This Year Saw Dodges Finish First, Second, And Third At Diesel Power Challenge, and the Dodge at the top of the heap was Chris Werner's 12-valve powered '01 Dodge Ram 2500. Like past event winners, Chris had done plenty of testing leading up to the event, both on the dragstrip and on an engine dyno. In addition to being as prepared as anyone can be for this type of event, Chris showed he could also think on his feet. When his big compound turbos didn't light at elevation, Chris rigged up his nitrous system so he could use it to spool up the big chargers. Chris had the most consistent truck there, and although he didn't dominate any one category (he won the drag race, but only by .06 of a second), he was consistently competitive for the entire two-day event, placing in the top three in every event except the sled pull. Chris did everything right to prepare an awesome vehicle, he showed the driving skills necessary to win, and exhibited excellent sportsmanship. Congratulations on the win Chris, and we look forward to seeing you next year.

To Say We Had A Close Competition At This Year's Diesel Power Challenge Would Be An understatement. At the dragstrip, a 12-second pass was needed to even finish in the top ten. On the trailer tow, a mere half-second separated the front-runners from the back of the pack. We even had a tie in the fuel economy event, which was supposed to be our tiebreaker. Read on, and we'll give you the lowdown on one of the most exciting Diesel Power Challenges ever.

Located off I-75 in Wildwood, Florida, 75 Chrome has been the place to go for 18-wheeler chrome accessories since 1990. The store combines all the facilities of a modern truck stop with service bays, a CB shop, showers, laundry facilities, and even a game room. More importantly, owners Debbie and Billy Farkus created the 75 Chrome Pride and Polish Annual Truck Show to give drivers a venue to display their customizing talents. Now in its tenth year, the event is known nationwide and truckers come from around the country to participate. The astonishing part of the competition is that many of these painted, chromed, and neon-enhanced rigs are genuine working vehicles that were back on the highway hauling freight after the show, with their trophies tucked neatly in the sleeper of course!

Just when you thought the Diesel Power Challenge could not get any better, we had the biggest batch of competitors in the history of the event this year. One dozen ultramodified diesel trucks survived the journey to Salt Lake City, Utah. They hit the dragstrip, towed a 12,000-pound trailer, braved city streets during the fuel economy test, and tugged a sled in the middle of a howling rainstorm. You can read all about our event coverage in next month's issue of Diesel Power that hits newsstands on August 5th. For now, check out these competitors and see if you can guess who has what it takes to win the 2008 Diesel Power Challenge.

Some people say that diesel and gas don't mix, but those people have obviously never attended Mopars at the Strip, an event held every year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In addition to old-school musclecars such as 'Cudas, GTXs, Road Runners, Dusters, and Demons, there were Dodge 3500s and 2500s as well as a few old D250s.

Here's a riddle for you. When was the last time you saw the words "having fun", "saving lives", and "gravel pit" in the same paragraph? We'll explain. Our story begins with the old Opa-Locka Airport in northwest Miami that has been idle for many years. The Miami Dade Aviation Authority has future plans to turn the unused airport into a gravel pit that will be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the community. In the meantime, former circle track racer Pete Scalzo has a better idea. He wanted to provide an outlet for those drivers in Miami with a need for speed, so he and his company leased the land and created the County Line Drag Strip-the first drag strip ever in Miami.

The competitors for this year's Diesel Power Challenge have convened in West Valley City, Utah, for the 2008 edition of this signature event. Stay tuned to dieselpowermag.com for the latest up-to-date coverage! Exclusive video and competition results coming soon!

Wet weather was not enough to dampen the spirits of New Mexico's diesel enthusiasts at this past December's New Mexico Turbo Diesel Register (NMTDR) Dyno Day. Although the Turbo Diesel Register is exclusive to Dodges, this event was open to all makes and models of diesel trucks. Over 60 pickups representing the Big Three auto manufacturers showed up at Pro Power Dyno Services. Trucks from around the state were rolling on and off Pro Power's Dynojet from sunrise to sunset.

In January, Diesel Power editor David Kennedy had the chance of a lifetime to travel to Europe with Volkswagen Motorsport to race in the Dakar Rally. Volkswagen was out to prove that its diesel engine technology was capable of winning the event overall, and Diesel Power wanted to be there to document the action.

Getting ready for a motorsport competition is a lot like studying for a high school math test. You can cram the night before and hope you do OK. Or, you can plan for the event weeks in advance, study, practice, and prepare-and on the day of the test or race, you'll be ready for anything.

Ever head out to the dragstrip on a Friday or Saturday night and think, "Gosh, this is great. I wish I could do this every day!" Welcome to Hot Rod magazine's Drag Week. The rules are pretty basic: Vehicles have to be street-legal and insured, have a horn, wipers, and lights, and drive to five tracks in five days. Anything you bring must either be kept in your vehicle or on a trailer; there are no support vehicles allowed.

Between the many hot rods and motorcycles at Bonneville Speed Week in Wendover, Utah, this year, there were several diesel-powered vehicles attempting to break land speed records. Diesels are still in the minority at Speed Week, though, and this has its advantages and disadvantages for the competitors. The advantage: For those going for a diesel record, there isn't much competition, which makes the difficult task of breaking a record a little easier. The disadvantage: Diesels aren't as common, so there's less support from other competitors in the form of parts and tuning tips.

It's no secret diesel trucks are hot right now. Power Stroke, Duramax, and Cummins trucks are disappearing from dealer lots as fast as the Big Three can make them. As a result, there are numerous new diesel shops opening around the country looking to get a piece of this lucrative market. By contrast, Rapid Diesel (www.rapiddiesel.com) has demonstrated staying power and is celebrating its 33rd year in business. As a thank you to its loyal customers, Rapid Diesel held an open house, a buffalo roast, and a dyno day for its customers who came from South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming to congregate, socialize, and even take home some cash as part of the dyno competition.

It's hard to beat Southern hospitality. Whether you go to visit, stay with friends, or enter a drag race, there's something about the people and the attitude down South that says, "When you're here, you're family."

Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado, is known for its racetrack with state-of-the-art electronics and live Internet access to dragstrip times. It was also the home of the ATS Diesels on the Mountain Truckfest held in July. If you couldn't go to the event and see all the power, performance, pulling, and passion yourself, now you can see it here.

Another Diesel Power Challenge has come and gone, with the trucks running quicker, faster, and making more power than they ever have before. Micheal Tomac tuned up his game and his truck, and once again, walked away the winner, but the field is open for next year. If you think you have what it takes to build the baddest diesel out there, fill out this form. No excuses or whining-we'll take a good look at every entry we receive.

The '07 Diesel Power Challenge was the toughest one yet. Drivers faced off on a hot summer day at Rocky Mountain Raceways in West Valley City, Utah, which is at an elevation of 4,215 feet above sea level. The thin air, 93-degree-F temperatures, and competitive drivers sent parts flying and made this the fastest and most exciting Diesel Power Challenge we've seen. Here's how it all happened.

The road trip wasn't invented in America, but it was perfected here. With rising energy costs, urban sprawl, and our hectic lives, the road trip is an endangered species. The day may come when most people won't be able to afford the time or fuel that it'll cost to drive 1,000, 2,000, or even 3,000 miles across our great country. And that's a crying shame, 'cause Mother Nature has a way of showing off in places that are far away from civilization and international airports. And for a lot of people, the best way to figure out how you fit into this world is to go out and see for yourself firsthand.

Diesels from across the country made the trip to Las Vegas to attend the Diesel Hot Rod Association (DHRA) Vegas Diesel Nationals for a weekend of drag racing, sled pulling, and a show 'n' shine. There was a manufacturer's midway as well as extras like a dyno challenge and a burnout contest. Some of the quickest, fastest, and most powerful diesels showed up for the event-everything from the Predator drag truck to some East Coast sled pullers. There were a number of street diesels in the 11- and 12-second range, with diesel drag vehicles making 10-, 9-, and 8-second passes.

Merchant Automotive in Holland, Michigan, hosted its second annual Spring Fling event, with vendors, raffles, and David Dunbar with his mobile chassis dyno for those who wanted to run their trucks on the lie detector. Some left surprised, some left disappointed, but it seemed like everyone had a good time. Trucks were run on and off the dyno from early in the morning until 5 p.m., so there was always something to watch-and soot to dodge.

One of the most exciting events we've been to was the '07 Norcal Diesel Rally sponsored by J&H Performance, which took place in Redding, California. While the event had the usual show-'n'-shine, drag racing, sled pulling, and dyno events, it also had a Tough Truck Challenge sponsored by BD Diesel Performance. In this competition, participants had to run three events, and the vehicle that placed best in all three was declared the winner. We won't tell you who won just yet (see sidebar on page 106), but it was a close one.

Customized, modified, lifted, and lowered trucks invaded Lake Havasu, Arizona, once again for the West Coast Havoc event held at the London Bridge Resort right next to the water. Trucks from all over the U.S. came to shine in the sun and show off their rides. Diesel Power was there on the lookout for diesel show trucks, and we weren't disappointed. Chevy, Dodge, and Ford were all represented along with a few medium-duty rigs. Vendors from the parts and performance industry were there, and if the 107-degree-F weather got a little too hot for anyone, a quick dip in the lake was always an option. There was even a bikini contest with a $1,000 prize to the winner, so make sure to mark your calendar for next year's event.

Back when the weather was hot, humid, and sticky in Atlanta, Georgia, the 22nd annual Hayes Southeastern Mopar Meet was held at Atlanta Dragway. In addition to the "Mopar versus the World," Junior Dragster and SRT Shootout races, Diesel Performance Motorsports snuck in a full-blown diesel drag race to show the gas guys what diesel power is all about.

With major thunderstorms hitting the area and accidents on all the major freeways, only about 50 of the 80 people who signed up were expected to brave the weather to attend the Southern California Powerstrokes 4th annual meeting at Sunrise Ford in Fontana, California. But Ford fans are a die-hard bunch, and by day's end, more than 120 people had shown up for the dyno event, show 'n' shine, and driving-skills course. In addition to these competitions, there was a raffle, and '08 Ford F-250s were on hand for testdrives if anyone felt so inclined. Also, a representative from International was available to discuss the new 6.4L Power Stroke that's in the '08 models and to answer any questions that came up regarding the new design. A tri-tip barbecue luncheon was provided, courtesy of Turbonetics, which also raffled off an intercooler and debuted a Power Stroke turbo kit that has made 400 rear-wheel horsepower on a fairly mild tune, as of press time.

LA PAZ, MEXICO - On November 16, 2006, three Stock Full class race trucks flying the KORE logo left the starting line to take on the notorious SCORE Baja 1000. KORE's '06 Team Desert Assault consisted of truck No. 865 from RPM Off-Road in Bristol, Tennessee; No. 866 from Worthington Racing in Los Angeles; and No. 867 from Team Canada Racing in Alberta. Each team drove identically equipped Cummins diesel-powered Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 pickups.