Holy Soot! 5 Record-Setting Diesels
Every motorsport has its top dog. Its Alpha. Its fastest, its biggest, its baddest. In the world of diesel drag racing, the Cummins-powered Scheid Diesel rail is the king of speed—but that’s not to say there aren’t other blazing fast oil burners also worthy of attention. In fact, when we break down the most popular diesel drag racing classes, most of the quickest and fastest vehicles are all putting similar power to the pavement (between 1,600 and 1,900 horsepower). The difference in trap speed (mph) and elapsed time (E.T.) across varying classes is a direct result of weight, not horsepower—and weight limits are exactly what define most drag racing categories.
To highlight the current quarter-mile leaders of diesel drag racing’s Top Dragster/Top Fuel, Pro Stock/Pro-Mod, Pro Street and Super Street fields, we’ve compiled the following list. Some have headlined the list for several years, while others have recently risen to the top of their respective class’s ranks. And now, some are already attempting to beat their own record(s). One driver has even moved on to piloting a new record-setting vehicle. For the sake of inclusion (and because no Power Stroke-equipped ride sits atop any of the above categories at the present time), we’ve also included the fastest quarter-mile pass achieved by the Blue Oval crowd.
Buckle up and hold on… the slowest vehicle on this list runs mid-8’s!
1. Scheid Diesel Dragster: 6.31 at 226 MPH
Number one on our list is no surprise to us, but it might be eye-opening for you to learn that the Scheid crew has sent its Cummins-powered rail through the quarter-mile in as little as 6.31 seconds. As you’ve probably already deduced, the dragster also owns the fastest trap speed in diesel drag racing at 226 mph. Each summer, it’s typical for driver Jared Jones and the rest of the Scheid team to follow the ODSS circuit and attend an NHRDA race here and there. However, the folks at Scheid really seem to enjoy competing in the NHRA’s Top Dragster class—a field where the rail has proven capable of holding its own against lighter weight, big-cube, gas and alcohol-fueled monstrosities.
Billet-Aluminum Cummins
Built in-house at Scheid Diesel, the exotic Cummins that powers the rail can spin 6,000 rpm and turn out 2,500 hp. A billet-aluminum block complete with cross-bolted mains provides a weight savings of 138 pounds over a cast-iron Cummins block and adds much-needed durability for an engine that’s exposed to 3,000-plus lb-ft of torque. A pair of turbochargers arranged in a two-stage (compound) configuration produce 140 psi of boost and a Scheid fuel system, complete with a 14mm P-pump, provides the 6.4L Cummins its lifeblood.
2. NGM Diesel S10: 7.44 at 187 MPH
Believe it or not, this truck is no longer around. After an unfortunate collision with the wall back in 2014 totaled it out, Wade Moody was forced to retire it. However, more than four years after rocketing to a 7.44 at 187 mph, the Flo-Pro sponsored S10 still holds the record for a Pro Stock/Pro-Mod competitor. In the aftermath of the crash, Moody salvaged the Duramax engine and Turbo 400 transmission, sourced a lightly used Spitzer chassis dragster and bumped up a class. Now, he not only owns the quickest and fastest Pro Stock/Pro-Mod record, but he pilot’s the world’s quickest and fastest Duramax-powered rail. It’s been in the 6’s and tapped 200 mph.
3. Firepunk Diesel Dodge Ram 2500: 7.99 at 174 MPH
The Pro Street category is arguably the most prestigious of diesel drag racing classes. While these trucks can be back-halved and weigh as little as 4,500 pounds, their outward appearance doesn’t stray very far from the Dodge, Ford or GM we drive every day. In recent years, the Pro Street field has been set ablaze by Lavon Miller and the Firepunk Diesel team. Their regular cab, four-wheel drive ’06 Dodge Ram 2500 blasted onto the scene in the spring of 2016 when the truck clicked off an unprecedented 8.27 at 166 mph. After several more low-8-second passes, Miller would pilot the Firepunk Dodge into new territory in May of 2017. Not only would Miller’s 7.99-second pass be the quickest in Pro Street history, but it also marked the first Pro Street truck to dip into the 7’s.
The Enforcer
A deck plated, 6.7L-based, Enforcer Series Cummins built by D&J Precision Machine brings unmatched reliability to an engine platform that produces well north of 2,000 hp. A trio of S400-based turbochargers create triple-digit boost and the common-rail system is fueled by Exergy Performance CP3’s and injectors. But, beyond making gobs of horsepower, it’s the overall package and crew that makes the Firepunk truck so dominant. From knowing the inner workings of the transmission, to configuring a chassis that can cut 1.2-second 60-foots, to testing the entire setup privately before showing up at a national event, and all the way down to the zero drag brakes—everything on this well-oiled machine is optimized to get the truck down the track as quickly as possible.
4. Industrial Injection Chevy Silverado: 8.53 at 167 MPH
Factory sheetmetal, unmodified, full-length OEM frames and a 6,000-pound minimum make the NHRDA Super Street class extremely intriguing. Not only do class rules tend to keep the trucks stock-appearing, but it makes their 8-second passes all the more impressive. At three tons, it takes at least 1,400 hp (at the wheels) to get one of these behemoths to run an 8.99—and the Industrial Injection Silverado driven by Jared Delekta has gone 8.53! While the truck is yet to repeat its 8.53-second effort, Delekta does hold the NHRDA Super Street record for E.T. (8.72) and trap speed (167 mph), which was achieved on the 8.53-second pass.
The “Shredder”
A 6.7L-based, common-rail Cummins put together by Industrial Injection serves as the foundation for power aboard the ’01 Chevy. Triple turbos, Industrial CP3’s and Industrial injectors yield some incredible horsepower—while a Stage 4 48RE automatic transmission from Randy’s Transmissions allows that power to propel the Bow Tie down the track. With the chassis dyno registering 2,400 hp vs. the truck’s trap speeds suggesting that 1,900 hp is used on race day, it’s not far-fetched to believe that a lot more is still on the table. Look for Delekta and the Industrial Injection team to keep forging deeper into the 8’s in the future.
5. Demented Mustang (Fastest Power Stroke): 7.96 at 186 MPH
Although Matt Kubik’s bad-in-black fourth generation Mustang doesn’t own any national records as of today, it is officially the quickest and fastest Power Stroke in existence. Recent, late-season success during testing resulted in a new personal best of 7.96 at 186 mph—and with a relatively lax 1.43-second 60-foot time. Given that similar horsepower-to-weight ratios to Kubik’s Mustang have produced 1.1-second 60-foot times, we don’t see 7.60’s being out of the question. With a little more of the P-pumped 7.3L’s power potential being unleashed, you may very well be looking at the next legitimate challenger of Wade Moody’s Pro Stock/Pro-Mod record.
Mechanical Power Stroke
Throughout the process of working out all of the car’s bugs and gremlins, the trusty P-pumped 7.3L hasn’t skipped a beat. One of just a handful of competitive P-pumped 7.3L’s in the country, Kubik’s engine was built by Hypermax Engineering—a Chicagoland company with close ties to International. Thanks to a compacted graphite iron (block), bed plate and forged-steel connecting rods, the crankcase has no problem withstanding the 100 psi of boost the 98mm Garrett GTX5533R sends its way. With plenty of room for growth likely still lurking in the P-pump’s fueling abilities—along with the Hypermax claim that 2,000+ hp is possible with the right amount of air—we wouldn’t be surprised if this engine package has another 300 to 500 hp left to give.
Select photos provided by NHRDA, Ali Mansour, and Amy Gilbert of Stainless Diesel
