The Haltech Horsepower Heroes record book has been dramatically broken during Saturday qualifying in the MPW dyno cell, with the Maatouks Racing MAKDDY VL Commodore resetting the overall record with an incredible 2504hp run. 

The previous record was held by Brenden ‘Bubba’ Medlyn and his twin-turbo Holden V8-powered VH Commodore, which he set in 2019 at Street Machine Summernats 32 with a run of 2483hp. 

Talk was that the Maatouks VL was well and truly capable of a 2500hp run with its billet RB30/26 and single turbo combo. MAKDDY is dripping in a heap of Platinum Racing Products goodies, along with the full Haltech Nexus catalogue.

There was no warm-up; Anthony Maatouk sat shotgun with dyno operator Adam Rogash as the VL spun up for its maiden run, which saw it scream to 11,000rpm as a barely believable 79psi was pumped into the little RB. The screen flashed up 2504hp/1867kW to the cheers of the packed crowd. 

Two more runs of 2490hp and 2498hp backed up the 2500hp ballpark figure, cementing the new record. The VL will still have to run again in the final on Sunday to secure the overall win, but the new record will stand regardless. 

It’s a significant jump in the leaderboard from yesterday’s qualifying, which had reigning Haltech Horsepower Heroes champ Cody Hunt in the provisional lead with a 1629hp/1215kW run from his URLUZN VE HSV wagon. 

Another big hitter was Lachlan Gow’s FG XR6 Turbo, which punched out 1041hp this morning to throw his hat in the ring for the Forced Induction Six-Cylinder class.

There’s still plenty more dyno action to come today, before the top three qualifiers will be invited back to the MPW dyno cell tomorrow to battle it out in the finals.