Diesel Trucks Gather at 2009 TS Performance Outlaw Show

Words and Photos By: Dan Sanchez

Who would have thought that the heavy-duty diesel pickup would become the hot rod of the truck world? Diesel pickups make up the majority of heavy-duty trucks sold in the United States, and they’re extremely popular in the South and Midwest, where they were originally used to haul things like hay and horse trailers. Now, diesel trucks can be upgraded with aftermarket components that allow them to get more than 25 mpg and achieve 800-plus horsepower.

High-performance diesel trucks such as these congregated at the 2009 TS Performance Outlaw Drag Race and Sled Pull this month in Bowling Green, Ky. Deep in the heart of diesel truck country, this event attracts hundreds of trucks, along with thousands of people who come to participate, test and witness the extreme performance capabilities of these vehicles.

Caption: Spectators got to see many of the sled-pull vehicles up close as they prepared for competition. Several classes included street-driven trucks with bigger turbos and counterweights added to the front.

The show included a portable dynamometer for truck owners to show off their machines’ power. John Powell and his 2007 Chevy Silverado Duramax made 811 hp and 1,303 pounds-feet of torque, while Jason Revis and his 2005 Dodge Ram, equipped with a 5.9-liter Cummins, netted 516 hp and 1,068 pounds-feet of torque. While other trucks pulled big numbers on the dyno, the fun was cut short due to some torrential rains and strong winds that blew in that afternoon.

The next day’s drag-racing portion of the event was also canceled, but the sled-pull at the Southern Kentucky Fairgrounds took place later that evening, and there wasn’t an inch of the fairgrounds that didn’t have a diesel truck parked on it. Smoke poured out of big exhaust stacks and tires spun on the hard-packed dirt course as street-driven diesel pickups, locked in four-wheel drive, pulled a heavy sled down the length of the course.

Caption: During the show, several truck owners signed up to get their vehicles placed on a dyno, with some producing big numbers – including more than 800 hp and 1,000 pounds-feet of torque.

At first it seemed all too easy for the stock classes to pull the sled down the 400-foot course, but more weight was soon added to the sled, showcasing the best performance these trucks could muster. Sled-pull classes are determined by the inlet size of the turbocharger, and included a stock 2.6 class, a street-driven 2.8 class, a 3.0 class and a Modified class. With the number of trucks in the individual classes that competed that day, the sled pulls didn’t reach the final rounds until early Sunday morning.

In addition to the competition events, truck owners at the show were welcomed by diesel performance manufacturers such as ATS Diesel, Industrial Injection, Snow Performance, Optima Batteries, Fluidampr and several others. Many truck owners took advantage of special pricing offered on aftermarket components and got expert advice in selecting the right products for their truck and application.

Caption: One of the more popular engine swaps we saw at the show was the removal of Ford’s Power Stroke for a Cummins engine. While it doesn’t emphasize brand loyalty, it does say a lot about diesel owners’ performance preferences.

Events like these are an intriguing showcase for the latest trends and newest products in diesel performance. For example, one of the prevailing engine swaps we saw at this event was Cummins engines in Ford F-250 pickups. This is quickly becoming a performance trend among diesel truck enthusiasts who aren’t loyal to any particular make or model. While this event offered just a glimpse of the performance potential of late-model diesel trucks, we can only anticipate that next year’s event will bring out faster and more powerful trucks that will really show off their true potential.

Sled-Pull Results

2.6 Class
Jason Beasley, Houston, Mo. – 2006 Dodge Ram, 338.01 feet

2.8 Class
Matthew Williams, Shelbyville, Ky. – 1996 Dodge Ram, 300.29 feet

3.0 Class
Rod Tarr, Edinburg, Ill. – 1996 Dodge Ram, 357.03 feet

Modified Class
Shane Kellog, - Forrest, Ohio – 1997 Dodge Ram, 302.39 feet

Caption: The sled pull was one of the most exciting parts of the show, and the crowd was anxious to see some competition.