Are ProCharger Racers Switching to the 144? Let’s Talk About It

Well, well—looks like we’ve got some shakeups happening in the world of boosted power on the streets. If you’ve been following the latest buzz, you might’ve caught Sean Ellington (aka Murder Nova) putting in some test hits with a ProCharger-144 setup on his 187 Customs YouTube channel. Naturally, that got us thinking: is this bigger blower about to become the new norm in the Street Outlaws No Prep Kings scene?

Photo by Murder Nova

The Return of the 144 ProCharger

Now, to be clear—the 144 isn’t brand new. Ryan Martin actually bolted one on back in 2022 for a few races, back when the rulebook wasn’t quite set in stone regarding how big you could go. Fast forward to today, and Ryan’s back at it again with the 144, and it looks like a good chunk of the ProCharger crowd may be following suit.

So, what’s the big deal with this thing?

Power vs. Practicality

According to Sean’s own words during his test session, the 144 does make more power compared to the 140—on paper, at least. But it’s not just a simple upgrade. That extra punch comes with a tradeoff: it takes significantly more power to spin the 144, and that means more strain on the motor and more heat in the intake charge.

Photo by Nate Sayler Racing

And heat is the enemy when you're trying to make clean, repeatable passes.

Sean even mentioned that he hasn’t gone quicker with the 144 yet compared to what he was running with the 140. That’s telling. Sure, the 144 makes more peak power, but if it’s harder to drive and less efficient, is it really worth it?

The Spray Factor

One thing that keeps coming up is how racers are managing heat. A lot of ProCharger setups are getting front-end nitrous sprays to help cool down that intake air. That’s a smart move, especially with how hot these big blowers can get. With that in mind, some racers might decide to stick with the 140 and just spray it to compensate, especially since the 140 is known to be a bit more efficient overall.

It’s that age-old balance: make more horsepower or make smarter horsepower?

Photo by Stat Guy

Real-World Comparisons

Let’s not forget that moment from the end of NPK Season 5—Ryan Martin (running the 144) lines up against Jim Howe, both on 36” tires. Jim’s setup was running at 98% overdrive, and guess what? He pulled away from Ryan. That says a lot.

Also worth noting: screw blower cars are now running unlimited overdrive, which adds a whole new variable to the equation. But even with that freedom, the track still plays a huge role in what combo works best.

So What’s the Verdict?

Honestly, it’s too early to tell whether the 144 is a guaranteed win. Yes, it offers more horsepower potential, but it comes with its own set of challenges—more load, more heat, and maybe not as much efficiency. Racers are still dialing it in, and it might take a little more track time to really see who benefits and who doesn’t.

At the end of the day, it’s another chapter in the never-ending quest for speed, power, and consistency. And you already know we’ll be here at Street Outlaws Talks keeping an eye on every run, every tune-up, and every new combo that hits the surface.

Stay locked in with us—we’ve got a lot more NPK, street racing, and tech talk coming your way.