The diesel season is almost here! Can't hardly wait . . . DIESEL Motorsports

For those in the South a few events have happened but the Midwest is prepping for the early events to start during May!

DIESEL Motorsports has some affiliate events this month starting with one in the NW this weekend, one in MO next weekend and I will be in Muncie next weekend for a diesel drag race. Plus many more after that along with other diesel events not associated with DIESEL Motorsports.

One thing I ask diesel enthusiasts to remember, it's been a long winter and we want to blow off some steam and rev the trucks up, keep it real by being responsible! Respect other people's property and rights no matter what they are driving, they are there for the same reason as yourself - just to have a good time.

Look around you before speaking or yelling in order not to offend someone or their family. Have some fun but not at the expense of someone else.

I know this sounds like preaching but it is time for our sport to grow up and become mainstream!

That means being respectable and showing people we have professional competitors and enthusiasts. We need to start highlighting our top racers and pullers to the public.  This attracts sponsors for the competitors as well as making the sport look credible.

We can still bring the coolers, grills, trucks and hang out having fun, just do it taking in the consideration for others around you.

I can tell you it's exciting to see so many different diesel events now being held by other fairgrounds, promoters, counties, clubs and associations. When we started DIESEL Motorsports 7 years ago there was very few and most events diesel had to integrate in with other venues.

Let the fun begin with early events in May and bigger events like Haisley's Thunder in Muncie June 21/22!

Who needs good suspension on trucks?

The correct suspension tuned to your trailer load or weight can save your truck's mileage, engine, suspension and possibly your LIFE!

You tune your engine for more horsepower, tune it for pulling a heavier load! You add heavier brakes for stopping power (hopefully SSBC), and heavier bumpers/hitches to handle the heavier trailers!

Why wouldn't you add heavier suspension that will handle the extra loads? Here's a better solution . . . add one that you can adjust when you have heavier loads.

We have all added heavier suspensions but when we are not pulling or hauling anything they ride like a lumber wagon (so the saying goes)!

One of the endorsed sponsors we added this year that I am really excited about is the Firestone Ride-Rite line of suspension solutions. They have every level of suspension Air Bags, shocks, and adjustable systems that will fit most diesel trucks on the market today.

What's really nice about them, most mechanically minded diesel truck owners can install them!

I visited their facility last year after Thunder in Muncie, their headquarters are on the North side of Indianapolis. They took me for a ride in their fully loaded system diesel truck that adjusted itself depending on the road we went on for different conditions. No sway, no heavy jarring or hard stops, just a well controlled truck that we all need when we add extra horsepower and trailer heavy loads or haul heavy loads.

Take the time to study each level of products they offer for your truck. Remember it's your life when you are driving down the road with a heavy trailer or load. Prepare your truck like you would when adding performance parts, or brakes, or tires and anything else that requires more than the OEM equipment can provide while operating your truck.

Look at each product below:

Work-Rite - Click Here!

Ride Rite - Click Here!

Sport Rite - Click Here!

Coil Rite - Click Here!

Air Rite - Click Here!

Level Rite - Click Here!

Firestone will be at Thunder in Muncie with a full display and their awesome truck. Their systems are the best on the market and backed by unbelievable research for quality and performance.

Come out to see them, you'll be amazed of what they can do to your OEM suspension!

BIGGER is BETTER - SOMETIMES - DIESEL Motorsports!

Most of you know we tend to hold events in smaller rural settings and there is a reason for that direction. Fewer regulations, lots of room and rural people who don't care if our diesel trucks get a little wild and smokey! Smaller towns appreciate our business and we get better crowds than large cities where there is more entertainment to satisfy people.

HOWEVER, this year we will be holding an event at one of the largest venues for drag racing in the country - in Ohio! Yes, Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH.

September 21, Norwalk Ohio, Summit Motorsports Park
Buckeye Diesel Blast - Drag Racing only this year!

I will only dream that DIESEL Motorsports could fill the stands like the photo they sent us. Set your calendars now if you like to race your diesel truck on one of the nicest strips in the country! ET Bracket will pay $1000 for 1st place, let's get 50 trucks in ET and 40 more in the other classes!

This year is our test there, NEXT YEAR we will hold a all out truck weekend at the facility with a custom built pulling track, DIESEL ONLY weekend 2-3 day event! We are making plans now to make it one of the largest Midwest truck shows in the country!

We are talking about an event that showcases diesel trucks, tractors, semis, contractor equipment, farming equipment, and competitions for all involved. Plans and sponsors are already lining up to be a part of this show!

Even though Summit Motorsports Park is BIGGER, it's still rural which fits us perfectly!

DIESEL Motorsports - all about sled pulling or drag racing?

I hear all the time DIESEL Motorsports does sled pulling better than drag racing! I think this is a rumor started by other promoters who want to discount our efforts. Let me state we are the only sanctioning body who are doing drag racing and sled pulling correctly for safety!

Having a bunch of racers showing up and running does not constitute a GOOD EVENT! Having your own diesel SFI techs, rules and insurance for diesel trucks is doing it correctly. 

DIESEL Motorsports has been doing sled pulling the same amount of time as drag racing and we have combined most of the events because that is what draws the crowds. If we are doing it wrong then how come other promoters are now combining the events and trying to mirror what we have done successfully for over 6 years?

DIESEL Motorsports does put extra effort into attracting the street trucks who like to drag race by offering the highest purses for the lower classes. Why do we do this? Because it's the street trucks who are buying the sponsor's products, the sponsors funding allows us to pay more monies out to competitors.

DIESEL Motorsports pays out right after the event, competitors go home with a check! We know that many of the competitors rely on these funds for fuel, expenses for the trip and repairs (sponsor's products) needed for the next week.

The sponsors DIESEL Motorsports is proud to represent are with us because we MARKET to the consumer that helps them sell parts! It helps the local diesel shops sell parts, service diesel trucks and add performance upgrades seen at the shows.

We want the diesel truck owner who is driving their trucks daily to attend the events and watch the trucks perform - racing or pulling!

DIESEL Motorsports is about a diesel truck lifestyle which includes pulling, racing, dyno, and show-n-shine competitions at the shows! Plus the shows are only half what we do in the marketplace for diesels.

Diesel truck lifestyle . . . rural, diesel, ball caps, farmin, and BBQ. . . DIESEL Motorsports!

What makes our diesel crowd fun and will help us grow is the rural family lifestyle that surrounds the participants. We all gather look at each other's trucks, enjoy some cold ones, BBQ, kids, and watch the show at the events.

So . . .  at Haisley's Thunder in Muncie on June 21/22 DIESEL Motorsports is hosting the first ever BBQ Contest during the day while the dyno is running and Show-N-Shine trucks are being shown.

Diesel trucks and BBQ!

I think we all have an opinion on what is good BBQ, don't we? I know I do being from Kansas City which is one of the top locations for BBQ. If you have noticed I have tried a few ribs over the years!

This will be by application only and the first 50 BBQ teams will only be allowed to compete for $5000 of prize monies. The categories will be chicken, beef brisket, pork, ribs and side dish!

We will also have some other rural activities during the day including a fund raiser Corn-Hole contest!

This will be  two days of diesel trucks, family fun and BBQ!

Look this week for the details for the weekend for Haisley's Thunder in Muncie!

Change is good - every year? The old guard still stands. . . DIESEL Motorsports!

Since we started this business over 6 years ago we have seen many changes in the marketplace and many people come and go!

But then again, we have seen the more stable hard working people and businesses remain in DIESEL Motorsports. It's the people who has stayed with us a long time that have changed with the market who reap the benefits of being persistent. What started out as a barrel fire business at a local track has turned into a multi million dollar business with steps being taken to go mainstream.

Still the number of people who own diesel vehicles and the number who participate in performance diesel is very far apart - less than 3%!

We are starting to get noticed more because of the expansion of the business and the number of parts and service sold by businesses.

Companies who have stayed strong with DIESEL Motorsports like South Bend Clutch, Fluidampr, Industrial Injection, Flowmaster, Carrillo, Mahle, ARP, Victor Reinz and many more who came later, they have worked with us to build a solid business model.

Some of the competitors who have remained in the business for years still compete with DIESEL Motorsports and continue to attend. Famous names in the industry like Haisley Machine, Calvin Miller, Shawn Hodges, Wayne Greier, Jeremy Denson, Lamar Burkholder plus many more in the pulling circuits have been pulling every year to help build the sport. Some of the racers from the old days of Muncie are still racing, like Lucky Dog Layden, Bruce Block, Steve Bohatch, Jeff Dean, among many new young racers have made the sport exciting to watch.

I remember last year I took a pretty young girl who wanted to drag race better over to Jim Layden to train her on some finer points at the light! When I got back I asked if everything was better, Jim replied smiling, yes but where was she 20 years ago! lol They had a blast racing that day and yes she did get better.

When everyone has a goal of making the sport better and does not make it about themselves, those are the people who are going to be around for many years. We have seen it over and over throughout the years, as long as we care about each other the diesel sport will continue to grow.

The others are short lived and soon forgotten by everyone, we have too much going on to slow down so we pass many right on bye!

Looking for a great season to develop with some new trucks along with our old friends and their trucks. It's a family of diesel fans and competitors who have taken this to the next level.

Oil Down at Diesel Drag events . . . why???

These happen it seems quite often and you hear about it quite often because it delays the race for some time - why?

Mostly because our diesels hold so much more oil than domestic gas vehicles and when it comes out it is a real mess on the drag strip. Most drag strip professionals will tell you after four oil downs on a surface it is done for the day, no matter how much cleaner and prepping it takes.

As a promoter and sanctioning body I can tell you we hate these because a track charges us $800-$1500 per clean-up for each spill! That can add up real quick!

That is why our SFI techs inspect the trucks so carefully for leaks and the track people are instructed to back out anyone who is leaking fluids - of any kind off and out of the lanes!

As a competitor it makes most pretty upset when they are backed out. Better one upset than hundreds or thousands who have to wait while the fluids are cleaned off of the track which can take anywhere from 15 - 45 minutes depending on the spill.

Luckily DIESEL Motorsports has fewer oil downs than most because our techs are diesel trained and know what to look for on the trucks for leaks. DIESEL Motorsports is the only sanctioning body who has their own techs, all others have to use NHRA or IHRA techs for their events and what do they know about diesels? Very little because neither have diesel classes nor do they want them.

Our techs check them at teching, in the lanes, before the water box and before they pull into the lights! If the truck is leaking at anytime they are backed out! A truck while running and warmed up can leak small amounts which can lead to major weaknesses during high pressure runs.

It makes the race run so much smoother when there are no oil downs plus it keeps the strip clean and pure for the competitors. A surface kept clean is obviously so much better than being oiled down time after time. It effects a competitor's time and results dramatically.

Remember a real drag racer needs to run at least three to five runs to reach the end of the race or class. How many times have we seen the final runs in a class and a truck pull up by itself and run for the win? Too many to count in this business, that makes for a boring event, a boring finish and not much of a show for our sport!

Know your truck limits, pre-inspect for leaks and monitor your truck's vitals is the best way avoid a oil down as a competitor.

So when a DIESEL Motorsports tech stops you for leaks understand it's the good for the race and other competitors! These things can be a pain at any diesel drag race!

Drag Racing Series . . . DIESEL Motorsports!

Some of you may have heard me say sled pulling is where the majority of diesel motorsports trucks makeup our sport. This is taking in the consideration of the heaviest concentration of trucks are in the Midwest and pulling dominates the sport in those states.

Diesel truck drag racing is growing and we are starting to move some of the numbers in it's favor by getting local tracks to have a local diesel truck night once a month! We have quite a few tracks now running a diesel truck program and a few earning points in a series.

Most of these truck nights have very low fees for you to run, anywhere from $10 to $30 for running 4-5 passes. It is still a good way to meet new truck owners and see what they are doing to their trucks plus make new friends. 

We have several new tracks offering the programs so check back weekly to our event calendar for truck nights, the tracks are just now releasing their schedules.

If you care about the sport you may want to clear your calendars for these nights even if you are not going to race just show up to watch. The track owners take notice of the trucks so they will want to continue the truck programs.

It's the only way to build diesel truck drag racing for your local tracks who then will want bigger diesel events to be held at their facilities. Get your friends together on Facebook or Twitter and have them meet you at the local track!

We have a series starting in Texas on April 26 and in Muncie Indiana on May 11th! Bring your trucks and get in the game of building the sport!

Don't STOP NOW . . . DIESEL Motorsports!

I'm referring to how addictive the sport can be of adding parts and accessories to your diesel truck. It can never be the biggest bad ass truck there is because there is no end as to what can be done to a truck!

You can make it look good, then comes the performance, then comes the electronics, then comes the tires/wheels, then comes the suspension . . . BIGGER is always better . . . RIGHT?

Look at what one our enthusiasts who won the Texas Fall Nationals Best of Show last Fall has done to his truck! I featured his truck yesterday in the blog!

Now that was just 5 months ago and the winter months at that, but he does live in the South which helps with weather conditions. He has made a few more improvements!

Now his truck was one of the most tricked out newer trucks I have seen for quite some time and I only estimated the dollars spent at around $135,000 in the Fall! Now look at what he has done to the truck and he isn't finished yet!

He sent me a proposal where several companies are now helping him improve his truck and will send him to SEMA in Las Vegas to display his truck for the show!

But he is not done yet!

Below is what he wants the truck to look like when he gets to SEMA or you can see it again at the Texas Fall Nationals October 18/19th in Denton, TX.

Now even I have to admit Curtis is putting more into his truck than the normal guy can do in a lifetime much less than in a year! But I'm using this as an example of how alive our industry has become and what the normal person can do with his truck. I will start a series of the poor man's truck soon as to what you can do to a truck.

I applaud Curtis for his enthusiasm and love for the sport for building such a fine truck! This is happening in every city/town, every county, every state, . . . around our country and we are proud to be a part of it!

Sticking to what works with a long time history . . . what does that mean?

When things get a little tight people tend to look for bargains or cheaper alternatives, when it comes to parts for your diesel truck it could prove disastrous.

There are a lot of cheaper look-a-like products coming out of China the past few years and the old saying "you get what you pay for" is what happens most of the time with these products.

Now if you like working on your truck and like replacing parts every 6 months to a year the savings could work for you. But let's look at say a turbo, there are a lot of cheap China turbos on the market even under American base companies who have had strong names with other products. However, they are not that much cheaper!

Good turbo - $1800, China turbo $1300! Okay you save a little but when a blown turbo can damage so many other parts of your engine are you really making the correct purchase? Is it worth the gamble - you get what you pay for!

This same scenario applies to injectors, pumps, pistons, clutches, dampers, etc, there are companies who have been building these parts here in the US, stand by their products, and have qualified personnel who can help you with the products. 

When you rely on your diesel truck for work or a living then you want a reliable product that will not break you down. 

This last fall when the tuner market went South I saw a lot of companies try and diversify by copying or selling some of the import parts under their names. "Caveat emptor", let the buyer beware, many of us were taught this phrase many years ago in economics 101. 

Do your research, talk to local shop mechanics (not keyboard mechanics), listen to their experiences and make a purchasing decision based on what you have compiled. 

You can start with the products we have endorsed on our web site as product sponsors. We only take products that our competitors and shops have approved for use and purchase. The companies stand behind their products, most are made in the US and they are widely used in our industry for a reason.

www.dieselmotorsports.us

If you are proud of your truck and want it to last a long time (the reason most of us buy a diesel) then purchase long lasting quality products from companies who have been in business longer than 5 years!

DIESEL Motorsports is a way of life . . . people live it!

What I mean by that is they use their diesels for work, hauling or for recreational activities - they use them because they can out pull any truck on the road. The torque output of a diesel far out reaches the gas engines.

Since the diesels are used during their life it becomes a fascination with the sport of watching what other people do with their diesels in performance and customizing their trucks.

Yes there are brand loyalties for the three different trucks but it is still diesel! I have seen killer trucks in all three brands that I would own myself at anytime.

I still saw at the first diesel event of the year in Texas last month the passion of local diesel owners coming out to watch the diesel trucks. They still bought parts from vendors, they still cheered and yelled for the competitors - nothing has changed since the EPA discouraged altering newer trucks.

Not on a local level, maybe the diesel truck owner saw the value of his truck go up if he owned a pre-2007. The show went on as usual and trucks came from two states away to compete and watch.

I even saw some new vehicles that inspired anyone that loves diesels, like the Cumstang pictured below! Yes there are a lot of new diesels being built and will be featured at the shows.

I'm Baaaaaccckkkkkk . . . . DIESEL Motorsports!

I had to take a short time off for a number of reasons!

We had an early event to get ready for during March, planning on an even earlier one next year (South)!

As most of you know the EPA went hammerdown on our diesel industry!

Marketing strategies and alliances went astray and had to realign those who remain pure to the sport!

Needed some time to watch those who were shaken by the fallout and how to react to the market in the best interest for DIESEL Motorsports!

. . .  and of course how to go forward to push the sport into Mainstream America, help sponsors develop and sell their products to diesel owners, and make sure those who continue as competitors are highlighted to the fans.

Yes, we have a lot of work to do this year with DIESEL Motorsports and you will see some things different but we will stay persistent with what has worked in the past.

Persistence builds character, character builds faith and faith builds your dreams into realty!

DIESEL Motorsports® as a Mainstream motor sport is a dream and goal of our business!