Take a look at this Twin Turbo Chaos: Justin Swanstrom’s Wild First Pass in the New HEMI Pro Mod!

When Justin Swanstrom says something is wild… you know it’s going to be really wild. His latest vlog, “Made My First Pass Ever In TWIN TURBO HEMI!!!! (WOAHHHHH)”, delivers everything fans love — chaos, horsepower, problem-solving, and the raw emotion of pushing a brand-new Pro Mod setup to its limit at Bradenton Motorsports Park.

This was the opening weekend of the Winter Series, and with 85 of the world’s baddest Pro Mods invited, nothing comes easy. But for Team Swan Gang, the challenge was just beginning.

A New Setup… and Zero Testing Time

Justin explains right away that the team is basically starting from scratch:

• New transmission

• New converter

• New rear gear

• No test passes

Last year they missed the field running 3.65, and this year the competition is even faster. But the team came ready — merch loaded, pits set up, and full commitment to making every hit count.

First Pass Disaster: The Car Won’t Stay Running

As soon as they attempt their first shakedown pass, disaster strikes.

The car shuts off on track, forcing the crew to push Justin back off the starting line. A dangerous situation, especially when the throttle blades are sticking. Back in the pits, the crew discovers:

• A persistent throttle blade hang-up

• A mysterious electrical issue killing the car

• A transmission cooler leak

• A fuel leak near the power valve

• A loose throttle blade causing idle issues

In other words… everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

But the team stayed calm, hunted down each issue, and turned the car around for another try.

Second Pass: Progress at Last

The second attempt brings some relief.

The car drives through the shake, stays running, and puts down a solid pull. Justin immediately notices the improvement:

• The engine idled better

• The car didn’t die

• The data proved they were finally making progress

However, the run ends with a terrifying moment:
👉 The throttle sticks wide open at the top end.

For any racer, that is the absolute worst-case scenario. Justin kept it calm, but admits the moment was “a little scary, not gonna lie.” The team now believes a combination of the cable and the hat is causing the issue.

Meanwhile… Justin Makes His First Ever Twin-Turbo HEMI Pass

Because Survivor was too risky to run, the team pulled out Richard Bailey’s all-new purple twin-turbo Pro Mod.

This marked a first for Justin:
👉 His first pass ever in a twin-turbo HEMI car.

Despite dealing with a shaky stomach (thanks to too many tamales), he strapped in and made it happen.

The pass was raw, violent, and confusing — exactly what a first turbo hit should be:

• Boost built fast

• The car shook aggressively

• Justin wasn’t sure whether to pedal or drive through

• The burnout technique was totally different from a blower car

Even so, for a first turbo hit, the lap was promising. Justin immediately felt the potential:
“This thing’s gnarly.”

Second Turbo Pass: Justin Starts to Get Comfortable

With advice from experienced turbo drivers on staging, bumping, and boost-building, Justin goes back out and makes another pass.

This time:

• The bump button works perfectly

• He stages cleaner

• The burnout is better

• The car makes real power

• Justin starts feeling at home in the twin-turbo setup

The team agrees:
👉 Once this purple Pro Mod is sorted, it will be a serious problem for the rest of the Winter Series.

Back to the Shop: More Problems, More Solutions

After the session ends, the team returns to the shop to regroup.

Issues discovered:

• The turbo car is making 70+ psi of boost in one second — far more than intended

• The e-gate is commanding excessive boost

• Survivor still has throttle issues

• A broken spring needs replacing

The solution:
👉 Swap the hat and throttle system from Pina onto Survivor, and work with FuelTech to fix the turbo boost control problem.

Testing continues tomorrow.

Help Name the Purple Twin-Turbo Pro Mod

Justin ends the vlog by asking fans to drop name ideas for Richard Bailey’s car — currently known simply as the purple turbo Pro Mod.

The winning name will receive a Swan Gang swag pack.

Conclusion: A Day of Chaos, Breakthroughs, and Twin-Turbo Thrills

Justin’s first-ever twin-turbo HEMI passes were messy, loud, unpredictable — and absolutely electric to watch.

Between throttle hang-ups, electrical gremlins, leaks, stuck boost, wild shake, and stomach trouble, the vlog was a perfect reminder of what makes drag racing so addictive:

👉 Nothing goes as planned, but the pursuit never stops.

Day two promises even bigger moves as Survivor returns and the turbo car gets dialed in.