Anybody building/ racing a First gen Dakota??

I know a guy that stuffef a Viper engine in a swb 2wd Sport.
1 day he was in the shop and right next to his Dakota was parked a Ford Lightning... guys were talking about how fast the lightning was and I just said " that little Dakota would eat the Ford"...they all thought I was crazy till I popped his hood !..lol
Chuck took me for a drive and that thing could get no traction