Walking up to Natalie Russell's big, black Dodge Ram 2500, you don't think twice: nice Toyo Open Country 315/75R16 tires, cool wheels, ASC electric moonroof, normal bumper, no big winch or arsenal of lights. Then you notice the 5-inch, mitered-cut exhaust stacks-both of them. Hmmm . . . is this a sleeper? A cute blonde climbs in. It's probably her boyfriend's, huh? Guess again.
Natalie told us she was the one playing with the Tonka Trucks when she was a little girl. Her grandpa had an excavation business, her dad drove a diesel truck, and that kinda got her started. Right out of high school, she had to have her own turbodiesel.
Once she got behind the wheel, it didn't take long before she started to think about modifications. Just a few more horses maybe, but she didn't really want to break anything. One day, she attended a truck drag, and her cousin challenged her to a race; he ended up getting his butt kicked. At that point, she was really hooked on the power. With some help from her friends, Natalie's dream progressed to serious drag racing, mud bogging, and truck pulls.
Today, the 5.9L, 24-valve Cummins runs 120hp New Era injectors and a Glacier Diesel 392 lift-pump kit. Natalie carries a loaded Smarty Programmer manufactured by MADS, and she knows how to use it, stacking it on top of an Edge Drag Comp Box. Air is pulled through a Fleetguard filter, otherwise known as a BHAF (Big Honkin' Air Filter). The 400 hp and 900 lb-ft of torque hit the ground through a full BD transmission upgrade, which includes a BD Triple Disc converter and a BD valvebody.
Her competitive drive takes her to events in Colorado, Nevada, and California. If you happen to frequent drags and pulls with your own diesel and you pull up next to this black beauty, don't underestimate the blonde behind the wheel.