Another Memphis, Tennessee, Mustang owner, Dale Hawkins grew up in the '60s in the middle of the Southern California drag-racing scene. Regular trips to Lions, Pomona, and Orange County International cemented Dale as a speed junkie. But similar to many people of that era, he stopped hot-rodding to get married and have a family. He had no desire to get back into the performance scene until he drove this '05 Mustang GT. "This is the first performance vehicle I've owned or wanted in 35 years," Dale says. "The day I drove it off the lot, I instantly began looking for more power."
As if Dynospeed Racing's work on Joey's KOTS-winning Bullitt wasn't enough, that shop provided more power to Dale's car as well. It was the first S197 to come into Dynospeed's fold, and the car couldn't be a better representative for the performance shop. "I trust no one else with my baby," Dale says. Featuring a relatively simple yet powerful combination, the car boasts a Dynospeed Racing-built bottom end, an upgraded valvetrain, an SCT Big Air 2400 mass air meter, a Vortech SQ S-Trim supercharger, and a Nitrous Pro-Flow 125hp shot of nitrous, Dale's GT was good for 576 hp on DiabloSport's Dynojet.
When Dale found out he was selected for KOTS, he stepped it up a notch by adding the built bottom end, the nitrous, and a new Speed of Sound nitrous control panel that should be on the market by the time you read this. Friendships like the ones Dale has developed with the guys at Dynospeed and Speed of Sound have caused his ever-supportive wife to get jealous of all the time he spends at the shop. "The shop has become like my second home," Dalesays.
Rest assured Mrs. Hawkins, Dale's time at the shop has paid off. His GT is so easy to drive, even a 5.0&SF sales guy could drive it-and fast. We thought someone swapped the GT for a stock automatic. It features a mostly stock 5R55 five-speed automatic transmission, but it was outfitted with a TCI Street Fighter 3,500-stall converter to raise launch rpm. Still, all that was needed to drive Dale's GT was to drop the stock shifter into drive and hit the gas. We didn't have to shift anything. We didn't have to hit any buttons. We didn't have to climb over any bars to get in the car. It was the easiest KOTS car to drive, possibly ever.
Combine that driveability with quarter-mile times in the 11.50s, and you can see why Dale's GT did so well. "Because of this car," he says, "I'm having the time of my life." We can see why.
Here's how Dale scored in each category and his final score
| Engineering | 9 |
| Dyno Numbers | 6 |
| Ride and Drive | 10 |
| Drag Race | 7 |
| Fit and Finish | 8 |
| Popular Vote | 6 |
| Final Score | 78 |
| Tech Specs |
| ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN | Fuel System |
| Block | Twin '07 Shelby GT 500 fuel pumps, |
| Stock | stock lines and rails, 60-lb/hr injectors, |
| Displacement | dual Ford PCM fuel-pump controllers |
| 284ci | Exhaust |
| Rotating Assembly | JBA Headers long-tube headers, off- |
| Stock crankshaft, Eagle connecting | road H-pipe, after-cat exhaust |
| rods, CP forged pistons, Clevite | Transmission |
| piston rings | Stock, TCI Street Fighter 3,000-stall |
| Cylinder Heads | converter, Powerhouse Automotive |
| Stock, Comp Cams valvesprings with | one-piece aluminum driveshaft |
| titanium retainers | |
| Camshafts | ELECTRONICS |
| Comp Cams | Engine Management |
| Intake Manifold | Stock computer, SCT X-Cal 2, custom |
| Stock | Dynospeed Racing tune |
| Mass Air | Ignition |
| SCT BA2400 Big Air | Stock, Granatelli Motorsports coil-on |
| Power Adder | plug system, Autolite HTO spark plugs |
| Vortech Superchargers SQ S-Trim, 14 | Gauges |
| pounds of boost, Dynospeed Racing- | Auto Meter Cobalt gauges, Raptor shift |
| fabricated '03 Cobra heat exchanger, | light, Speed of Sound gauge pod, |
| Nitrous Pro-Flow 125hp nitrous kit with | nitrous control panel |
| a bottle heater and purge kit | |