It’s not that Mullins Race Engines has a disproportionate number of engines running on the Midwest dirt tracks.

“Our guys just win more races,” says Chad Mullins after MRE captured the Comp Cams Engine Builder of the Year title for the third straight year.

The title is determined by a points system based on feature wins and placings on the US Modified Touring Series. MRE scored 526 total points followed by Geddes Racing Engines of Colorado Springs, Colorado, with 470 points and Pro Power Racing of Sullivan, Wisconsin, with 454 points. Sput’s Race Engines, which captured the title in 2009 and 2010, finished fourth with 442 points, well ahead of Roush Yates Engines with 322 points.

The MRE stable was led by USMTS national champ and Casey’s Cup winner Ryan Gustin, who won 14 features on the season. Jason Hughes added seven more victories, giving MRE 21 wins total. All other top-5 point-earners scored six wins each except Pro Power, which had nine victories on the year.

“We’re very excited,” adds Mullins, whose shop is located in Mt. Olive, Illinois.

A typical engine that Mullins builds for the series displaces 400 to 415 cubic inches and costs $16,000 to $20,000. He starts with a Dart block and favors either Winberg or Callies crankshafts with Carrillo, Callies or Dyer’s rods. CP pistons get the job of maintaining a 16:1 compression ratio. Rules dictate a spec Brodix 23-degree cylinder head and wet-sump oiling.

“These engines used to spin up to 9,000 rpm,” says Mullins.”Now they’ve got a 8,400 rpm chip.”

The engines dyno around 675 horsepower with 580 to 600 lb-ft of torque, based on the displacement. Mullins says his engines can last for 1200 to 1300 laps, just about a full season before fresh bearings and rings are needed.

Overall, 122 different engine builders scored points in the Comp Cams Engine Builder of the Year competition. Following are the complete standings, and check out the video below that shows a Mullins’ engine build from start to finish:

FINAL TOP 20 STANDINGS:


• Mullins Race Engines, Mt. Olive, IL: 526 (21 wins)

• Geddes Racing Engines, Colorado Springs, CO: 470 (6 wins)

• Pro Power Racing, Sullivan, WI: 454 (9 wins)
• 
Sput’s Racing Engines, Owatonna, MN: 442 (6 wins)
• 
Roush Yates Engines, Mooresville, NC: 322 (6 wins)
• 
Hatfield Racing Engines, Joplin, MO: 216 (6 wins)

• Yeoman Race Engines, Galena, KS: 166 (1 win)

• Tim’s Automotive Machine, Bloomer, WI: 134 (3 wins)
• 
Kevin Stoa Engineering, Albert Lea, MN: 111
• 
Action Engineering, Rochester, MN: 103 (2 wins)
• 
JR Motorsports, Ankeny, IA: 85
• 
GM Performance Parts (now Chevrolet Performance), Blanc, MI: 56 (4 wins)
• 
Wells Racing Engines, Duncanville, TX: 41

• Midstate Machine, Des Moines, IA: 37 (1 win)
• 
Homegrown Racing Engines, Pea Ridge, AR: 34

• Miss. Racing Engines, Hulbert, OK: 29

• Grawmondbeck’s Competition Engines, Mason City, IA: 28
• 
Racing Engines by C.B., Houston, TX: 23

• Cline Racing Engines, Bono, AR: 22

• Wagamon Bros. Performance Engines, Columbia Heights, MN: 22