Ford F-150 Lightning is One of the World’s Quickest Pickups

F-150 Lightning uses a 400-cubic inch V8 and twin turbochargers to run the quarter mile in the high 6s.

The second generation Ford F-150 SVT Lightning was one of the quickest production trucks to ever grace a dealership showroom back in the early 2000s and 15 years after they left production, it is still common to see one of these half-ton beasts tearing up the drag strip. The Lightning in the video above is likely the best example of how well these F-150s have withstood the test of time, running just as quick in the quarter mile as the top qualifiers in an NHRA Pro Stock class.

More importantly, when this video from TheSauceSpot YouTube channel was published late last year, this F-150 Lightning, known as “The Yetti”, was the quickest and fastest pickup on drag radial tires in the world. We don’t know if that records stands, but with so few half-ton trucks running the quarter mile in the 6-second range, we suspect that if this F-150 isn’t the quickest in the world, it is still among the quickest.

F-150 Lightning – The Yetti

There are no details included with this video, but this particular Ford F-150 SVT Lightning is well-known and featured heavily online, so finding information wasn’t hard. This truck is powered by a 400-cubic inch small block Ford V8, fitted with a pair of 88-millimeter Bullseye turbochargers that help this half-ton produce more than 2,000 horsepower. That power is sent towards the rear wheels by means of a TH400 automatic transmission, while a set of drag radial tires and what we can bet is a very expensive suspension build work together to put all of that power to the ground.

Also, we found that this Ford F-150 has been lightened-up to tip the scales at just under 3,500 pounds, so while it is lighter than a stock Lightning, it is still quite heavy as 6-second drag vehicles go. Luckily, having 2,000 horsepower makes that track weight seem not-so-important, as this truck still turns in record-setting elapsed times in the quarter mile.

Setting the Record

In the video above, Jimmy Dolan is driving the F-150 Lightning down the Maryland International Raceway quarter mile. We actually see the truck launch a few times and we know that they are different runs based on the time of day and the car in the other lane. However, on one of these runs, Dolan and The Yetti set the world record for the quickest and fastest truck on drag radial tires to tackle the quarter mile, running a 6.72 at 208 miles per hour.

Crank up your speakers and enjoy!

Photos: TheNewYetti Instagram account

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

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