One of the most important tuning tools to a NHRA Pro Stock team is the transmission and it’s gear sets. With the competition often spread by mere thousandths of a second, setups have to be on-the-money for a given set of atmospheric and track conditions, and so being able to tune with the transmission is crucial. Teams use a five-speed transmission with a clutch that allows maximum tuning, and lets that small block scream to the new 10,500 rpm limit with ease.

This amazing video from Valvoline features Gray Motorsports and the teams’ car chief, Hank, as he gives a great rundown of just how these transmissions work. What many fans might not realize is that the clutch is only used when the tree drops, as the driver has to quickly release it and bang their shift points with expert precision. If the driver is off on their shifting it could cost them the win light and end their weekend.

With the bottom of the transmission case off, you can see just how complex these units are and how important keeping them serviced is. This Liberty unit takes about a quart and a half of fluid that is added in during the servicing process with the case open. After each run, the transmission is pulled out of the car, gone through, then has the gear ratio adjusted for the anticipated track and weather conditions. These teams are doing this type of service each round, and can pull it off in about 10 minutes, to boot. Check out the video to get the full rundown of just how important the servicing and tuning process is for these marvels.