Fireworks At Firepunk
Exploded turbos and a blown up LML Duramax, a new 6R140 record, a first-gen Cummins dominates the dirt, and a drop-in VGT that supports 945-rwhp.
No one hosts a party like the folks at Firepunk Diesel. On a visit to the Plain City, Ohio company’s facility last week, Lewis Carter strapped his 5-second-capable, Cummins-powered OBS Ford to the rollers and made an incredible 1,508-rwhp on fuel. Then came the nitrous… a bit too soon… and the atmosphere turbo coming apart and taking the high-pressure charger out with it (video here). However, before all hell broke loose, Lewis’s beautiful old-school Ford cleared 1,795 hp. Later on, Travis Peden rolled the dice on his stock bottom end LML Duramax—and everyone at Firepunk found out (the hard way) that an untouched, factory ’11-’16 6.6L will make a nitrous-assisted 1,284 hp—but only once.
At The ‘Strip
ODSS Racing In Kentucky AND A New 6R140 TorqShift Record
ODSS drag racing returned to Bowling Green, Kentucky’s Beech Bend Raceway Park over the weekend for the Bluegrass Truck Jam. Unfortunately, Mother Nature was in town, too, and she would have the final say. Despite the eventual rainout, one final round was squeezed in on Saturday, and it gave Mattie Graves her second win in 2025. That’s 2 for 2 when Mattie G Motorsports shows up. An added bonus was not only the return of Brad Helton’s 5.70 Index class 6.7L Power Stroke to the ODSS scene, but his reclaiming of the 6R140 transmission record. Brad’s Super Duty, which benefits from a host of Snyder Performance Engineering products (including the engine, turbo, intercooler and transmission), covered the eighth-mile in 5.69 seconds, crossing the stripe at a blazing 127 mph.
Turbo Tech
945-RWHP From A Drop-In VGT
Dan’s Diesel Performance has been working hard to perfect its line of variable geometry turbochargers, and the latest example might be its finest work yet. On the chassis dyno, its 72mm competition VGT allowed a well-fueled LLY Duramax to make an uncorrected 945 hp and a stout 1,501 lb-ft of torque. Not bad for a drop-in unit that would pass tech in work stock and stock turbo-type sled pulling classes. The rest of the test mule’s horsepower recipe includes a set of 300-percent over injectors paired with a 14mm stroker CP3. It’s a truck that competes (and performs well) in the local Work Stock category.
Diesel PSA
6.7L Power Stroke Crank Gear Misalignment
Slipping the crankshaft gear is becoming an all too familiar nuisance for 6.7L Power Stroke owners, so much so that it prompted Sterling Diesel Performance, a shop that sees the potentially catastrophic issue on a very frequent basis, to drop a helpful public service announcement. SDP’s advice? Watch out for a rough idle or a no start situation, intermittent misfires, synchronization issues between the crankshaft and camshaft sensors, and the dreaded P0016 and P0017 DTC’s. Crankshaft gear misalignment in these engines can cause odd, noticeable timing issues, sudden power loss and, in some cases, irreparable engine damage. SDP’s final piece of advice: don’t wait if you notice any of the above warning signs. Get your truck looked at ASAP.
In The Dirt
Another W For “Powertrip”
Bryan Banghart is definitely getting it done in the dirt this season. On Friday night, he and his Limited Pro Stock first-gen claimed their third win of the year when the Hot Shot’s Secret PPL Champion Seed Western Series points chase came to Kahoka, Missouri. That makes three wins in just five hooks so far in 2025. But not only that, Bryan is winning against the likes of Jason Wayman (Megatron) and Skyler Leeper (Legal Limits), two of the strongest running 3.0 diesel trucks in the country. “Powertrip” is powered by a Freedom Racing Engines Cummins that also happens to be a member of the championship-winning Dynomite Diesel Products injector program.
Written by Mike McGlothlin
