Diesel News 12.17.18
Truck of the Week
Firepunk Bids Farewell
To its Record-Setting Pro Street Dodge
Say it ain’t so! In a move that shocked us all, Lavon Miller and the Firepunk Diesel crew pulled the wrap off of their three-time UCC-winning, Pro Street record-setting (4.97 at 151 mph), quickest/fastest Pro Street quarter-mile-ing (7.88 at 181 mph) ’06 Dodge Ram and sold the rolling chassis to fellow competitor Josh Scruggs. During Miller’s farewell address for the truck on Facebook, he hinted at the possibility of Firepunk bringing something completely new to the scene in 2020. As for Scruggs, he’ll be campaigning the truck at both UCC 2019 and along the ODSS’s Pro Street points chase next season, so you’ll still be able to see it there. Perhaps the biggest news is that the sale guarantees a new champion will be crowned at UCC 2019. Is it May yet?!
Highlights
Movin’ On Up!
S-Cab 6.4L Moving To 5.90 Class
After winning the 6.70 Index class in 2018, Mike Coleman won’t be sticking around to defend his title. Instead, he and the folks at Swamps Diesel are already prepping his standard cab, 6.4L-powered Ford to go even faster. In 2019, Coleman will be running in the Outlaw 5.90 Index category, which essentially means he’ll be transitioning from a 10.5-second truck to a 9.2-second one. Judging by the photo, the necessary requirements to make the chassis legal to run quicker than 6.40 in the eighth-mile are already in the works. Mr. Coleman isn’t alone, either, as a lot of racers are bumping up a class for 2019. Stay tuned for more info on those moves in the months ahead.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Dan Scheid
At the ODSS banquet held on December 7, 2018 in Indianapolis, Dan Scheid was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Highly involved in the diesel industry for the better part of four decades, Scheid has seen it all. From mechanical injection to common-rail, and 160 hp to more than 3,000 hp, Scheid’s engines, pumps, and injectors have been a driving force behind all the progress that’s been made in diesel performance over the last 20 years. And who could forget the fact that he owns the world’s fastest diesel-powered drag racer: the 6-second, Spitzer-chassis, Cummins-powered rail piloted by Jared Jones. This wasn’t the first time Scheid was honored with such an award from a sanctioning body. In 2014, he earned the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
For Sale
1,100 HP Cummins for $20K!
‘Tis the season, apparently, but Brad Isbell’s loss is your gain! His ’04.5 Ram packs an estimated 1,100 hp, is capable of running 10’s, and packs some of the best parts in the industry. The 137,000-mile (stock bottom end) 5.9L has a brand new head with upgraded valve springs and pushrods, ARP Custom Age 625+ head studs, 200-percent over injectors, a 14mm CP3 from S&S Diesel Motorsport, an S475/87/1.0 turbo, HP Tuners tuning, On3 intercooler, Mishimoto radiator, Flex-a lite electric fans, and (of course) a single stage nitrous kit. Trust us, $20,000 for a built truck of this caliber is a deal. Just mull over the aforementioned parts recipe, price it all out, and see how expensive it would be to do this on your own.
Events
P-pumped 7.3L
To Compete in Louisville
One of the biggest highlights of the winter months is the Championship Tractor Pull at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville each February. Inside the friendly confines of Freedom Hall, located within in the massive Kentucky Exposition Center, pulling fans, ag industry professionals and the pullers themselves are treated to four straight nights of action, including a Saturday matinee where the Super Stock Diesel Trucks take a stab at glory. For a little variety in 2019, Nathan Vegh and the Jumpin’ Jack Flash Ford have been invited to the big show. The P-pumped 7.3L Power Stroke is fresh off a rebuild that entailed a few new parts from Hypermax Engineering and the JJF team are rumored to be bolting a big single in place of its usual 3.6-inch smooth bore Pro Stock unit.
The 2019 Event Calendar
Is Heating Up!
Reminiscent of Hot Rod’s highly revered Drag Week, the 2019 Summit Racing Midwest Drags will feature street-driven drag racers competing at three drag races, in three separate locations, in three days. The first stop? The eighth-mile Wagler Motorsports Park in Lyons, Indiana on Tuesday, June, 4th. More than a dozen racing classes will be on tap, with diesel classes also joining in on the fun. After departing Wagler’s, the action moves northeast to Muncie Dragway the following day, and then concludes at Summit Motorsports Park for quarter-mile racing in Norwalk, Ohio the day after that.
Parts Rack
New S469
Custom Racing Turbos
Midwest Turbo’s latest charger in its Custom Racing Turbos (C.R.T.) line is this S400-based beauty. Designed to offer the perfect balance between power, performance, and drivability. The BorgWarner S400 sports a 6-blade billet compressor wheel with a 69mm inducer and can be had with either the 83mm or 87mm turbine wheel. For late-model truck owners with mild-ish fuel mods, the S469 will provide great all-around performance while still allowing for superb towing capability. Nestled conveniently between variants of the S467 and S472, look for this charger to be a hit with the 700 to 900-rwhp street truck crowd.
