The DV8 Hellcat is the latest ball to use the asymmetrical Hell Raiser DOT core design that was previously used in the Hell Raiser Return and Hell Raiser Blaze. It features the new Havoc solid reactive coverstock that is finished at 500/2000 SiaAir, which makes it slightly smoother than the 500/1000 SiaAir box finish that bowlers saw on the Hell Raiser Blaze. Between the new coverstock and the change in box finish, the Hellcat is more angular at the breakpoint and more continuous at the back end compared to the Hell Raiser Blaze, helping it match up nicely to medium and heavier oil conditions.

Stroker took full advantage of the Hellcat’s added motion at the back end on our heavy oil test pattern. He had no trouble getting his ball started on this slicker pattern and saw plenty of hook and continuation, with stronger movement downlane than the Hell Raiser Blaze. The strong sanded surface and high flare core design made the Hellcat the biggest-hooking ball for Stroker in the current DV8 line. The amount of back end motion he saw allowed him to easily keep up with the transition, as the ball had no trouble continuing strongly through the pin deck when he needed to start moving left with his feet to find more oil in the front. Stroker also had the best reaction out of the three testers on the fresh medium oil pattern. Playing the track, he could get his ball through the fronts pretty easily and let the strong cover and core do the work in the oil on shots that were missed left inside of target. Like he saw ...