Chris Werner was in the lead...
Chris Werner was in the lead when it came time to sled pull, but he had one of the lightest trucks there, so he was at a disadvantage. What Chris lacked in weight, he made up with wheel speed, as he sent dirt flying everywhere on the way to a 225-foot pull.
Sled PullThe last event of Diesel Power Challenge was about to commence, and all eyes were on the sled. The sled pull track was out past the end of the dragstrip, so it was rocky and bumpy for all competitors. Another challenge was the weather, which was sprinkling a light rain over everyone and threatening to muck up our track. As the first few trucks hooked to the sled, it became clear that the distance to beat was the pull laid down by Charr Drever in her Mega Cab. With over 1,000 hp, a lot of weight, and a long wheelbase, she had the perfect setup for pulling.
Heavier trucks with aggressive tires, such as Al Babneu's rig and Ernest Schwartz's Ford, were favorites at the pull, having sacrificed some dragstrip quickness for extra weight and traction in the pull. As more and more trucks went, the rain came down harder. For the last couple trucks, the sled track was a complete mud pit. Jerimiah's red Chevy could barely get the sled off the line in the muck, and when it did, it slipped and slid all over the track, never building up the ground speed that is so important in pulling.
After blowing up his turbo...
After blowing up his turbo on the dyno, Nick D'Amico's team worked all night to get the truck fixed in time for the sled pull.
Up in the very last position of the pulling order was Chris Werner, who was in the overall lead. As he spun and spun, he couldn't get the sled to move out of the mud bog on the starting line.
Now came one of the biggest decisions of Diesel Power Challenge 2008, and this time it was for the staff. We knew it was unfair to have the last trucks pull in such conditions, but what to do? Cancel an event? Those with the heavier trucks that were counting on the sled pull would be upset. Let the event stand? If we did, the people who pulled last would be at a clear disadvantage (it would be like telling half of the participants that they needed to drag race in a rainstorm).
When the decision was made...
When the decision was made to repull, the person it hurt the most was Tyler Scheers. Tyler was in Third Place after the first round of pulls (which would have put him in fifth overall), but he hurt the truck making the 280-ft pull and couldn't repeat his strong showing in the second round.
While we were debating on a decision, Mother Nature gave us a break from the storm. All of the competitors agreed that the only fair course of action would be to start the sled pull over again. We had the track prepped and pulled in the opposite direction, as to avoid the mud bog at the starting line. With a new pulling order, the results were still similar, with the big, heavy, aggressive-tired trucks taking the top few spots. Chris Werner had one of the lightest trucks, and was at a big disadvantage. Still, 1,400 lb-ft of torque wouldn't be denied, and he spun his way to a mid-pack finish. The winner of the sled pull was again Charr Drever, who had nothing to lose and nitroused her way to a 21-foot lead over the nearest competitor.
The Results?Want to know who won? If you've been keeping track, you'll remember that Jeff Dean placed well in almost all the events, and put miles on everyone in the fuel economy challenge. Charr won two events, which weighs heavily in the final standings. Chris Werner also did well in the trailer tow and dyno, and won the drag race. Al and the Killer Bee placed strong in the dyno and sled pull, as well as winning the trailer tow. So who is the overall champ? If you haven't already looked, you can turn to page 86 and find out!
 Charr Drever's truck is big...  Charr Drever's truck is big and heavy with lots of power-a good way to dominate a sled pull. She didn't disappoint, as her 279-foot pull had the rest of the field covered by a good margin. |  Ernest had some tough luck...  Ernest had some tough luck with his Ford, as he made a bouncy 98-foot pull that twisted his axlehousing 30 degrees to where his pinion was pointed up toward the back seat. There was no way to fix it in time, and Ernest had to sit out the second round. |  Derek Temple was a threat...  Derek Temple was a threat to upset the standings in the sled pull. On a loose track, good driving and traction were just as important as horsepower. Derek showed this philosophy to be true, by pulling within 10 feet of trucks that had twice as much power as he did. |
 Jeff Dean is a puller, so...  Jeff Dean is a puller, so we expected him to do well in this event despite his truck being a regular cab and pretty light. Jeff didn't disappoint, as he pulled his way to Fourth Place. |  Al Babneau also took the big,...  Al Babneau also took the big, heavy, and powerful approach with his truck, and was rewarded by finishing in Third Place. |  Scott Countryman proved the...  Scott Countryman proved the Allison 1000 is up to any task requring torque, as long as it's in a Super Duty and behind a Cummins engine. |
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