Chris Dutkewycz loves drag racing but was tired of breaking transmissions in his Honda, so he changed things up and built a 2003 Toyota Tacoma for track duty. Staying true to his Honda roots Dutkewycz stuck with Honda power with some boost for good measure; now his crossbred creation is knocking on the door of the 7-second zone in the 1/4-mile.

Starting with a fresh canvas, Dutkewycz began to fabricate the Tacoma at his shop CDFab with a stout rollcage to meet his ET goals. The stock rearend was replaced with a Ford 9-inch that uses the factory leaf spring-style suspension. Dutkewycz also built the turbo kit that uses a Precision Turbo & Engine 6266 turbo to provide the boost.

The heart of Dutkewycz’s truck is a Honda K24 engine built by Greg Dahl that uses a stock head with an upgraded Supertech valvetrain. Inside the cylinders are a set of JE pistons that are supported by Manley Turbo Tuff connecting rods. The Manley connecting rods are one of the key reasons the engine can support high levels of boost. FTI Performance supplied the Powerglide transmission and torque converter that finish out the driveline.

To keep the engine filled with E85 fuel, Dutkewycz added a set of FID injectors and a Weldon fuel pump. Joe Fisher, who is Dutkewyczs’ partner in the truck, does all of the tuning via a Hondata ECU. After only a few passes, Dutkewycz brought his ride to the World Cup Finals to compete in the True Street class; not only did he take the number one qualifying spot, but he also ran a personal best 8.12 at 162 mph during eliminations, and won the event.

If you’re looking for a set of connecting rods that can take a lot of abuse like this make sure you check out Manley’s website right here!