A Fantastic Beginning of the New Year Here at Blackbird Performance!!!
A fantastic beginning of the new year here at Blackbird Performance !!!
It’s no secret that in 2025, right at the top of the list of G3 Hemi powered dreams that we’ve been so blessed to help with, is the work we’ve done with Mark Dudley, Jr., the Bracket Assassin and his Race Spec 700+ powered Blackbird Duster.
After 330+ runs, 14 finals, a runner up in one track championship and top 5 ish or better in many other series, short of the unfortunate end of the year transmission failure, it was just a stellar year and more than we ever hoped proof these G3 Hemis make great, reliable, very cost effective and consistent bracket engines.
Today, we are thrilled to say in 2026, we will take that partnership and friendship to a whole new level. Better yet, it involves three generations of North Carolinan, ultra tough drag racing Dudleys. They all showed up at the shop today to drop off the car that will be the base of this new adventure.
A car that Mark, Jr. ‘s Grandpa, Ken Dudley, so generously gifted to Mark, a just beautiful ‘63 Plymouth Fury. Thanks to Ken, this rolling piece of drag racing history, raced as the ‘Asphalt Hustler’ and driven by the Dudleys for decades into the winner’s circle, powered by a 426 CID Cross Ram Max Wedge will now be part of Mark, Jr.’s drag racing future.
This car is about to become a G3 Hemi based 426 NA powered Super Stocker, to give Mark, Jr. the opportunity to compete, predominantly in IHRA Super Stock competition. But it gets better, it’ll be equipped with a terrific transmission from our friends at Liberty, a clutch from Ram and a bellhousing from Browell, that’ll keep Mark’s foot more than safe, and let him experience the true joy of dropping the clutch, banging gears behind a high winding Hemi, all the way down the track.
To say we are excited about what lies ahead in 2026 is the understatement of the year. What better G3 Hemi powered dream to help make come true than one that fills the hearts of three, very good men, who are also hard core racers the dream of Ken, Mark, Sr. and Mark, Jr. Dudley. Stay tuned as the build, with our PMR partners, begins NOW.
