This Aussie Hilux is Absolutely UNHINGED

Welcome to Summernats 2026. We are joined by Jack Harrison, also known as "the winner." Jack's truck is well-known from previous burnout content, including SEMA. Jack, 26, is a mechanic from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He has spent the last two years traveling across America and other regions, and now he's at the inaugural Summernats USA, which he won. The story behind his truck is one of continuous upgrades. He started with an original Hilux, purchased with tax money, which initially had a V6 engine. After blowing up the V6 doing skids, he sold it and bought his current truck for $250 when he was 17. He built it in his parents' backyard, learning everything on this vehicle. The truck has gone through many phases, always with a budget-oriented approach. It still retains a standard bottom-end iron block 6-liter engine with a standard crank, rods, and pistons. This truck holds significant sentimental value for Jack, having been with him for almost 10 years since he was 17. The $250 purchase price is notable, especially considering these trucks are now rare and expensive in America, costing anywhere from six to ten thousand dollars. Jack’s initial intention when building the truck was to do burnouts. He considered drifting, but found it a much smaller and harder sport to get into in Australia, so he focused on burnouts. He chose an LS engine because it was the cheapest and most reliable option available in Australia. The truck, which Americans call a "pickup" and Australians call a "Hilux," was chosen for its affordability. Despite its current appearance, it remains a budget build. The engine started as a $450 junkyard LS. He simply opened up the bearing and ring gaps for boost and added a Michigan Motorsports cam kit with valve springs and an oil pump. It features a Vortex side-mount blower and various cooling components, which are crucial for a burnout car's longevity. Jack emphasizes the importance of keeping the engine lubricated and the water cool to ensure its survival. He runs the truck on E85 fuel, which is uncommon in the burnout scene, where many believe methanol is necessary due to the extreme heat generated during two-minute continuous boost runs. However, Jack has proven E85 works, provided the fuel lines are kept away from heat. He refers to E85 as "the poor man's race fuel" and uses it in all his vehicles due to its accessibility. The truck produces 600 horsepower, a conservative figure achieved with low timing to maintain reliability and safety. Jack believes staying in the 600 horsepower range is ideal, as pushing for more power can cause excessive strain and shock to the components. He also mentions a "crazy rev limiter" that seems to act consistently regardless of adjustments, which he attributes to the 8-to-1 exhaust collector. The exhaust system is a unique "spaghetti monster" design, with an 8-to-1 collector upfront and additional tubes that transition from two to four to six. This custom setup was designed for a wild, never-before-seen look, creating a striking appearance and spitting fire from multiple points during operation. The transmission is a two-speed Powerglide, an old-school drag racing component from the 1960s. Jack primarily uses first gear for launch and then shifts to second, where it remains for the entire burnout. For wheels, he uses KMCs with bead locks on the front, but typically runs steel wheels on the rear. This is primarily due to cost and grip. Steel wheels offer significant grip, which is important for burnouts, but less grip is needed compared to drifting to prevent the front tires from losing traction due to accumulated rubber on the pad. There's also a rule against running aluminum wheels or popping tires with them in burnouts, as they can explode due to wheel speed, potentially causing severe damage or injury. The rear of the truck houses a complex cooling system. It includes an air-to-water intercooler at the front for intake air temperature management, an expansion tank for extra cooling capacity, and a rear-mounted radiator with aluminum pipes to dissipate heat. The large air-to-water tank eliminates the need for ice, allowing him to run straight water and simplify logistics. This setup provides ample cooling for the minute and a half burnouts, preventing the 20-second melt time of typical ice boxes. The entire bed is customized with fiberglass and a custom-built frame made of thin round bar, similar to drifting setups, allowing for easy repair after impacts. The truck also incorporates a water-methanol injection system, added in the last year or two, which Jack considers one of his best modifications despite initial skepticism from others. The water-meth is sprayed directly into the supercharger inlet, cooling the blower before the intercooler and preventing spark knock. With this system, the cooling system temperatures reach only about 180°F by the end of a skid, well below the operating temperature of 210-220°F for an iron block. This ensures the engine remains cool and lubricated, contributing to its longevity. Inside, the truck is on "life support," as Jack wired it himself. The ignition coils are located inside due to heat from the exhaust pipes. An unconventional solution involved using extra-long spark plug wires, allowing them to be trimmed if they melt. The truck runs a Holley HP system, a recent addition that has significantly improved reliability by enabling data logging after each run to monitor performance and identify any issues. The engine is mid-mounted, requiring the firewall to be cut, and a Perspex window is used to allow it to pass through the front window. This design helps shift weight further back into the middle of the car for better handling and accommodates the 8-to-1 exhaust. For steering, the Hilux originally came with torsion bars, a long bar connecting the lower control arm to the middle of the car, acting as suspension. While allowing for free lowering, it resulted in significant body roll. Jack's extensive seat time and driving ability have clearly contributed to his success. He estimates having gone through countless sets of tires. Jack Harrison's victory at Summernats USA 2026 is a testament to his skill and the unique engineering of his truck. During the interview, there was a humorous moment involving a "throttle hang," which thankfully didn't occur during his winning run.