Big Compounds, Lightweight, And 5-Second 1/8-Mile’s

What’s in store for your truck this off-season? Over at Neal Nissen’s ranch, things have been busy, with his 6.7L Cummins-powered half-ton receiving an up-sized compound turbo arrangement. The new side-by-side setup pairs a 72/87mm with a 92/102mm—a combo Neal hopes will carry his Ram 1500 deep into the 5’s in the eighth-mile. When his bright blue cruise missile isn’t set on kill, Neal’s rock-steady half-ton will continue to be a threat to win the Outlaw Diesel Super Series’ 6.70 Index class. Last season, Neal had Top 10 finishes in both the 6.70 and ET Bracket fields.

At The ‘Strip

WC Fab’s New 1,200 HP LB7

WC Fab is headed back to the track this season with a brand-new toy. Formerly owned by Bret Kehl, the two-wheel drive ’01 Silverado sports a built LB7 Duramax, a healthy set of compounds, and a four-link rear suspension. Better yet, the truck has already been 9.90s in the quarter-mile in the past, which means the folks at Wehrli could easily dial the truck in and go rounds in 6.70 Index. Watch for that, but also don’t rule out the possibility of this truck competing in SICK Summer this June. After all, the drag-and-drive event will be held right in WC Fab’s backyard (northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, eastern Iowa).

Rick Fletes’ Duramax Powered Chevelle Perseveres At SICK Week

Speaking of SICK Week, Rick Fletes competed in the annual wintertime drag-and-drive affair last week with his Duramax-powered ’70 Chevelle. To say things didn’t go as planned would be an understatement, with turbo, oil pressure, fuel leak, and camshaft sensor issues all throwing a wrench into his mid-8-second plans. But despite all the issues, long days, and late nights, the Chevelle still made the journey to each track. The car also managed to go 8.56 at 157 mph early on, 8.60 at 157 mph a day later, and even went 8.80 at 155 mph on Day 3. Without a doubt, Rick remains the “ironman” of diesel drag racing.

In The Dirt

Sound Of Madness Wins The Southern Invitational Indoor Tractor & Truck Pull

A lot of noise was being generated inside the Tennessee Miller Coliseum over the weekend. There, the annual indoor Southern Invitational tractor and truck pull played host to Hot Farm, Pro Farm, Alcohol, and Pro Stock tractors taking to the dirt—along with 8,000-pound Pro Stock Diesel Trucks and 3.6 Diesel Trucks. In the latter field, Cody Thomas would pilot Stoney Hargett’s “Sound Of Madness” to the front and take the big win on Saturday night. That same evening, Louie Saltsman and his third-gen Cummins earned the W in the Pro Stock Diesel Truck class, beating out Amanda Scott’s “Side Hustler” by mere inches.

Aftermarket PSA

Beware The Knock-off Disaster Prevention Kit…

Imitation isn’t always the ultimate form of flattery—especially when a sub-par, counterfeit version of your company’s product fails and you’re the one who gets a phone call. Unfortunately, it’s something the folks at S&S Diesel Motorsport have to deal with on a regular basis. Despite being advertised online as a legitimate S&S Disaster Prevention Kit, complete with S&S logos and even the company’s installation instructions, this kit was a copycat, and was comprised of cheap fuel lines (which cracked) and fittings (which blew off). The result is a truck owner facing considerable downtime and expensive repairs. As with any aftermarket product, it pays to purchase directly from the manufacturer, or through a trusted dealer.

YouTube

Moonlight Diesel And Fab’s New Channel

You’re going to want to add this one to your subscriptions. VP44 die-hard, ODSS racer, KOS competitor, Moonlight Diesel and Fab’s Patrick Brown, launched a YouTube channel recently, and it will soon be populated with videos that highlight what one of the nastiest VP44-fueled Cummins is capable of. Throughout the year, Patrick plans to take his 6.7L second-gen to everything from drag races to sled pulls, and dirt drags to dyno competitions. Of course, given Patrick and the truck’s background competing in King Of the Street (KOS), the occasional drag-and-drive event isn’t out of the question either. If you’re a VP44 fan, you need to tune in here.

Written by Mike McGlothlin