David did all the exhaust...
David did all the exhaust work, and has since ditched this 5-inch stack in the bed for a 6-inch unit.
To keep exhaust gas temperatures at bay, David fabricated a 4-inch exhaust with a 5-inch stack, fitted the truck with a Spearco intercooler, and added a Stage 3 water-methanol injection system from Snow Performance.
An ATS transmission with a Five Star converter and billet input and output shafts has proven more than durable for Jason's needs so far. A stout 6-inch Advanced Driveline & Machine driveshaft with billet aluminum ends helps get as much of that 700 hp to the ground as possible. And, to ward off any unnecessary axlewrap, Jason had TNT Race Cars of Piney Flats, Tennessee, build him a set of traction bars from 4130 chromoly steel. Before we got ahead of ourselves picking Jason's brain about his pulling truck, he made sure we knew he never intended to build a dedicated sled puller. "It's not a pulling truck that I sometimes drive on the street, it's a street truck that I sometimes pull with. I built it like a Diesel Power Challenge contender would."
Jason is definitely a grassroots kind of guy. He isn't worried about how fast his truck is in the quarter-mile, or how competitive he needs to be in a given sled pulling class. His main concern with this truck is to have fun. With the help of ATS, Performance Automotive, Bob Olson, and a big hand from his brother David, Jason has what he set out to build-a hot rod diesel that can tear up the town or wreak havoc at the sled pulls.
 Jason told us that he designed...  Jason told us that he designed the traction bars before having TNT Race Cars build them. |  The 33-inch TrXus STS pulling...  The 33-inch TrXus STS pulling tires are mounted on 17-inch wheels Jason got from an H2 Hummer. When the pulls are over, Jason said he immediately stuffs a set of 37-inch Kumho's back under the truck for street driving. |  While the truck's axles housed...  While the truck's axles housed 3.73 gears when we took these photos at Indy, Jason and David have since replaced them with a set of 4.10s. |
 Notice the carbon fiber dash...  Notice the carbon fiber dash and center console, which Jason decided on after the factory dash had been scuffed up and scratched beyond repair. The laptop mount is custom, and allows him to log and tune the truck with the push of a button. |  Weighing in at about 7,000...  Weighing in at about 7,000 pounds with driver, Jason hangs between 1,000-1,500 pounds of weight out front, depending on which class he pulls in (8,000-pound or 8,500-pound). He told us that he and his brother built the weight box, and that he obtained the weights after learning they were going to be thrown away. The bumper was painted with a thick coat of Herculiner. |  Keeping an eye on drive pressure...  Keeping an eye on drive pressure is becoming more and more prevalent on powerful diesels these days, as owners seek that perfect 1:1 boost-to-drive pressure ratio. Clearly, Jason and David overlooked nothing when building this truck. |