For the first time ever, the National Hot Rod Diesel Association (NHRDA) visited Utah to host the Rocky Mountain Diesel Nationals. With the help of Salt Lake City-based Industrial Injection as the title sponsor, the NHRDA crew put together one of the best diesel events of the year for the western region. Friday night found everyone at Rocky Mountain Raceways quarter-mile drag strip for the Hot Shots drag racing series.
For the first time ever, the NHRDA rolled into Utah with a Friday night drag race at Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City, followed by the big sled pull event at the Deseret Peak Complex located in Grantsville. The event brought competitors from all over the western states ready to dual it out on the track.Making his first pull of the season, Jason Stott of Addicted Diesel is no stranger to the NHRDA pulling circuit and once again proved he has what it takes to win with a very impressive 349-ft hook in the Super Stock classNow that’s how you build a drag truck. Tubbed and linked rear suspension with some monster slicks and a monster LB7 Duramax under the hood that ran consistently all night long in both Sportsman and Super Diesel classes.Kaleab Hales of Thatcher, UT has been a front runner along the United Pullers circuit all season long, and his long wheel base Pro-Stock Cummins put on one heck of a show with a 319-ft pull.Seems every time we see this two-tone Duramax at the track, there has to be at least one four-wheel drive burnout for the crowd. Jake Johnson of Diesel Mafia Performance made the drive down from Blackfoot, Idaho, and while traction was a bit of an issue, he did still pull off 120mph in the quarter.
Top Diesel had just one entry, with the Cummins-powered dragster piloted by Dawna Kraus with a best pass of 8.40@167mph. Jarid Volmer had the MBRP Batmobile out on the track to take home the win in Pro Stock with a traction and power limited 8.98@171mph. The usually super competitive Pro Street class was short on entries as well, leaving Shawn Baca with the win even though he struggled with drivetrain issues on both of his passes. Industrial Injection stepped up for the Super Street class and sponsored a big money payout for the class, which helped bring out some of the biggest names in diesel racing. Super Street entries from Phillip Franklin, Chris Buhidar, John Schirado, Logan Milam, and Jon Jacobs meant everyone had to swing for the fences, and a few even put up career best passes. But no one to could take down the Industrial Injection truck piloted by Jared Delketa, who set a new Super Street MPH National Record at 161mph in the final round. The truck had actually run 164.68mph earlier in the day, but they were not able to back it up within 3 percent, so the 161mph becomes the new class record. For the 10.90 class, which is seeing quite a few street trucks enter these days had a great turnout and brought out a previous national champion in Verlon Southwick, who made it into the final round only to red light against William Terry’s 12V Cummins, which had been running right close to that 10.90 e/t all night as well. Southwick had a little better luck in Super Diesel, taking home the win in that class with an 11.92 qualifying pass and 12.12 e/t in the final round. For the Sportsman class, which is a bracket class, Coy Maughan brought home the win with a 13.46 run on a 13.10 dial time. The Big Rig bracket class was won by the 1952 Kenworth of Charnie Disher, who also won the burnout contest later in the evening.
Randy Reyes is basically a household name these days in the diesel industry. Dude is flat out crazy, pushing a full-size, full-weight, triple turbo crew cab dually Dodge into the 9’s? Yep, crazy. Crazy awesome that is.That’s a truck some of you NHRDA faithful followers should recognize, Tom Hansen has been a winner at multiple NHRDA events over the last few seasons and finally had the chance to pull on his hometown track at the Rocky Mountain Diesel Nationals. Unfortunately, an engine problem snuffed the run out a little prematurely placing him fourth for the night in Pro Stock.There’s just something about a big cowl hood, lowered stance and a nitrous sponsor on the side of a drag truck that lets you know it’s fast and you’re about to lose Scott Mckinstry’s LMM.
Jessie Gillespie of Pro-Tech Diesel made the haul down from Montana to try his luck on the sled pull track. The massive power this truck put down and traction on the track was enough to spin the rear tires on the wheels, flattening both mid track, even with screws holding the beads in place. Got torque?
On Saturday night, the NHRDA Diesel Sled Pulling Series teamed up with United Truck and Tractor Pullers, who are the local pulling club around the Utah/Idaho/ Wyoming region and put together a tough track to really make these competitors work for their wins at the Deseret Peak Complex in Grantsville, UT. The big dog Super Stock class had three-time defending NHRDA Champion Jason Stott out for his first pull of the season, where he brought home the win in a strong class. Trevor Larkin won in the Pro Stock class with the longest pull of the night at just over 350-ft. Limited Pro Stock had Steve Durant grabbing his first victory of the season. The 2.5 Inducer class was won by Kylee Nieffeneggar in a strong running 6.7L Cummins. Austin Elmore took the trophy in Work Stock with a commanding win over second place by over 25 feet.
UCC Competitor from 2016 and 2017 Zach Fuller of Starlite Diesel was out pushing big blue down the quarter mile. For being a fully equipped crewcab dually still sporting an Allison transmission, this truck flat out gets with it down the track.Everywhere you see this truck you can be sure there’s a good time going on. The National Hot Rod Diesel Association has been so great for our industry and an integral part of pushing diesel motorsports to where it is today.Title sponsor of the Rocky Mountain Diesel Nationals, Industrial Injection took advantage of racing on their home track. With their latest triple turbo, Shredder Series Cummins powered GM drag truck and driver/mechanic Jared Delketa running Super Street, they set a new National MPH record running a 161.60mph backed by a 164.68mph.
“…EVERYONE HAD TO SWING FOR THE FENCES, AND A FEW EVEN PUT UP CAREER BEST PASSES.”
Trevor Larkin of Coalville, UT ran his Dynomite Diesel sponsored Pro Stock class down the dirt track to a win at 350 feet. We weren’t sure if he was just trying to win, or headed to the local 7-11 for a slurpee. That made his hook the longest of the event.Shawn Baca’s Master Shredder truck has become one of the most recognized trucks in diesel motorsports today, and for good reason. With the ability to put down over 2500hp on the dyno, getting it down the track has been quite a task. But some overnight repairs and a tire swap saw the truck out on the sled pull track Saturday for an impressive 332ft second place pull in Super Stock.Come on and teach me how to Chevy. No that’s not an independent GM front end, but yes, you’re seeing things about to go wrong, very wrong. Some major parts failure to the steering linkage of the Moonlight Madness truck of Ryan Thain created quite the show as his truck veered off track and over the berm at half-track.The folks from Truck Source Diesel in San Antonio, TX have put in quite the effort this year to get out to every NHRDA event they can. Their Cummins powered Ford, dubbed ‘The Mick’ has been handing out losses to just about everyone in the Super Street, but unfortunately some unrepairable issues at the track cut their night short.
For the NHRDA’s first visit to Utah, the crowd turnout both nights were spectacular with packed stands and strong entries in every class. Randy Cole, president of the NHRDA, said he was extremely pleased with the turnout and hopes to be able to make it back to the Salt Lake region for another event next summer. DW
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