Thursday, October 27, 2016

SEMA - who is it for and is it worth going to for our diesel enthusiasts???

This time of year many see FB posts and see industry people heading to Vegas for the SEMA Show. Many shop owners and enthusiasts say to me wish I could go and is it worth it?

I have gone for over 20 years and have watched it grow to a large show, back down in size and then back up! The show is nothing like it was in the beginning, the early shows were strictly auto/truck aftermarket companies with products a vehicle owner could add-on. They were there to sell to over 100 WDs and many vehicle accessory shops that came to the show to find new products to sell.



There is still some of that going on but you have to look pretty hard to find them, most of the show is now dressed up vehicles and the big three OEM manufacturers showing off their new vehicles. The show used to not have foreign companies selling parts but is now over 25% of the show. Now there are little over 30 WDs and many big companies own most of them. The business has changed and progressed in many ways over the years.

For the diesel enthusiasts there is not much to look at since there are about 10 diesel vehicles displayed of over 150 gas vehicles. It is interesting to see the custom rods, cars and trucks with many parts from the big name aftermarket companies.

The show is heavily attended by foreign customers buying or viewing American products. The show is so crowded that the main halls are even hard to walk through and view items. My suggestion would be go to the truck hall first because on the first day the traffic is fairly light. And we want to see truck items any way, you can skip the back half of that hall since it is mostly non-truck items.

If you like wheels and tires go below the truck hall and view what is available but very little is for the truck market, maybe 20%. Visit the new vendors which got put into a tent outside the first day! You'll find them eager to talk to you and many are the newer manufacturers and products.

It is well worth it to view the custom vehicles outside and many get put into the back lot behind the main building where they let some buses off. The main feature ones get put out in front from the companies who have been there a long time.

The Performance hall starts to clear out some by Thursday and is easily viewed on Friday morning but the evening show out front is a great show to see.

The Electronics hall has become a catch-all for electronics, tools, paint, carpet, fluids and finishes for vehicles. It is worth walking through if you want to see those companies for additional shop items.

The Performance Hall is where all the big names are including the OEMs, you could easily spend 2 days viewing everything in that hall. Most of the companies are for the gas market but there are some with diesel products in the smaller North halls. Many of our sponsors are in those halls along with some other smaller manufacturers with great products.

They say if you walk down every aisle it is well over 27 miles, we walk on average 7-8 miles a day picking out companies in advance to see and talk with about their products.

Bring good walking shoes, don't worry about dress shoes most of the time no one can see your feet because of too many people. To look business like wear dockers and polo or company shirts. Have business cards ready and your badge which can be scanned by the companies.

If you have never been it is an experience! Do you feel like partying after walking 7-8 miles during the day, not me! I usually have a few cocktails, a good dinner and then ready for bed. If you have never been to Vegas walking the New Vegas strip is worth the site or for  people watching go to Freemont street to the old Vegas and walk it.

And of course there is always the sister AAPEX Show at the Sands Convention Center which is hard parts, fluids, batteries and truck stop accessories. Same badge works for both venues!

Good luck if you are going and us diesel business people can be found at the end of the day at the Marriott bar across the street on Convention Drive between 4:30 and 6pm most of the days.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Last DIESEL Motorsports event of the year - in Missouri: Results!

Missouri Truck Shootout II Results:
DIESEL Motorsports normally does not have an event in October because of inclement weather has effected past shows. However we decided to hold a drag race that was a good success in the Spring at a local track in Missouri.
We agreed as long as it was good weather so the people could enjoy the event, no one like to attend and travel to an event when they end up sitting in the truck or hotel room while it rains or worse.
DIESEL Motorsports has always tried to keep in mind the attendees when it comes to weather and cancel in enough time for people to cancel hotels and travel plans before it cost them.
Didn't have to worry about it on the weekend of October 8th in Missouri, it was absolutely beautiful weather and it was even 70ยบ when the gates open.








This was a repeat of the Spring event where it is a Diesel vs Gas drag race at an 1/8th mile track in Osborn Missouri which is just East of Cameron on US 36. It is a nice facility with plenty of parking and lots of fence for our trucks to back up to with their trucks.
Local truck owners must have heard about the Spring race because a lot more high end drag trucks showed up for the diesel and gas classes. We had trucks from a 6 state area including trucks from South Dakota down to Arkansas. 
The heads-up class held the weight limits to 4,000 lb minimum for the trucks and ET Bracket at 3,000 lbs. This was to keep the trucks fairly equal in power and weights in the heads-up classes.
During the evening we saw trucks easily hitting the low 7s and some in the 6s in the 1/8 mile, that is some fast full size trucks for diesel or gas.
The action was serious in all of the classes with some major breakage for those trying to push their trucks. It was very entertaining for the crowd that came to watch.
Dylan Grooms in his 2008 Ford F-250 could not be beat at the lights in both heads-up classes and his best run was 6.55 @ 107mph in the 1/8th mile! Congratulations Dylan!
A big thanks goes out to Mike Franks and his family which own US36 Dragway for providing a great rural venue to watch and enjoy this type of an event. The food is great, admission is cheap, kids 12 and under get in free and there is plenty of room to watch the show.
Another big thanks to Revolution Dyno for providing the dyno competition and participating in the first ever DM travel truck race vs Revolution's tow-pig truck! Yes I lost by 4000ths on the final few feet he passed my truck. Of course I blame my driver, Matt Gilmore of throwing the race lol! Believe me it was the truck, I use this to travel to events and is still running stock injectors, pump etc. I ended up giving Jeremy the shirt off of my back for winning the race!
We had lots of fun and everyone talked late into the night with each other about the wins and losses!
MO Truck Shootout II
ET Bracket
Ricky Adams - gas - Champion
Trevor Sims - diesel - 2nd

Headsup - Diesel vs Gas
Dylan Grooms - diesel - Champion
Justin Daniel - diesel - 2nd

Unlimited - Diesel vs Diesel
Dylan Grooms - Champion
Dylan Goacher - 2nd

Evolution Dyno Competition
Highest HP
Dodge - Delton Thompson
Ford - Andrew Morton
Chevy/GM - Kirk Berridge

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Diesel performance is a rural sport . . . DIESEL Motorsports!

Across the Midwest from Nebraska to Pennsylvania in any rural town you will see our diesel enthusiasts in their lifted trucks sporting big wheels/tires, stacks/big exhaust and lots of power. It is a rural sport for a couple of reasons.

One, have you ever tried to drive and park downtown in a 21 foot truck that is tall? Many parking spaces at malls are not even measured to fit our trucks plus the underground garages do not allow our trucks in even if they fit.

Two, our enthusiasts use their trucks for work, play and even for their family activities. Whether it's farming, automotive, hauling or pulling a trailer they use their trucks all year long. Could they buy a smaller truck that gets better mileage? Sure they could but then they could not pull or haul what they need for work.


That is why DIESEL Motorsports holds all of our events in rural areas of the country. People who work and use their trucks for a living understand the loud running, sometimes smoke blowing diesel trucks that you find at our events.

You move the rural people and show to the big city and in the past there are many who do not understand the diesel lifestyle! In fact they are appalled by the smoke, noise and the large trucks that use lots of fuel.

With the current political status the smoky diesels are seen as a real negative in the cities even though the car exhausts(millions) are the reason for their pollution. But you can not see their exhaust but you can when a semi blows out a little smoke.

The EPA is being literally fueled by the OEMs not wanting diesel truck owners messing with their systems, even though it may be an improvement in performance and mileage. The OEMs want ALL changes to their vehicles(they have tried to get government to recognize it as their vehicle) done by their dealerships. Even though you have bought and own the truck they are claiming the technology and actual mechanical portion of the truck is theirs and cannot be changed because of Patent laws.

This has been overturned currently and would result in loss of MANY jobs and business considering the number of garages, part stores, distributors and private dealerships.

Yep the sport was started at rural fairgrounds and cities and that is where they understand the use and acknowledge the upgrades in performance in a diesel.

Can you move the sport to the masses in the city? 

Sure just be ready for the backlash of those who DO NOT KNOW what diesels are used for in today's business world.

See you at our events in the rural cities!

DIESEL Motorsports