Professional Help
To take a precise and methodical approach, Mike made a call to Barry Voltner, co-owner of NADP. "He became my go-to guy. I talked to (Barry) about my truck, what I'd done to it already, and my dream of where I wanted my truck to go. NADP asked if I'd be game for letting them try some prototype mods. I was definitely game! Upon completion of these mods, the truck ran down the strip in 11.70 seconds at 115.25 mph."
Engine Modifications
Those upgrades included a CP3 Stage 2 fuel pump to keep up with all the extra boost from a 66mm Silver Bullet Turbo and ZEX Nitrous. He also dropped in a Banks intercooler to keep things from boiling over. There's also pair of piggyback computers working in concert: a 130hp Predator box and a 210hp PPE Programmer. Lastly, NADP's Voltner installed what he calls an "Area 52 package" (this secretive expression refers to both engine and tranny tuning, along with some internal mods, but no propane or water methanol mix). For better venting of black exhaust, Mike bolted on a 30-inch Flow Pro muffler as well.
Half-Track Carnage
Getting back to the track testing, "The next run was even better, but she threw a little tantrum-not my wife, the truck!" Mike said with a laugh. "We tore the transfer case in half, ripped the center out of the flywheel, and snapped the billet input shaft. This happened just after the eighth-mile with the truck hitting 99 mph." They were amazed by the power and speed but were also amazed by the damage caused in that short run. But this proved what Mike's Q-ship was capable of, and with a little fine tuning, his decoy rig could run consistent speeds and times. And be capable of even more.
Quarter-Mile Adventures
Once repairs were complete, Mike went back at it with a vengeance on his home track in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Even though the temperature outside was 100 degrees Fahrenheit (with a corrected altitude of 6,000 feet), right out of the gates, he fired off a run of 11.50 seconds at 119.86 mph, using just one shot of NOS. He kept at it, and after six back-to-back runs in the 11.50-11.60-second range, he knew he had the right ammo for going into battle.
"I raced for the next four months without a glitch or a 12-second pass," Mike recalls. The best was yet to come, though: "One of the highlights of the season was the NADP August Blackout held in Edmonton, Alberta. This was my first big event, and I was rewarded by taking home the Fastest Dodge and Fastest Truck trophies. I also took first place in the Drag Wars with an 11.52-sec pass at 116.83 mph."
Mike is still on the prowl for more dragstrip combatants, and he's planning to come out this spring with a new sort of camouflage treatment that conceals even more firepower. "I want to taste 10s," Mike says. "To the best of my knowledge, this truck is the fastest common rail Dodge in North America, so if you're looking for a little competition, look for me at the dragstrip." Gentlemen, load your weapons.
 |  The Industrial Injection 66mm...  The Industrial Injection 66mm Silver Bullet turbo is designed for a quick spool up and gets its name from the 66mm extended tip compressor. |  Air enters through an AFE...  Air enters through an AFE Stage 2 intake (top left) before heading into the turbo and intercooler. Then it's routed into the Cummins through a Banks High-Ram intake manifold (bottom left). Spent gasses are expelled through an ATS exhaust manifold (above) that's fitted with an EGT probe. |
 |  An upgraded CP3 injection...  An upgraded CP3 injection pump makes sure the common rail-fed Cummins doesn't starve for fuel when the nitrous kicks in. | |