The art of running an engine shop, winning championships on land and sea and securing exclusive partnerships
When shopping for a high-performance or racing engine you can count yourself lucky if you find a builder who answers the phone, is well-organized and who can generate competitive reliable power.
But if the builder can couple these attributes with an extra energy, you will benefit by having these vital qualities serving you. What counts is real motive power—a source not just confined to the engine but also one that penetrates the thinking of team that prepares the engines.
Early promise on a journey of 40 years
When Jon Kaase began his career as a professional engine builder in early 1977, he was propelled to prominence by season end. Working with Dyno Don Nicholson, they had triumphed by securing the NHRA Pro Stock Championship. Under the subsequent banner, Jon Kaase Racing, the firm achieved a further 12 Mountain Motor Pro Stock Championships between the years of 1995 to 2006.
During the first decade of this century, the firm added hot rod engines to their menu, represented by a much-respected big-block: their flagship the Boss Nine. Topped by evocative Boss-style valve covers, Boss Nines beguile with a long list of custom options. In hot rod engine discussions, this engine series has become one of the best-loved in the history of the breed combining a virtual Buddha of torque with exquisite hot rod looks.
Kaase’s team also applied their craft to winning the Engine Masters Challenge six times. An annual power/torque competition set between 30 and 50 of this country’s finest engine builders and conducted at the University of Northwestern Ohio, Kaase once said, “I was amazed by the amount of exposure we gained from those contests. They stimulated a lot of interest and added much to our credibility.”
Kaase initiates exclusive agreements, mobilizes the production of offshore racing power units, engages in assembly of high-performance Nissan GT-R engines and extends commitments to industrial equipment manufacturers.
Kaase’s business model continues to evolve. Recently, their most significant efforts by some margin take the form of exclusive partnerships—ventures that involve non-disclosure agreements.
These are aimed at premium companies requiring high-quality engines, including the 8-time world champion Miss Geico offshore racing team, who makes their engine packages available through Supercat Rigging. Offshore powerboat racing is a type of competition for ocean-going powerboats, typically point-to-point racing.
Shortly after the power sports commitment, Atlanta-based Top Speed Motorsports engaged Kaase in a similar exclusive relationship, involving the assembly of their high-performance Nissan GT-R engines.
Likely, this helps explain why successful agreements are built on 40 years of trust.