspension, and a complete interior.

Although the world is waiting for custom tuning options, Evolution Performance reported using Sunoco Race Fuel E30R. Without custom tuning options, you can’t install a return fuel system with bigger injectors or tune it for every racer’s favorite corn-based fuel, E85. According to Fred Cook, E30R is the best option for cooling and octane, supporting optimum ignition timing and more boost when using a smaller pulley. This fuel setup provides the Mustang with the best performance currently available.

S650 Competition Continues

As the Bowtie and Mopar variants have exited the scene, the internal Ford competition remains vibrant. Various…