Ryan Falconer
Racing Engines

Est. 1966

Building, designing and developing race-winning engines for over 50 years

The year, 2016 marked our 50th anniversary as a builder, designer and developer of race-winning engines. Fifty YEARS. Half a century and probably close to a million horsepower later we're still at it. We'll be expanding this section regularly so stay tuned for all the cool details. In the meantime, here's a brief resume:

1960s

  • After leading the NOVI development for the Granatellis (Paxton) and work for Carroll Shelby, Ryan Falconer went solo in 1966
  • Graham Hill wins the Indianapolis 500 powered by an Indy Ford engine built by Ryan Falconer
  • Founded Falconer & Dunn Racing Engines with John Dunn, who would later found Swindon Racing engines in Swindon, England
  • Extensive development for Ford Motor Company

1970s

  • Introduced the use of Bosch mechanical fuel injection (over carburetors) in offshore powerboat racing. The result was fantastic performance that got us legislated out of the series
  • The Glory Years of Formula 5000 with the Vel's Parnelli Jones team driven by AL Unser and Mario Andretti
  • The unfortunate demise in formula 5000 led to the resurgence of Can-Am where our red engines continued to shine

1980s

  • After a number of hard-fought seasons on the Can-Am circuit, Ryan Falconer Racing Engines won the Can-Am Champoinship as an engine builder
  • We built the first ever Chevrolet 90-degree V6 engines to run at the Indy 500, first in 1981 then again in 1983
  • Development continued for Chevrolet in Tans-Am, IMSA GTO, GTU and the ultimate, GTP with 1,200-horswpower driving the GTP Corvette
  • No one knew it, but we were developing our own engine, a beast that would be known as the Falconer V12...

1990s

  • The Falconer V12 debuts at SEMA in 1990 drawing a record crowd into the Vortech Superchargers booth, Vortech was also debuting that year and to this day we thank Jim Middlebrook for giving our engine a corner in his booth
  • More trips to SEMA with the Falconer V12 including an installation in a Chevrolet 4X4 pickup
  • Tommy Sapp builds Conan, a Falconer V12-powered Corvette (a car that could run well in excess of 200mph) the car is now at the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green Kentucky
  • The Falconer V12 takes to the skies powering the Thunder Mustang kitplane, an amazing 3/4-scale P-51 replica

2000s

  • The Falconer V12's momentum continues with installations in a variety of vehicles
  • The custom street rod crowd, now fully interested in the Falconer V12, commissioned many new and exciting variants of the engine, inclusing the all-polished engine built for Dan Woods
  • Something wicked this way came...The Falconer L6
  • Add a small batch of 2002-season IRL Chevrolet Indycar engines we decided to turn into street rod engines and, well, we put one in a Shelby Cobra continuation chassis

2010s

  • Dennis Varni shatters the Class E/BGS (Class E, Blown, Gas, Streamliner) land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, raising the bar from 290mph to 317.7mph, powered by a twin-turbocharged Falconer L6 making 1,300 horsepower
  • After 33 years in our Salinas, California facility and 44 years in California, we pulled up the floorbaords and moved to the high desert of Arizona. Chino Valley is where our new facility resides, right next door to beautiful Prescott. And interestingly, there are a TON of car people here, the talent pool is amazing
  • The Falconer L6 took off as an instant hit among the power hungry and those looking for a unique powerplant
  • Dennis Varni runs his Falconer L6-powered streamliner in 2011 raising the speed record from 317.7mph to 331mph, the interesting point is he did so using just under 900 of the 1,300 horsepower on tap
  • In 2012, Dennis Varni broke his previous two speed records, now raising the bar to 335mph with his Falconer L6 powerplant

And finally, thanks to all of you, our customers, our friends, our fans, the magazines and the press who shared our work with the world. Thank you all!