3’s!

Team Firepunk did it. The jaw-dropping Pro Mod Duster broke into the 3’s over the weekend, going 3.99 at 197 mph in the eighth-mile at National Trail Raceway. Better yet, the car’s key vitals looked extremely healthy. Thanks to Firepunk’s Lavon Miller sharing some of the data collected on the steamy pass, we know the Exergy-fueled D&J Executioner Cummins saw an average air/fuel ratio of 35:1, that injection timing maxed out at 29 degrees at 5,800 rpm, and that intake temps averaged less than 85 degrees. The G55 turbo produced 107 psi of boost and just 76 psi of drive (thanks to a 50mm, electronic Turbosmart wastegate), and also experienced a peak shaft speed of 110,000 rpm. It’s also worth noting that the horsepower calculator says Firepunk’s Pro Mod applied more than 3,600 hp to the track on that pass.

More Drag Racing

A Second Pro Mod Makes Big Progress

In 4×4 diesel Pro Mod news (and at the same venue, no less), Austin Doidge earned a pair of new personal bests. His Exergy-fueled and Bosch Motorsport-controlled common-rail second-gen cut a 1.19-second 60-foot (Austin’s first time going sub 1.20s) and then covered the ‘660 in 4.89 seconds (the quickest he’s been to date). Seeing Austin break into the 4.90s, move on to making 4.9x passes with repeatability, to now progressing into the 4.80s has been fun to watch. Although his Dodge is far from the quickest vehicle in the ODSS Pro Mod category, (where he spends most of his time), four-wheel drive practically ensures he gets the win light if a loss in traction occurs in the other lane. Austin brings the Pro Mod points lead into the final ODSS race of the season the weekend of September 20-21.

The Hunt For 4’s

There will no longer be any foot braking required for one of the most iconic 7.3L’s in existence. Brian Jelich of Jelibuilt Performance recently converted his ’00 F-350 to a TH400 transmission (the Rossler/Neal Chance converter variety) and as of last week transmission bump functionality was added to his ECU Master PMU16 courtesy of some help from WP Developments. The truck’s single turbo, nitrous-huffing 7.3L Power Stroke was also recently assembled at Kill Devil Diesel. Brian is looking to debut his reborn HEUI-fired, tube-chassis Super Duty at Diesel Truck Wars in October. There, you’ll likely find his burgundy Ford in pursuit of a 4-second pass.

KC Turbos’ New 7.0L Power Stroke

KC Turbos took ownership of its new, all-billet, Kill Devil Diesel-built Power Stroke for its race truck and immediately set to work breaking in the new V-8 on the chassis dyno. The HEUI-injected, 6.0L-based engine boasts 7.0L worth of displacement and a healthy 75mm/94mm compound arrangement. One year ago, the previous engine pushed the company’s Pro Street Super Duty to a 5.12-second eighth-mile pass—the quickest to date for a 6.0L Power Stroke. Of course, that begs the question: how much quicker will the truck be now? It’s an answer we will hopefully know the answer to very soon.

In The Dirt

Scheid Diesel’s Kent Crowder Claims Another PPL Championship

With truck and tractor pulling season winding down, it’ll soon be award season, and the driver of Scheid Diesel’s ’09 Dodge Ram, Kent Crowder, will be collecting another Super Stock Diesel Truck championship trophy. Running the 2024 PPL circuit, Kent scored two wins and only finished outside the top three on one occasion. This is the veteran puller’s fifth PPL points title. It’s also worth mentioning that Kent’s son, Caleb, piloted the truck at this year’s Scheid Diesel Extravaganza, a possible indication we could see a passing of the torch in the future. Whoever drives this triple-turbo monster, look for the lightning-themed Ram to continue running at the front of the pack.

Written by Mike McGlothlin