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From I understand when the 426 Hemi first came out in 64 it did dominate NASCAR but in drag racing it was no faster then the wedge cars at first. So they did not drag race it right away as the Ramchargers worked with the Hemi and changed cams I believe to really wake it up for drag racing. The wedge really did not do to bad in NASCAR as I think Petty finished 3rd in points in 63 running the wedge. But the higher up wanted a guarantee to win Daytona in 64 and they did not feel the wedge could guarantee a win. So of course they adapted the Hemi heads to the reworked wedge block and did guarantee a win. It would have been cool if they had kept the Max Wedge in production also and update it over the years. I could see it now that along with the 383 , 440-6pk and Hemi you can also get a Max Wedge in the Roadrunner. Ron

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The first HEMIS in 64' did have tuning problems, not so much as the components they had, but getting them to work right. To tune a 426 Hemi like the 426
Max-Wedge would NOT work, simply because of each engines different "breathing" characteristics. It
took the talented hands and minds of Tom Hoover and other Ramcharger members and notable racers to bring the HEMI to a "user-friendly" status. AS they have done with the Max-Wedge engines. Yes Ron, it DEFINITELY would have been a very good option in the later years, if time and money allowed!!