YOU BETTER BACK OFF - DIESEL Motorsports!

Yes, I have been sent this on more than one occasion, a recent message sent just last week by a diesel competitor! I'm sure motivated by a few drinks and keyboard courage had a lot to do with it.


This niche automotive market did start in the country and backwoods but has developed into large business with millions of dollars being made by major corporations and manufacturers. When that happens progress is apparent and it becomes a transition of taking a local sport or hobby and turning it into business. 


When it turns into business then business professionals get involved and start to run the sport so bigger companies and manufacturers can feel assured their involvement is protected and void of the big three letters "LLL"!


The big three concerns:


Legal - is the sport legal, licensed, insured and follow automotive safety guidelines! They do not want to have to defend what is illegal or considered politically correct in society.


Liability - are they protected if there are accidents, concerns, etc.? They need to keep their image clean of controversy and claims. 


Lawyers - they DO NOT want them involved and use them when they only have too!


As a business if we can assure them that the sport is clear of the three "LLL"s then they are interested in being involved. When the correct business structure is setup and presented in use some of the old standards and businesses who started the sport cannot continue to operate as in the past.


Some of the old standards of the sport get upset that someone or some business is trying to change how the sport is operated  and conducted. Yes, some of the old camaraderie is gone along with partying into the night, but it is replaced by professional competitive activities that is there for everyone without infringing on other's rights or property.


It's called PROGRESS . . .


NASCAR started the same way in it's birth in the back roads of the South and over the years was replaced by big business into what it is today. Is DIESEL Motorsports on the same path?


Don't know! But it's the right way to progress and I'm sure it is not popular with a lot of people who liked it the old way. We started DIESEL Motorsports just over 5 years ago with just 6 sponsors and that has grown to about 20 current sponsors, that is progress!


We held a small but very successful event this past weekend in Texas with no problems, lots of diesel enthusiasts and competitors and had a great time doing it. Some of the old along with the new group was there and they competed plus hung together for almost three hours after the event was over - great times along with progress!


BACK OFF? - We are just getting started, I don't think so!

The BUSINESS end of DIESEL Motorsports . . .

Most people come to the events wanting to have a good time with their diesel pickups, see friends, and watch the different diesel trucks compete be it racing, pulling or dyno.

What goes on before or during the event in order to make this all happen?

We get a lot of calls of people wanting to hold large diesel events and what does it take, most of them think a couple of thousand dollars. Unfortunately that wouldn't even rent the track, maybe barely pay for the personnel for a one day event.

Most drag strips rent from $6000-$15000 for the day depending on the location, then there is the insurance for the event at the track. The sled for the pulling, the track prep equipment, the dirt, people to run it and the electronics to display and radio the results.

The drag strip provides some personnel but the association has to supply the rest, the SFI techs, registration, front gate, etc. The cost of flying them in and housing them, feeding them and transportation for them  while they are in town is all included in the costs of the event.

Everything from tents for the vendors, tables, chairs, etc we either rent or buy in order to provide a service for our sponsors. We hang over 150 banners at the events and take them down, some are stolen by fans which is why we always ask for extras. Simple tasks as providing lunch and water for the 20 plus workers during the day is no small feat but helps when they are not too picky about what we provide.

The amounts of funds it takes to coordinate all of the functions is in the thousands of dollars and a combination of sponsor's funds, front gate profits and registration combined pays for most of the expenses.

The business end of it is endless if you don't know where to properly place your marketing and advertising dollars, we have tried newspapers, radio, web, and even tv but radio seems to work the best for us in rural areas. Normal rates are anywhere from $1500 to $5000 for a week of advertising depending on the local stations.

Gathering of sponsors to fund the events that DIESEL Motorsports plans for the year is a job that never has an end. No sooner you wrap up one event you are selling on the next event, calling all of the local shops, businesses and vendors who care to try and sell products to the fans. Local sponsors need to see a return on the monies they spend so they need to sell more than what the booth or sponsorship costs!

The selling and gathering of yearly sponsors is a full time job that requires hours or preparation, phone calls/conferences and face to face meetings. You first have to convince the person you are selling to and then he has to get approval from the rest of his group for the funding. This requires answering questions surrounding the effectiveness of DIESEL Motorsports in relationship to their business or products plus a ROI! I have sold to companies over three years before they could get approval and feel comfortable putting their funds into our sport. They want to see the numbers and can you help them sell their products or services. Every year they evaluate the results in order to justify the funding for the next year. We have to help them provide the numbers in reports and figures.

The time we spend on lobbying is huge since this helps convince more and more manufacturers to get into the sport which results in more sponsors plus new performance products for DIESEL Motorsports. Some of the new products are fantastic and will sell quite well in our industry, knowing which products to push and ask for is the experience we bring as an association that knows what enthusiasts will buy for their trucks. We passed out over 35,000 flyers for future events at trade shows last winter promoting our sport and sponsors.

So the BUSINESS end of DIESEL Motorsports is a lot of hard work long before it hits the track and is a bigger part of time than the events. That being said we are quite happy when the final product (event) is over and then we proceed to the next!

See you at the track and enjoy what so many others have put into the effort in order for the event to happen!

Texas - is Truck Country. Period. DIESEL Motorsports . . .

DIESEL Motorsports® is holding it's Texas Diesel Roundup in little over a week for the third year, and yes there is a lot of country down there, and yes there is a lot of trucks down there!

Experian Motor Division reports Texas leads the country in a lot of statistics when it comes to trucks:


* More than one in four vehicles (26.91 percent) in Texas are pickup trucks

• Texas has the highest proportion of rear-wheel drive vehicles (36.86 percent)

• Texas has the highest proportion of 8-, 10- and 12-cylinder vehicles (29.37 percent)

• also Pickup trucks accounted for 20.57 percent of all vehicles in operation in Texas

. . . so basically I am saying Texas is truck country!

That is why we are so excited about coming back to Texas for the event where we will be featuring diesel pickup sled pulling, drag racing, dyno, show-n-shine and a vendor alley. Every thing in Texas is bigger and you need a lot of truck to get there, that's why diesels are a hot commodity in the state.

The type of trucks and people we meet in Texas are generally nice people who love their trucks, their families and their sport! They are very passionate about their trucks and they standup to a good challenge any day of the week.

With trucks sales up 8.5% Nationwide this year over last year, the truck market is still growing in states like Texas. Diesel trucks are for the serious worker in construction, hauling, farming, automotive and recreational lifestyles.

If you want to see a lot of trucks in one location come to our event in Texas, they are friendly and will tell you all about their trucks!

For more information on the event go to: www.DIESELmotorsports.US

LOOKING for the right Manufacturers . . . DIESEL Motorsports!

Just one more event in a couple of weeks and I'm already working on next year's programs! I have already sent out next year's contracts for manufacturers to see who wants to market to our diesel enthusiasts. The cycle starts all over again for us and quite frankly I enjoy this portion of the year more than anything.

I'm back in my element, automotive marketers and leaders who are looking for new ways to sell their products to potential buyers. In our case, diesel enthusiasts who are looking for new products and getting familiar with existing products. These manufacturers are the sponsors who spend money with us in order for DIESEL Motorsports® to put on events that attract diesel enthusiasts..

The one item most manufacturers forget, behind every performance diesel is IT'S STILL A PICKUP! Our enthusiasts still need accessories and parts for pickups, everything from floor mats to tonneau covers. Also any hard part for a diesel truck, water pump, starter, alternator, etc., our guys still need the parts to keep their used rebuilt trucks going.

Over 80% of our diesel market is used trucks, that is a lot of trucks that need more hard parts and performance upgrades to keep them running for a long time. More and more young people are getting into the cheaper used diesels and fixing them up to compete while the older crowd is buying newer trucks for the comfort and ease of a new pickup.

Who is the right manufacturer?

The manufacturer who wants to be in our programs of promoting not only our sport but also DIESEL Motorsports®. Provide us with the correct materials to promote their product(s) at our events, decals, banners, product display, promotion materials and give-aways so we can properly promote their products to the crowds during the events.

Help promote DIESEL Motorsports® through their web site, product inserts, decal insert, and advertising our events on their diesel related advertising. Be a part of the direction we are trying to take this movement, family oriented diesel events where performance minded enthusiasts can compete legally instead of on the streets. It will only help it grow and sell more of their parts, products and services.

It becomes a synergy between diesel products, the shows and the enthusiasts, one that is positive and professional. Almost a county fair atmosphere is prevalent at the events along with enthusiasts inspecting everyone else's trucks, and a vendor alley where one can find new items for their trucks.

If a manufacturer cannot find a local store or provide personnel to attend the shows make sure to provide us with a display of products. Our enthusiasts want to see the latest in technology at the events and find out what is becoming available.

Just this last year Covercraft joined our sponsors promoting their SeatSavers truck seat covers. They attended a couple of shows so the attendees could talk with a factory trained person about their products and left us with a small display of the product with plenty of pass-out materials that supported their products. Many of our truck owners use seat covers and they found that Covercraft was available at many of their local shops and stores. The ladies really liked the pink camo seat covers!

A perfect example of a truck accessory manufacturer who found the diesel market was not just performance but pickup trucks.

Just a couple of weeks ago I attended the first of the industry's trade show and found many of the companies now wanting to produce performance parts for the diesel industry because they have heard it is growing. What a good feeling to have when you are approached and asked about the up and coming DIESEL Motorsports® trend in automotive sports.

LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT MANUFACTURERS? If you fit the description give me a call before SEMA, PRI and IMS since we will be at all of them.

SERIOUSLY? . . . DIESEL Motorsports!

I recently received a email from a good sponsor who helped us put on a event and he was quite disturbed by an email he received from one of our racers that was given a gift certificate as a prize. This was a gift certificate given to them by one of their good suppliers and sponsor of the event.

No strings attached just a gift certificate for an item on top of receiving a cash purse. They were disturbed because of the response by the racer! It wasn’t a  “Thank you”, or “could I receive something else I already have one of these”, their response is below:

“I am just writing to inform you that we have decided NOT to accept your

cheap junk -------- system that we won in the --------- class at ---------- event.

The voucher we sent in said it was for a free system, come to find out its 4 inch installer series, SERIOUSLY? You can stick that worthless system up your #@*$#@#@$.

it is under the name "__________" just so you know that way you can send it

through the shredder.”

_____________@@gmail.com

Wow was all I could say at first.

Regardless of the prize that was given, the size of the product, or the type of product, is this a professional way to communicate to a major company in the industry how much we appreciate them participating in the sport?

This is a statement I would expect from a backstreet bar room patron after their 10^th drink or the guy walking the streets pushing the shopping cart talking to himself – but one of the racers who is representing our sport that we have tried to pull up it’s bootstraps from the barrel fire booze fest race and launch into a professional level at a Class 1 drag strip?

I apologized immediately to the sponsor for our racer.

You see guys every negative comment made about or to someone about our sport is a reflection upon all of us. Not just the Association, the drag racers, the pullers – but all of the diesel community. This type of person who wrote this statement is now representing every one of you in the diesel community, that is how this major corporation and their management now view all who are involved in diesel motorsports.

When major companies see this type of attitude they not only want to turn their backs on the sport but the entire diesel competitor community. Every racer or puller who in the future sends this company a request to sponsor their vehicle or event will make them think of this person’s response.

“Remember last time we tried to help or give these guys something, forget it, it isn’t worth the trouble”! Then they will allocate the funds or prizes to another group that has not caused them any trouble. Least path of resistance.

It’s a shame when one individual or group of agitators ruins it for everyone else in the diesel community. Call it negative energy or bad karma but it surrounds them like a black cloud and pulls everyone else around them down.

We can choose to ignore the people who wrote this email to our sponsor and try to leave them behind but like anything bad the taste is still there for quite a long time.

New World Record set in Pro Diesel - 171MPH! DIESEL Motorsports!

That's right a record that has been held by one of the World's top diesel specialists Gale Banks for four yeas has fallen to Wade Moody in his Duramax S-10 dragster!

MRI Raceway - Maryland, 1/4 mile run
7.94 at 171 mph
backed with 7.87 at 171mph
Wade Moody Pro Diesel Class

Moody has taken the same approach as Gale by running a clean diesel - smokeless using #2 diesel fuel with very little NOS and on a single injection pump. Obviously Moody has figured out how to tune the components to work together to produce an extreme amount of horsepower and torque to put them down on the payment.

National Association of Diesel Motorsports is proud to represent this accomplishment by Wade and congratulate him on this accomplishment. These passes were made with advance notice to the sanctioning body with a certified tech in attendance for certification. They have been entered as official and will replace those that have stood for many years.

During the runs Wade Moody also broke his 1/8 mile record with:

5.07 at 141 mph
backed by 5.08 at 141 mph

Mr. Moody's sponsors are listed below as he submitted them:

Industrial Injection
PPE
Flo Pro
Mickey Thompson
K&N
Dieselmotorsports.US
Lucas oil
Virginia Speed
NGM Diesel
XS power
Stroud Saftey
REV
John Boy Tuning
Nitrous Express
My wife and son
Cory--my pit crew
My lord Jesus Christ for saftey and the ability to turn persistance into results!

As I have stated before this great country of ours is made of individuals who have set goals and have accomplished them with a persistence only found in America. Our diesel industry is full of Wades who strive everyday to make a difference in diesel technology! If only the big three could take some lessons from our industry leaders then the future for vehicles in this country could take turn toward the better with advance fuel technology.

Champion Oil for DIESELS, yes it is real!

As recently featured Champion Oil is a real DIESEL ONLY oil that was produced just this summer. Champion has been making racing oil for the NASCAR circuit for some time and their Oil Farm is located here in Missouri. I asked one of the directors to make a performance oil specifically for diesels last winter and to my surprise they called in the Spring to tell me they had made it for us.

The Blue Flame oil is a non-DPF oil for diesels, for those who don't know they took out the additives in all oils for diesels in 2007, zinc and certain additives that help the longevity of the engine. The EPA deemed the additives as damaging to the DPF system and would help reduce emissions. We all know how the DPF is working out for the diesels.


Champion oil (for offroad performance only) has put the additives back in the oil which is a synthetic blend for all 2007 and older diesel engines. Nothing long term obviously since it has only been out since summer but many users have reported good results with little if any breakdown of oil during use. In other words thank goodness for adding back what the original engine builders specified for the engines.


Champion is currently being carried by all of the WDs - Premier, DPPI, PPE, Keystone Automotive and XDP! So yes, it is available and I think you'll like the price. Can you find this at Walmart? I don't think so since it was built just for the diesel market.


Champion currently private labels for over 300 different brands including Lucas, Mobil One, Shell, Wagner, and many popular brands you see on the shelf. 


Why have you not seen them much before, they just recently branded their own name Champion not too long ago and started selling what they have been producing for over 50 years. They occupy about 500,000 sq feet and employ over 200 people in a small town that also makes the Bass Ranger boats in Missouri.


What a find and we certainly appreciate their interest in Diesels!