It’s hard to believe — some would even say crazy — what modern Drag and Drive cars are capable of. Thousands of horsepower, five- and six-second passes, all while towing a trailer loaded with spares hundreds of miles to the next event. It’s a challenge that perfectly reflects Devin’s approach to performance: serious power, smart engineering, and reliability that matters just as much as outright speed.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

In this episode of Tuned In, Devin Vanderhoof shares how he moved from imports and early standalone ECUs into the domestic V8 world, taking with him an appreciation for electronics, efficiency, and making the most of the hardware available. That experience eventually shaped HCR Innovations and his approach to building and tuning high-level race cars.

We dive into Devin’s twin-turbo big-block Mustang, built for Drag and Drive competition. He explains why reliability matters more than chasing every last horsepower, how he approaches boost and power management, and why winning the event is more important to him than setting the quickest pass.

The conversation also gets technical, covering methanol tuning, spark plug reading, EGTs, launch strategy, CO2 boost control, and why these cars are often better developed at the track than on a dyno. Devin also shares his extensive experience with Holley EFI and why it remains his preferred platform for many of the cars he works with.

This episode is packed with real-world insight into wiring, EFI, tuning, and high-level drag racing. Devin’s experience shows that building a seriously fast car is one thing, but making it reliable, repeatable, and capable of surviving Drag and Drive competition is an entirely different challenge.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

Follow Devin Here:

Facebook: devin.vanderhoof
Facebook: hcr innovations
Instagram: hcr innovations
Instagram: @boo00st
Youtube: @theholleyEFIguy
WWW: hcrinnovations.com

Timestamps:

0:00 How Do You Make 3000+HP Survive Drag and Drive?
3:43 How did you get involved in the car scene?
8:29 Why is everyone scared of wiring?
10:57 Getting into the car scene continued, Drag Racing, Mitsubishi DSM’s, Hondas
12:59 How fast did you go in the Honda and DSM’s?
14:44 The switch from imports to domestic drag cars
18:16 How did you learn how to tune?
30:10 Give us a breakdown of your Mustang, What is it?
32:26 A big block Chev in a Ford Mustang?
37:45 How many passes are you getting on the Alloy Rods?
41:15 How much wear does the road miles put on the engine?
49:21 Drag and Drive engine compromises
52:54 What turbos are you running?
54:36 What boost pressure are you running?
56:52 How fast has the Mustang been down the 1/4 mile?
59:37 What sort of AFR do you run for methanol?
1:16:02 How do you tune on the dyno for 3000HP?
1:22:01 What sort of launch strategy are you using?
1:27:54 What is CO2 boost control?
1:33:15 Have you had any experience with the Turbosmart Straight Gate?
1:39:44 Why did you pick Holley as your go to ECU?
2:10:37 Final 3 questions

Joe Simpson didn’t grow up building cars with his dad or surrounded by race engines. Instead, an early fascination with imports, turbo Hondas, and the underground tuning scene slowly pulled him towards a career he never originally planned—eventually becoming an incredible fabricator and tuner.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

In this episode of Tuned In, Joe explains how he started with almost no mechanical experience before teaching himself fabrication and tuning out of necessity. Beginning with basic piggyback controllers and early Hondata systems, he steadily built his skills through repetition, experimentation, and plenty of time on the dyno.

We also explore Joe’s transition from Honda tuning into domestic performance, HP Tuners, and eventually the Holley EFI ecosystem. He breaks down the differences between the Sniper, Terminator X, HP, and Dominator systems, where each works best, and why the most expensive ECU is not automatically the right solution.

Joe and Andre also discuss why making huge horsepower numbers can be easier than achieving factory-like street manners. Cold starts, idle control, drivability, and reliable power management can require far more attention than simply producing an impressive dyno result. Finally, Joe shares how his YouTube channel evolved into Tune The Trilogy, turning years of workshop and tuning experience into online education.

This conversation is full of practical insights and real-world experience. Joe’s honest approach to learning, problem-solving, and continuous improvement makes this an episode every performance enthusiast can take something away from.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

Follow Joe Here:

Instagram: joe_at_tempest
Youtube: JoeSimpsonAtTempest
WWW: tempest-racing.com
WWW: tunethetrilogy.com

Timestamps:

0:00 From Turbo Hondas to Holley EFI Guru
3:15 How did you become interested in cars?
11:16 Discovering Honda’s
19:46 Getting your first job in a performance shop
23:14 Do you need a qualification to be a mechanic in the US?
30:15 How did you learn to tune?
38:38 How did you find moving into the K series?
43:58 How did you switch from JDM to US domestic?
53:32 Tuning big power is easy?
58:28 What Holley products are you working with?
1:01:25 Holley Sniper self tuning
1:09:04 Holley Terminator X
1:10:02 What’s the advantages of the HP and Dominator ECU’s?
1:16:43 How good is transmission support for the 4L60, 4L80 on the Terminator X?
1:18:17 Best and worst features of the Holley ECU’s?
1:27:23 8HP integration
1:31:42 How did you start Tune the Trilogy?
1:36:42 Is there still time to run a performance workshop?
1:49:39 Final 3 questions

When Martin designed his first camshaft for the Ford Merkur XR4Ti, he probably never imagined that one day he'd be building some of the fastest GT-Rs and Lamborghinis in the world—but that's exactly what he has done. Martin Musial's journey with AMS Performance has been nothing short of extraordinary.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

In this episode of Tuned In, Martin shares how growing up around machinery and studying mechanical engineering laid the foundations for his career. After working in his father’s machine shop, he discovered a passion for designing and manufacturing performance parts that solved real problems, eventually helping shape AMS into one of the world's most respected performance companies.

We follow AMS’s evolution from Mitsubishi Evos to the R35 GT-R, where relentless testing pushed the team to develop stronger engines, turbo systems, and drivetrain solutions. Martin explains how repeated failures lead to innovations, proving that successful product development is built on continuous refinement.

The conversation also explores AMS’s move into the Audi R8 and Lamborghini Huracán platforms, the challenges of modern ECUs and dual-clutch transmissions, and why the biggest dyno number doesn't always make the best street car. Martin also shares the realities of growing a specialist workshop into a global engineering and manufacturing business.

This episode is packed with insight into engine development, product design, and building a successful performance business. Whether you're chasing horsepower or creating better parts, Martin's experience shows that the best results come from understanding the engineering and never stopping the development process.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

Follow Martin here:

Instagram: AMS Performance
Facebook: AMS Performance
Youtube: AMS Performance
WWW: amsperformance.com

Timestamps:

0:00 Building Record-Breaking GT-Rs & Lamborghinis | AMS Performance
3:54 How did you become interested in cars?
9:35 The story of starting AMS?
13:49 Is old school mechanical knowledge being lost?
17:57 The start of AMS continued
26:41 What was the change like from Talon, Eclipse to Evo 8?
35:15 How did you develop your skills with EFI tuning?
37:15 How do you navigate uncharted territory with customer builds?
44:37 The transition from the 4g63 to the R35 GTR
48:25 Designing a stock placement turbo kit for the R35 GTR
57:26 How did the billet block for the R35 come about?
1:05:42 When things go wrong, who pays for it?
1:06:42 The million dollar mistake
1:15:30 What sort of head gasket are you using?
1:17:06 Do we have full control and understanding of the DCT transmissions?
1:24:58 What ECU’s are you using to control these cars?
1:27:12 Moving from the R35 platform to the Lamborghini Huracan/Audi R8
1:32:04 What’s a street level turbo Huracan’s happy power level?
1:36:52 What makes and models are you looking to support in the future?
1:42:09 What does AMS look like today?
1:50:57 What’s your current role at AMS look like?
1:59:52 Final 3 questions