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Diesels On The Mountain - Mile High Track
2009 Truck Fest And NSPA Sled Pull At Bandimere Speedway
By Jason Thompson
Photography by Jason Thompson
Diesel Power just got back from ATS' event, Diesels on the Mountain, which was part of the 51st annual Truck Fest held at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado. At the mile-high track we saw diesel-powered big rigs and pickups of all shapes, sizes, and power levels. Besides the trucks, there were quads, snowmobiles, rockcrawlers, new and old heavy equipment, and gasoline-powered drag racers. For many Westerners, this was their first look at sled pulling, because unlike in the Midwest, tacky soil is not that common in the Rocky Mountains. We were told the National Sled Pullers Association (NSPA) officials in charge of preparing the track actually hauled in a few loads of dirt to get the right consistency. Still, the pulls went on as if they’ve been doing it for years and everyone enjoyed the high-altitude action. Driver and owner Michael Sulley...  Driver and owner Michael Sulley of The Blue Thunder Pulling Team lifted the front tire on this '79 Peterbilt Model 359. The engine is a Caterpillar 3406B with a single turbo modified with a Detroit Diesel 8V92D compressor housing. Behind the sheetmetal sits a 7,000-pound weight, which tips the gross to 20,000 pounds. The 13-speed transmission is left in Fifth gear the whole time down the track. |  Tony Underwood (left) drives...  Tony Underwood (left) drives a mostly stock '05 Dodge Ram and was able to take First in the Work Stock Diesel Class with a pull of 284.11 feet. The '04 drag truck (right) belongs to Josh Gruis and it has dual CP3s, a PhatShaft 62 turbo, a knife-edged and balanced crankshaft, Inconel exhaust valves that were cut at 45 degrees, 305/50R20 Toyo tires, and XD Series 20x10 rims. Both trucks are from Jag's Pro Truck Shop in Zimmerman, Minnesota. |  This Ford, named Southern...  This Ford, named Southern Cumferdt, was a crowd favorite and has a 5.9L Cummins under the hood. Built and driven by Rocky Horn of Rockin' Performance, it placed Third in the Street Diesel Class. |  We know of a certain editor...  We know of a certain editor here at Diesel Power who wishes his '96 Ford Power Stroke looked like this one owned by Tom Steen, a member of Colorado Power Stoke Club. It only has 70,000 miles on the odometer and the owner says its in nice shape because it's stored in a garage. |  Many Pro Street diesel drag...  Many Pro Street diesel drag racers only get three to four runs in before they have to replace their torque converters. To combat this problem, Scheid Diesel introduced its new Danco transmission. It consists of an aluminum adapter plate bolted to a large, hand-operated, hydraulic clutch in front of a Dodge 47RE automatic transmission. |  Temporary exhaust turn-up...  Temporary exhaust turn-up pipes or stacks were mandatory at Bandimere because expensive signs were getting covered with soot. |
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