One final maxim that came from the research was the huge amount of emphasis misplaced on maximum horsepower numbers. Yes, they are a measuring stick of sorts, but they only show you a maximum number at the peak of the rpm range. In fact what would be more practical to know would be the amount of power increase in the useable rpm range. Unless you're running on one of the large oval tracks or making an all-out blast at Bonneville, your engine will most likely never see a sustained peak-rpm run. What you will see a lot of is the range between shifts as you power through the gears. Therefore, as you can see, it's the power you build between torque peak and maximum rpm that really moves the vehicle forward, or the power made in the 2.5 seconds between shifts that gets the real work done. All those maximum rpm numbers are in reality just an exercise in chasing the dyno needle. The other method used to prove a component's worth is flow testing. It's like a dyno in the respect that you make the change and flow the part, and it is either better or not. Then you try it again. It all comes back to the original precept, air in, air out. These are just a few of those basic truths that were there at the start and will be there at the finish.