Horsepower Festival Spring 2023 Review! . . . in Missouri!

 DIESEL Motorsports has tried Spring events before and it is a 50/50% shot of dodging severe weather being in the Midwest! We lucked out on this one with 2 days of rain before and after the event on May 13th in Osborn Missouri at US 36 Dragway!

It turned out to be a beautiful warm day with great sunshine and a perfect setting for our event. The Horsepower Festival Spring is one of two such Festivals this year with the 2nd one being held September 23rd in Okaloosa Iowa at Eddyville Dragway!

At these events we combine a car/truck show with swap meet, dyno competition, local food trucks, vendors and drag racing. The drag racing includes local classes along with Diesel Motorsports truck class. Basically an overall motorsports festival with a fairground atmosphere for fans to enjoy all day long.

We moved the Osborn Missouri Festival to Spring in order to accommodate the track's schedule from the Fall which allowed us to open a 2nd one in Iowa. We had a great turnout of a combination of cars and trucks for over 22 categories and 3 Best of Show Awards! It amazes us the top quality of vehicles every year, many of these could easily be on display at industry trade shows. In fact I know of 4 of them that will be showing at SEMA this year.

The Revolution Auto Works Dyno ran many different vehicles trying to register for the highest HP prize with the largest being 789 HP. Many fans liked watching the vehicles run on the dyno while also visiting the Diesel Motorsports Sponsors tent and many other vendors.

The food vendors were busy all day and night along with the track's concession stand. That is one thing our people like to do is try different foods and eat. We had top notch BBQ, local made kettle corn, shaved ice and local ice cream. 

The drag racing started around 6pm in the evening with some great local cars and trucks racing on the 1/8th mile track. The winners are listed below with many different classes even including Jr Dragsters. The truck class was a heads up class with a yearly winner taking the trophy home again. The track crew did a great job of quickly running the classes down the track all night long.

It was considered a successful event since we had a great fan base all day and evening watching all aspects of motorsports. 

Photo link:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=DIESELMotorsports.US&set=a.622726819888770

Winners listed below:

Precision Diesel Works Show-N-Shine Show

Trucks

Best of Show Diesel – Ty Little – 2017 Ford F-350

Best of Show Gas – Dakota Beemer – 1979 Chevy K2500

Best GMC/Chevy – Travis Baldwin – 2016 Chevy 2500

Best Dodge – Al Roscoe – 1980 Dodge 1500

Best Ford – Haden Long – 2022 Ford F350

Best Work Truck – Conner Drew – 1993 Dodge D350

Best Rat Rod – James Davis – 1967 Chevy C10

Cars

Best of Show – Bob Starling – 1966 Chevy Nova

Best of Show – Dalton, Jordyn & Myra Dreher – 1969 Chevy Impala SS

Best Mopar – Don Wirth – 1971 Plymouth Cuda

Best Ford – Trever Walter – 1991 Ford Mustang

Best Chevy – Gary & Cheryl Alexander – 1967 Chevy Camaro RS

Best Late Model – Buddy Caton – 2008 Ford Mustang

Best Vintage – Cooper HecKman – 1962 Ford Falcon

Best Exotic – Josip Sarar – 2015 BMW 18

Best Pro Street – Kade Heflon – 1966 Chevy Nova

Best Mini Dragster – Colton Koontz – 510X

Revolution Auto Dyno Competition

Highest HP - Tyler Williams – 2007 Chevy 2500 – 789 hp

Horsepower Festival Spring 2023

Racing Classes

Super Pro

1st Josh Henderson, St. Joseph, MO

2nd Kobe Morris, Lawson, MO

Semi Ken Warren, Lawson, MO

Semi Kelly Knauss, Edwardsville, Kansas

Pro

1st Josh Henderson, St. Joseph, MO

2nd Kodi Heflin, Maryville, MO

Semi Phil Shope, Greenfield, IA

Semi Kyle Benton, Lawson, MO

Sportsman

1st Joe Smock, St. Joseph, MO

2nd Stephen Westbrook, Lathrop, MO

Trophy

1st Jessica Lynn, Oak Grove, MO

2nd Alex Sandusky, St. Joseph, MO

Jr. Dragster

1st Ryan Cole, Maysville, MO

2nd Colton Koontz, Kearney, MO

Heads-Up DIESEL Truck Class

Champion – Vince Neiderhauser

2nd – Tyler Williams

South Coast Gator Nationals Review - NOLA Motorsports Park 2023

 This was a NEW venue for the South Coast Gator Nationals at NOLA Motorsports Park for 2023. We didn't know if this would work here since this is a motor course park with very nice settings for the winter months outside of New Orleans. 

They do have a mile straightaway on their road course which we used for 1/8 mile No-prep Street Drags and a very large concrete area for a car/truck show among many other activities including food trucks and drinks.

Plenty of room to grow for other activities which includes a offload 4x4 course and pulling track (currently being developed). They have a pro go-cart course along with a drifting pad for more activities including motorsports.

Now we just need to figure out how to adapt this to our Motorsports activities! Let's start with a Car/Truck/Jeep show, there is plenty of room to display plus park the fans. We had over 40 vehicles displaying some really nice vehicles including a couple of Street Outlaw cars. A local NO Corvette club took the honors of having the most entries. 

The track provided some nice food trucks with local NOLA food along with local drinks. Some nice motorsports vendors provided some great give-aways for the kids and adults. 

DIESEL Motorsports had to bring a portable lighting system in for the mile long straightaway of the road course. We setup in the on strait which is about 2-300 feet long and measured out about an 1/8 of a mile for a short drag strip. This provided a great no prep surface with no surface prep at the starting line. 

Most of the vehicles had no problems getting plenty of traction and getting up to speed on the track. We ran ET Bracket, 7.70 Index and heads-up racing on a Pro-tree. It took some testing and setup to finally getting it to work but the competitors had some fun running on this track that had not been used as a drag strip for many years. An experience for not only us but also the track.

It was a beautiful setting with great weather as they were getting an ice storm/snow in most of the Midwest states where we came from the past week. I believe it was sunny and almost 80 degrees most of the day. As always after the event you had many choices of great restaurants or travel 15 minutes and go to Bourbon street for some great sites.

Before we headed out of town we took the opportunity to stop off at the National WWII Museum downtown. It was unbelievable to view some items there including the original designer who was giving tours of the assault beach craft used on the Pacific Islands during WWII.

Our next event is just outside of Kansas City where the original WWI Museum is located and is a favorite of mine to take people to when they come to town. 

Photos of this past weekend's event can be seen at this link:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=DIESELMotorsports.US&set=a.573378024823650

DIESEL Motorsports 2023 - what is coming . . .

 Last day of the first month of the new year and are we busy? So busy planning on some new changes, events and direction for our diesel enthusiasts! The confirmed schedule is now up on our web site along with included at the end of this post. Most people don't realize most tracks take the winter off until after the holidays before thinking about the next year ( I don't blame them).

I was so busy I had to cancel a couple of industry meetings I usually attend every year, instead I headed down to a new area of the country for our first event in New Orleans LA! Planning an event anymore takes a lot of time and effort to make sure everything is in place.

Diesel Motorsports has hired a new agency to help with promotions along with some new connections. This opens a lot of new doors for not only our enthusiasts but also the sponsors. Does it sound like we are expanding? You would be right!

DIESEL Motorsports has slowly been expanding the past couple of years during Covid while working quietly on the sides. I decided we needed NEW activities at the venues after conversing with attendees at the shows. 

We have added gas pickups in their separate classes along with even some cars/rods at the show-n-shines and racing classes. We have added tractors into the mix on the sled pulling side and 2WD trucks.

Still the diesel trucks dominate our activities but like all enthusiasts our truck owners enjoy ALL motorsports so they welcomed the newcomers. It is entertaining the attendees that makes our sport grow, and many shops have seen their business grow during these times.

We have even added our own mini trade show held in Missouri for the first time this last November. It was so successful we had to move it to a larger facility (70,000 sq ft) in Lebanon Missouri on October 21st! This was a ALL motorsports show with a little bit of everything for all venues. We had over 40 vendors with vehicle displays that filled the 29,000 sq ft expo center. The hotel was filled, they ran out of parking spaces, ran out of food so we had to move it to accommodate a larger crowd.

Will we have the same classes as before? Some changes in pulling, we have added the map-groove classes back in this year in order to grow the pulling sport. We have found that a lot of our pulling trucks could not afford the smooth bore upgrades demanded by other pulling leagues so they dropped out. We WANT them back to pulling with their old trucks so we can grow the sport.

We took a popular event held in Missouri called the Horsepower Festival and made a Spring and Fall Horsepower Festival. Both held with a 3 hour trip from each other. Spring held in our old location at Us 36 Dragway and the Fall Horsepower Festival held at Eddyville Dragway in Iowa.

Another OLD favorite has returned the original Thunder in Muncie since 2001with a NEW remade Gaston Lion's Club Park July 29th. When NO other leagues/tracks allowed diesel pickups to compete this was the original event started by Eric McBride and Gene (Sleddy) Mahoney! Even this will be a first with Koi dirt drags during the day along with truck show then sled pulling in the evening. The park has added a new track, lights, sound system, tower, buildings and grandstands while being closed during Covid. The will bring back many memories for those that attended the original events held there.

The East Coast Diesel Nationals moved to the date June 24th last year and will continue in it's 14th year there with the same activities as before but now allowing all map-groove trucks in racing and pulling! It has worked out better since it is cooler on this date then when we held in in July. 

DIESEL Motorsports has always led the way with motorsports in mind and greater horsepower with safety always on the tracks. Families are always welcomed since we run clean and insured events for all ages to attend. Look for more to come this year, it should be fun! 

2023 Schedule

February 24/25th

South Coast Gator Nationals

Show-N-Shine,  Burnout Pad

No-Prep Street  Drags, 

(New Orleans) Nola, Avondale LA

May 13th

Horsepower Festival Spring

Car/Truck Show/Swap Meet

Drag Racing/Food Trucks

Osborn MO/US 36 Dragway

June 24

East Coast Diesel Nationals

Drags, Pull, Dyno, ShowNshine

Numidia Dragway

Numidia, Pennsylvania

July 29

Thunder in Muncie

Sled Pull/Show-N-Shine, 

KOi Dirt Drags, 

Gaston Lions Club Park IN

August 12

Keystone Truck Drags

Drags/ShowNShine 

Keystone Raceway Park

New Alexandria, PA 

September 23

Horsepower Festival Fall

Show-N-Shine, Music, Swap Shop

Diesel/Gas drags

Eddyville Raceway, Okaloosa IA

October 21st

Ozark Performance Expo

Trade Show/Car/Trucks/Rods

Cowan Civic Center

Lebanon, MO

Dec 7-9

PRI Show

Indianapolis, IN

PRI report 2022 - Indy here we come . . .

 What was the 2022 PRI show like and was it worth going and displaying? I get asked every year since we have displayed there for over 10 years.

I was a bit concerned when SEMA/PRI changed it from competitor free admission to $40 per person/member was anyone going to attend. My negative thoughts were wrong and the place was packed with people Thursday and Friday, always a little lighter on Saturday.

That's right, PRI got the people there who were quality enthusiasts, no kids or homeless people and tire kickers. It was well attended by good people who like motorsports! 

Our booth #1835 which has been there for quite a few years was busy the first two days so much we ran out of most materials we brought to hand out. Of course it helps our booth has the DM girls in it but don't be fooled these young ladies are smart and know diesel pickups.

Many tracks and customers came by to talk us about our 2023 schedule of events including our own regional motorsports trade show in Missouri in October (21)! We did downsize the booth this year because of economy costs for being there.

Even going with a 10x10 booth it is still a $5-7,000 investment when including all costs for personnel, travel, hotel and food costs! It is no longer a cheap show to attend or display but far cheaper than the Las Vegas SEMA show. For smaller companies who do business in performance motorsports it is the show to go to for the year.

Prepare to walk, there is a lot to see in three days. I average walking 4 miles a day and standing on my feet 13 hours per day, according to my Apple Watch.

We stayed out by the airport (Plainfield) for cheaper hotels, restaurants etc so you do miss a the excitement of being downtown. However, it is less busy and shorter waits to get into restaurants, free breakfasts and safer environment.

Downtown is like any big downtown there is some characters who prey on normal people and there was a few muggings on vendors and attendees. But I did see increased police presence after the first day even in the garage walkways. You just have to be aware of what is around you, I was approached last year staying downtown by a homeless person with a gun while staying at a connecting hotel. That is why I stayed back out by the airport including much cheaper.

The vendors displaying at the show were great performance manufacturers  and there were a few t-shirt and sunglass vendors, however no window or gutter people. Anyone attending as a motorsports enthusiasts would have no problem finding parts or services to view for three days!

Considering a year after Covid and building for the future good job Jamie and PRI people!

Sled Pulling rules for 2023 - what's next!

 One of our most read blogs is the pulling rules throughout the years. Everyone wants to know what changes because we go to so many different areas and we are based on safety via the SFI.

Most will remain the same for 2.6, 3.0 smooth bore classes along with ProMods! However the lower street classes will be emerging again with map-groove classes for the more affordable pulling classes. 

All trucks still must have safety equipment installed based on horsepower and weight! We have seen many accidents during the years and it does come down to safety for everyone that keeps the sport alive.

No accelerates are allowed such as nitrous, methane, jet fuel, etc. in any of the classes. Too much can happen in such a small amount of time and space (300 ft) to allow more power through the accelerates. 

Exhausts must point up with classes including cross bolts in higher hp classes. Only stock exhaust allowed is on pure work stock with DPF, muffler in place on exhaust. 

Only huge difference this year DIESEL Motorsports will NO longer allow dually wheel/tires in classes! This has gotten us in trouble because of the different states legal width on dually setups. Easy fix is to get rid of it.

All former rules and safety equipment will be in place for 2023. So there we have it!

As far as classes here is what we have run in the past:

Workstock - pure stock turbo

Hot Workstock - see rules - larger turbo but limited

2.5 MapGroove Class

2.6 MG Class

2.6 SmoothBore Class

3.0 SB Class

Pro-Mod

Runwhatubrung Class (safety equipment required)

Let's have some fun pulling this year - get back to the track!

Diesel shortage ??? How real is the threat?

 Any threat is real in today's environment but it's how you view the source. Realistically if it comes from our fuel suppliers I would take it under advisement, however coming from government parties it is somewhat unbelievable and viewed as politics.

Fuel for vehicles, home heat, electricity and transportation is big monies. When that much monies are involved then the government likes to be involved.

When the government takes control then it is normally a mess because of many factors including party politics. While I was at SEMA I was asked countless times about the diesel fuel supply! I told most people I was not worried it is all politics.

So here we are past the date they gave we would be out of fuel and actually the price fell this week for diesel fuel. I do understand in the NE with the threat of snow storm and falling temps the shortage of diesel fuel and heating oil was real and the price shot way up!

Isn't that normal this time of year and peel back the layers, how much of the increase was additional taxes for the NE part of the country?

Again, it is more about politics than a shortage or how much profit can we squeeze out of people before they start yelling?

The United States has the biggest reserve of fuel in the world under our ground and the refineries who can process it. Now, will they let them produce it is another question.

We will see what happens with the rail strike not being resolved, again politics involved!

Lake Ozark Performance Expo Review! 2022

 This was a first for this location as a area trade show and car/truck show! We held two like this before in Kansas City but when Covid hit they canceled them. So we had to start over for the Ozark show which turned out great for a first year. 

The show was supposed to bring in 4 sate area shops, manufacturers and services for our motorsports enthusiasts. We did fill the small space we had with a little bit of everything from all venues of motorsports.  It took a while to place everyone properly so it could flow for someone walking the hall.

What made this Expo Center unique was the hotel resort attached to it so you could stay in the rooms at night, along with eating and refreshments right next to it. We did fill the hotel but they were not used to the traffic since Covid along with worker shortage so we had our challenges during the weekend.

Even with the challenges most people staying and attending had a blast visiting with local motor heads and each other during the weekend. We are already discussing next year and what changes need to be made to make it better and bigger.

Of course heavy on the truck side since I had many people come in but we had circle track represented along with muscle cars, rat rods and vintage trucks. Everyone enjoyed talking to all vendors since many had over 30 years experience in what they had done for the industry. 

The weather started out warm the day before and during setup but like Missouri in the winter it fell from 70 degrees to 30s overnight with even snow flurries on Saturday. This put a damper on our car/truck show but some came and many were inside the competition.  The judges had to wear coats to go outside to view the entries but everyone was a winner.

These type of shows take a lot to setup and especially for the vendors to haul everything in for the show but after they seemed to think it was worth it and want to return for next year. We had a pretty good crowd of enthusiasts come in Saturday and of course lighter on Friday and Sunday.

Children were welcome and free under 12 with many things for them to see like the monster truck, the rat rod truck  that they could draw on with sidewalk chalk and of course the apparel trailer! The resort also had a arcade right outside in the open area before the expo center.

To expand we will need more space, more parking and more places to eat and relax! But what a good problem to have after the first year.

See everyone next year at the Performance Expo!

Photos:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.6026245944076253&type=3