Following the rules . . . DIESEL Motorsports!

DIESEL Motorsports are governed by a set of rules that are written for fairness across the board for all competitors in every state. They are written broad because we get so many complaints that local shops, clubs or manufacturers change the rules to fit their customers or equipment.

We have been asked on several occasions to change our rules for equipment in exchange for funding or favorites in the industry. They have all been turned down in order to keep a fairset of rules for the sport. Many of the new people in the sport do not know just 10 years ago many tracks and tractor clubs told the diesel trucks to go away, they could not run.

DIESEL Motorsports cannot just change our rules at a drop of the hat either, we are governed by SFI and the insurance companies. WE can only submit once a year to change our rules and classes in January and they remain the same for another year. That is why we are different than the other promoters who change the rules at anytime running under someone else's rules - that promoter is called an Alternate Sanctioning Body or ASO.

DIESEL Motorsports is a true sanctioning body for diesels. How important is that today?

Not important to many competitors because the more rules there are the safer and more equipment they have to buy for their trucks in order to run. When an accident does happen it is good to know you are covered by insurance and protected though. To sponsors it's very important to know they are covered for liabilities surrounding the sport in all aspects.

When competitors don't follow the rules they always try and make us out as the bad guys, happens with NHRA and IHRA too! Human nature is funny when one does wrong is to shift the blame to someone else - shift the focus to someone else no matter what!

There is always one or two out of line people who scream the loudest and expect the attention will get them vindicated.

Let me ask? When a child is throwing a fit acting badly in a candy store do you give them the candy?

I know what I got as a child, what about you?

DIESEL Motorsports has to take a stand against such people even though it may cost us or we look/sound like the bad guys. We must enforce the rules no matter how minor they sound how slight someone tried to cheat the rules in order to gain some extra edge in competition.

That is why we don't respond to raving unfairness on the Internet forums about our actions, nor do we respond to people making wild claims that we are the bad guys in the industry. We can't be about one person, we are about the masses and fair to all who compete. We strive to satisfy many and not just one person who thinks they are important.

Call or email us and we will respond about the rules in a fair fashion, if we don't reply to fit your needs we are sorry but DIESEL Motorsports is here to service the sport and not individuals.

We let our actions show how fair we are to the competitors, when we say we are going to pay purses for certain classes then we pay those people at each event! WE offer refunds to competitors when others don't when inclement weather hits, and we in many cases pay full purses when not enough trucks show to compete.

We are here for the sport which means all of you, and yes all of you are important to us, as long as the rules are followed.

It's a business with many people we have to answer to for many different reasons and it can't be about just one person! Please read the rules for safety, competition and sportsmanship, they apply to all diesel owners who compete.

What are we looking for in Diesel Performance???

I think most people are looking for their street trucks is a little more power when they need it and better fuel economy all of the time!

We use our trucks for hauling, pulling and most use them for work. Some use them for recreation which involves pulling a boat, trailer or ATVs.

What ever the use we are all looking for a way to customize our truck for a personal look plus the performance.

However, we look to the track for the enjoyment of seeing how far someone else can take the diesel engines in performance. What most people don't understand is the trucks on the tracks do smoke but for a short amount of time and they are trailered there by completely street legal diesels.

What gives us a bad name or rap is the young kids who smoke-out the intersections and thinks it is funny when they smoke a small car. Yes we are all foolish when we are young but this is what gets reported to the local authorities and relayed to the EPA.

Well we all know what the EPA did to the tuning companies this Spring and Summer, so do we continue to flaunt it or be smart and take it to the track. What we do on the track is legal as long as you de-tune before leaving!

So to further advance diesel technology for the streets we need to look to the professionals who are building the trucks for performance on the track.

Exhaust for the street diesel? What works for you!

What makes a good exhaust for your diesel truck?

It all depends on what you are wanting out of your truck or what kind of setup you have on your truck for performance. Is it a truck for street use or strictly performance racing or pulling?

Let's talk about street trucks first since that is what most of us are driving. If you live in a state with strict emission laws then you need to follow state and local laws. If you live in a state where not much is required you can pretty well do what you want with the truck's exhaust.

I live in a state where there are not many restrictions so we can run straight pipes if you wish, however I run an enlarged turbo back system with a muffler and tip. Stacks are a nice added look but I did not want to cut holes in my truck bed and tonneau cover. More of a sleeper diesel truck with normal street use but yet can get into it when I want to or need it.

Another problem with stacks is it is hard to squeeze a muffler into the configuration and I drive too many highway miles to have the rumble behind my head for a long period of time. Same goes with a straight pipe setup, the drone in the cab is annoying after many hours of driving.

I hear the biggest problem with diesel's exhaust is not the loud noise but the constant drone while driving long trips. Some tell me it is so bad they cannot talk or hear each other inside the cab. Even with some industry mufflers installed they tell me the drone is bad!

I have known about a solution for this problem for about five years - there are only two mufflers on the market that removes the drone in a diesel using large turbo back exhaust! One is really expensive and made in Ohio, so if $500 for a muffler doesn't scare ya then it's the one that will not impede performance and cut the drone sound.

The other is from our title sponsor Flowmaster, the Pro Series muffler available in 4 and 5 inch for around $140-160 depending on where you buy it.

We dynoed this muffler 5 years ago at Danville Performance in IN and found just by cutting off the old muffler and putting on the Pro series the Duramax cut out the drone and picked up 32 HP at the wheels! 

It's the internal design that makes it a perfect fit for the diesel engine, too much out flow hurts the performance even though most guys will tell you straight pipes work the best. We found this on a dyno not to be the case, now regular mufflers actually do produce too much back pressure but the Pro Series adds just enough back pressure that increases the HP and torque.

PLUS no more drone in the cab! They are not pretty but they do work and Flowmaster has them partnered on every diesel exhaust kit for trucks from 98.4 to 2007! From 2007.5 to current they are one of the few companies who has DPF back kits that will improve performance!

So for the average guy with a diesel truck who drives a lot on the street the Flowmaster Pro Series Muffler is one to consider!

I don't know about you but if the boss lady says she won't ride in the truck because she can't talk to ya, ya better get it fixed because we all know who the boss is in the end!

Oh yea and made in the USA, not many can say that, in fact hardly any in the diesel exhaust industry!

If you have noticed we try and encourage use of US made products since that is where most of us get jobs!

How to Market your Diesel business or shop?

I get asked about marketing or advertising for a diesel business or shop all of the time. First let's talk about the difference of marketing and advertising.

Marketing is the gathering of information surrounding your business, the products, the competition, the customers, and compiling this information to evaluate. You then take that information and devise a business plan for your business or shop.

Advertising is what you do with the information you gathered and reaching out to the customers that you seek that want your product or services.

I come across this process many years ago and it is quite simple but it does work. Seven easy steps to success in any business if you choose to work smart and hard at it everyday.

Seven keys to a successful business:

1. Focus on solutions for customers

2. Seek out ideal customers you enjoy being around

3. Be yourself - genuine

4. Brand your business every time - truck, invoices, envelopes, FB, internet, decals to customers, etc.

5. Articulate/explain what you do for customers

6. KISS (keep it simple selling) process, remember #1 over and over and over!

7. Self promotion - ask friends, family, FB, internet, shows, anyone who will listen, tell them your story!

Now repeat steps 1-7 everyday you get up and go to the shop or business. Being persistent or vigilant should be number 8 but that's another blog!

Yes, having your own business is hard work, who told you it would be easy!

Everyone is excited . . . DIESEL Motorsports!

As a date gets closer for a big event it's fun to hear the people get excited for the event. You get a feeling of satisfaction that what you have worked on for months is starting to come together and you start seeing some results.

The fans who come and watch does not know how many hours of preparation and how many people who have worked previous hours to make the event happen. They shouldn't know but many get the same feeling if they have ever planned a big event like a wedding. You work all of those hours preparing for it and in just a few hours it's over!

The same feeling goes into an event . . . the arranging of so many people, equipment, grounds, advertising and activities - it takes so many man hours!

I now ask for a year to plan for one of these new events, it takes that long to prep for a successful event.

There are some companies who do one big event per year and know how much they put into those events. DIESEL Motorsports does 8 shows out of 12 months and future plans are a show a month.

Some are bigger than others but they all plan on being big after a few years of promotion, planning and preparation. DIESEL Motorsports usually plans on about 15-20 additional personnel at the larger shows to make sure we can man each activity at the event.

As you get closer it's fun to watch as the fans and competitors start calling and emailing about the event. It gives us a feeling of satisfaction and even more when they start coming through the gates to have fun during the day.

Even our personnel loves the sport, yes they are doing a job but they do it to promote the sport. Most own their own diesel truck and work the shows because they enjoy the trucks and the people associated with the trucks.

You tend to hang with people who like what you like! DIESEL Motorsports is a lifestyle because of that very thing I just mentioned!

What Classes are running - sled pulling DIESEL Motorsports?

DIESEL Motorsports did change the classes for pulling this year. The classes needed some new splits between the lower classes. A new 2.5 Class is one step above Workstock and one step below the now popular 2.6 Class.

The 2.6 Class's trucks got too powerful and there has been some changes in that class to make them more of a trailered truck class.

When DIESEL Motorsports started no other organizations would let our trucks run in with them during the county fair season and the tractor circuit pretty much did not want the trucks taking their shows.

When the crowds wanted more diesel trucks because of the popularity of the trucks at DIESEL Motorsports shows the tractor pulling organizations who wanted more income started to let them in to the events. Now everyone wants the diesel sled pulling trucks into their county and private shows.

This actually gave us some competition for the shows but it really helped us since we could not keep up  with the county fair request for shows. DIESEL Motorsports turned a lot of the fairs over to local clubs and organizations while we decided to concentrate on larger regional shows that are designed to sanction strictly "DIESEL ONLY" shows which separates us from the county fair shows.

The tractor organizations mix in gasser classes of both tractors and trucks along with now popular diesel trucks. Again this actually helps DIESEL Motorsports since these same trucks run with us and need diesel parts from our sponsors. It just helps us expand the sport and sells more parts not only for the sponsors but the local diesel shops, which provides many of the competing trucks.

Sled Pulling Classes:

Work Stock
This is by all standards is a stock truck with OEM turbo, engine components and suspension. Stock appearing turbochargers, 1" minimum compression travel on rear suspension, water injection prohibited, and hanging weights prohibited on these stock trucks.

This is a good class to try your truck in pulling with minimal outlay, if you can pull a 5,000 lb trailer with your truck you can compete in this class. The sled's settings are set for lighter weights and travel time so the street trucks can pull for a good show.

2.5 Class

This class is still designed for the street truck with differences of you can have hanging weights with restrictions(see rules), the inducer bore on the compressor housing may be no larger than 2.500" and driveshaft loops are needed both front and back.

This class was designed so some of the 2.6 street trucks could drop back down and compete without trailering their truck in to events. This new class gives the intermediate puller a chance to win some money and have fun competing.

2.6 Class

Single turbo, 2.6 inch maximum inducer bore, turbocharger bushings prohibited, water injection prohibited, bolt in, removable solid rear suspension bars permitted, receiver style hitch required, hanging weights permitted and hood stacks allowed. 

This class used to be a street truck class and because the advancement of the sport these trucks now exceed 900 HP and have to be trailered to events. It's one of the most powerful classes across the country in sled pulling.

3.0 Class

Single turbo, 3.0 inch maximum inducer bore, turbocharger bushings permitted, water injection prohibited, bolt in, removable solid rear suspension bars permitted, receiver style hitch required, drive shaft u-joint shields required, hanging weights permitted.

This is a class where professional pullers trailer their trucks to each event and compete for the appoints, money and fame. These trucks are powerful and put on quite a show for the spectators. 

Super Street

Unlimited Single Turbos, 3.2-inch max turbo in twin configuration permitted, open driveline permitted,  and DOT tires required. This class was made for the now popular twin turbo configuration which is more popular for pulling in the Western part of the country. DIESEL Motorsports is the only sanctioning body who accepts twins for competitive pulling.

Modified

Unlimited turbocharger, open driveline, open tire, 7600 pound maximum weight and cut tires are allowed for these high powered trucks. These trucks are few but powerful and they are usually around 2000 hp or more.

Semi

Street legal licensed semis but they are still powerful and a delight to see at some shows. This class is for those on-road truck drivers who want to compete with the truck they drive everyday.

To make sure your truck(s) are legal for competition make sure to download our rules for free on our web site - www.DIESELmotorsports.US.

That should cover all of our diesel truck classes and each class requires 8 trucks up to SuperStreet then 4 trucks are required for a class. When there are not enough trucks we will combine like classes when notified by our own SFI techs.

DIESEL Motorsports have been set by experts in the industry with a fair set of rules across the country. You will not find us favoring a diesel shop's products or manufacturer. The rules are made to be fair for everyone and many times we do not match with private shows or events because DIESEL Motorsports is for everyone to compete on an even basis.

What classes are running??? DIESEL Motorsports!

I get asked at least a dozen time a day before an event "What classes are running?"

Since we are a sanctioning body they are the same at every event if enough trucks show up to fill the class. They must remain the same because our insurance are for those classes along with our own diesel SFI techs who approve the trucks for competition.

So the classes are listed on our web site and the rules are downloaded for free so you can check your truck out as to what level to compete. I will give a short description of each class below but still go to our site and check the rules!

Drag Racing:

ET Bracket
This is a great class for the inexperienced or the experienced racer, the class is based on estimating your time to run either 1/4 or 1/8 mile depending on the track. As long as you don't redlight at the start you can run down the track and try to keep your times equal to the time you have chosen. We suggest most to run a few runs to test your truck or diesel vehicle to see what times you can run the track. Pick your best estimate and control your speed for the timed run at least four times.

Now I will tell you we have had 18 second trucks win this class along with some 12-13 second trucks so speed doesn't always matter. Reaction time at the lights helps you win this class and with your timed runs. Two years ago we had a copper 1983 Mercedes come in 2nd in the class and got paid more than what he paid for the car earlier that month.

It's a good way to get into the sport without damaging your vehicle by trying to go fast every time.

Quick Diesel - 12.0 Index
This class is similar but you must run 12.0 time in the 1/4 mile without breaking out (going faster than 12.0). Who can hold their truck closest to 12.0 with the quickest reaction times requires experience with your truck running down the track. It requires a truck that is a little faster and built for stability at high speeds.

This may be your next step up if you are wanting a faster truck and the need for speed.

Unlimited - Pro Stock
This is a heads up, go as fast as you can in the 1/4 or 1/8 mile track depending on the track. For those who want to go fast and feel their truck will out last the other competitor's trucks this class can be a lot of fun for the experienced driver/racer. It does require much more safety equipment for your truck including yourself so check the rules.

Many times I have seen a lot of 9 second trucks run fast then break after a couple of runs leaving the top finals to slower 10 second trucks. It's a gamble to see if that happens as the trucks are getting a little faster every year. But to get your truck to run that may times through the finals requires a racer much experience with their truck's capabilities.

Pro-Stock Diesel
Fiberglass bodied diesel-powered trucks and cars compete heads up to the finish in the 1/8 and/or 1/4 mile action. The diesel vehicles are tube framed with lots of safety equipment and requires NHRA/IHRA certification on the frames, equipment and license.

This class is for the experienced only and yes, we have seen a lot of these vehicles that did not pass tech so please read the equipment requirements before building these vehicles.

Top Diesel
Same as above but in a lighter class with tube frames and high-end diesel engines that run in the 1/4 or 1/8 mile depending on the track. These vehicles again require a lot of safety equipment and requirements for stability of the vehicle. Please check the rules before building one of these and it is for an experienced driver.

I wish we could say we have 20 plus Pro-Stock or Top Diesel vehicles but they are very few because of the expense of running and maintaining them.

So next time you think what classes are running check our site, and yes, the lower classes we require 8 trucks to make a class and the upper classes we require four vehicles.

I will cover the sled pulling classes tomorrow.