According to Gann, in 2007 he developed a cylinder head for the Suzuki-powered NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycles.
“They (NHRA) approached us and this was at a time when the Suzukis were a little behind,” Blake said. “They (NHRA) said we hear you have the means to build a cylinder head and you want to and we’re approaching you to see if you want to continue that and we would go ahead and encourage you to do it and we will approve it if you do and it has more power. So, we developed a new cylinder head and it was a pretty cool deal.”
After completing the cylinder head a few years back, Gann then followed the protocol to get the part approved by NHRA.
“They told us to submit the papers at Indy that year and we did,” Gann said. “At (the second) Vegas race, they (NHRA) told us that they (NHRA) decided we only had to do 15 of them (cylinder heads for Suzukis). The rule used to be that you had to have 30 castings or parts on the shelf to meet their requirements, but that’s when Suzukis had the whole field. Of course now there’s three brands out there and sometimes four. They (NHRA) asked us if doing 15 cylinder heads was a problem and I told them it was not a problem. Then, they call me right before the PIR (Performance Racing Industry) show in Orlando, and said is it possible you can have one of those things (the Suzuki cylinder head) roughed out so we could take a look at it, so we can take picture of it and look at it. I said, no problem. Then, two weeks before the start of the Gatornationals, they (NHRA) called and said that (cylinder) head project is over, forget it. That was pretty devastating because the last time I had talked to them, I told Danny Gra
cia (NHRA’s National Technical Director), I said, 'look dude I’m going back to the house and I have to spend $40,000 (to continue this cylinder head project), so I really need to make sure this cylinder head is a go'. He (Gracia) said go back home and get to work on it. Then, two weeks before the Gators, I had engines ready and everything to run the (cylinder) head and they (NHRA) just pulled the plug on it.”
Once Gann made it the Gators, he claims the NHRA technical group had a change of heart.
“They said, we’ve decided we are going to let you do this deal, and can you have the engine done on the dyno and bring us a running engine to Atlanta,” Blake said. “I said sure. So I come home get the engines ready and jump through all the hoops again and get to Atlanta and he (Gracia) brings a letter over that said I’ve been denied. It was crazy. I already had orders for the cylinder head when I got to Atlanta. Wesley Wells had ordered one, Mike Berry had ordered one, Paul Gast had ordered one and everybody who ordered one was at that race in Atlanta. They couldn’t believe the deal didn’t go down and I have no idea why the NHRA denied me (for the cylinder heads). I have not tried to re-submit it (the Suzuki cylinder head) because every time I mention that I’m going to go over and talk to them (NHRA) about it, they roll their eyes and are like you can re-submit if you want to waste your time. No, I do not want to waste my time. I do not have time to waste.”
Gann did complete his Suzuki cylinder head project and the cylinder heads are in use, just not in the NHRA.
“I have sold several of the cylinder heads and several guys in the ADRL (American Drag Racing League) are using them,” Gann said. “Charlie Prophit is running my cylinder head, and we have several guys out there running them right now (in the ADRL), they’re just not where I intended them to be. I made 15 of those Suzuki cylinder heads and I spent a fortune doing it. We probably have $200,000 in the project.”
