In the late 1990s, Ford and Dodge were in an interesting battle to offer the strongest gasoline-powered heavy duty trucks. Both brands had solid V8 options, but to yield more power, but truck makers added two extra cylinders. For Ford, that brought about the creation of the 6.8-liter Triton V10. When first introduced for the 1999 model year, the Super Duty V10 delivered 425 lb-ft of torque, but from 2005 through 2016, it offered 457 lb-ft, making it the most powerful gas option in the F-250 and F-350.
The Triton V10 was a popular option for Super Duty buyers who wanted more power than was offered by the V8, but who also wanted to stay away from the big cost of the PowerStroke diesel. The key downside to the V10 was that it was a crazy gas hog, offering far worse mileage than the diesel options. However, if you were buying a Super Duty from the late 1990s through 2016 and you wanted the strongest engine, the V10 was your best choice. The V10 would continue through 2019, but in the later years, it only offered 424 lb-ft.
"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.
