QA1 Shocks Power Ryan Martino's 2,600 HP Top Dragster
Ohio native Ryan Martino campaigns his 2,600-plus-horsepower dragster in the highly competitive NHRA and PDRA Top Dragster ranks, relying on QA1 double-adjustable coilover shocks to make consistent, repeatable runs in the sport's quickest, fastest, highest-horsepower bracket-racing category.
The Maddox Race Cars-built dragster features a 540-cubic-inch PAR Racing Engines big-block Chevrolet, boosted by a ProCharger F3X gear-driven supercharger. Making an estimated 2,600-3,000 horsepower, the combination is dialed in for repeatability despite it’s big-time horsepower output, with Martino focusing on repeatability and control in a class where precision is everything.
Backing the ProCharged big-block is a Rossler Powerglide transmission, an FTI torque converter, and a floater rearend housing. With a lightweight, 2,000-pound chassis, the dragster has been 3.70s in the eighth-mile and has has the full capability of 5.70s at 230-240 mph in the quarter-mile.
One of the most critical elements of his dragster’s success is the suspension setup. Modern-day dragsters, even those with the kind of power Martino’s produces, feature 4-link-style rear suspension configurations with coilover shocks. Maddox Race Cars installs QA1 shocks into every chassis it builds, and unlike some teams that frequently adjust their suspension settings, Martino has found that his QA1 shocks deliver right out of the trailer. “The first pass out of the box with this car with the ProCharger combination was a 3.81. The next pass was a 3.81. The next pass after that was a 3.81. People were asking, ‘What are you guys doing?’ because we were just hitting the number every time,” Martino says.
While some racers struggle with track conditions, shock settings, and chassis tweaks, Martino’s experience with QA1 shocks has been seamless. “We’ve been on 150-degree track temps, we’ve been on 60-degree track temps, and we’ve thrown power at it and taken power away. The car just does exactly what we need it to do—no drama,” he explains. In a class where consistency wins races, having a suspension system that doesn’t require constant adjustment is an advantage. “We haven’t touched them since Maddox put his tune-up on them, and the car just goes A to B every pass,” Martino adds.
Martino also praises the QA1 shocks’ stability downtrack, an area where high-horsepower dragsters can become unsettled. “Everybody talks about ride height, wing angle, and how all that changes when the chassis gets up on the tire, but we’ve never had any issues at the top end or on launch. The car just works,” he says.
For Martino, the proof is in the results. His dragster’s ability to make repeatable passes in a category that demands near perfection is a showcase of a well-engineered chassis and a suspension setup that simply does its job. “I absolutely wouldn’t change those shocks for anything,” he states. “You can’t get any better than what we’re getting out of them right now.”
In the new car’s fifth race Martino won the PDRA Pro Stars in Elite Top Dragster and runnered-up the next event. He’s since recorded several runner-up and semifinal round appearances. He finished fourth in PDRA Elite Top Dragster points in 2023.
With a focus on consistency and a no-compromise approach to performance, Martino’s dragster is a prime example of the importance of quality components coming together. And when it comes to suspension, QA1 delivers exactly what he needs—every pass.
