Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Dodge Dakota Truck Sets Diesel Drag Record

Mopar Muscle Magazine
by gclark

The Dr. Performance Nitro Series Dodge Dakota drag truck set new Diesel Hot Rod Association (DHRA) Pro Diesel class records at the 2007 ATS Diesels on the Mountain event: 8.48 seconds at 164.23 MPH.

The Dr. Performance Nitro Series Dodge Dakota drag truck set new Diesel Hot Rod Association (DHRA) Pro Diesel class records at the 2007 ATS Diesels on the Mountain event: 8.48 seconds at 164.23 MPH. This elapsed time and top speed, set at Denver's Bandimere Speedway, are both records. DHRA rules require a "back-up" run within 10 percent for a record to be official: Charlie Stewart backed up the 8.48 pass with an 8.312-second run.

"Unfortunately, we stuck a piston on the faster pass and weren't able to back up that time," Dr. Performance Nitro Series driver Charlie Stewart says. "We have about 100 passes on the engine, and we're amazed that it's lasted this long without a rebuild." Team owner Kenny Laughlin adds, "Our goal for this season is to get an official time in the sevens, and we're right there if you take into account Bandimere's elevation [5,800 feet above sea level]."

Previously known as the "Predator," Dr. Performance's renamed "Nitro Series" 5.9L Cummins-powered Dodge Dakota has run a best "fluke" time (yet to be backed up by another time within 10 percent in the same year) of 7.82 seconds at the 2007 DHRA Indiana Diesel Nationals. "This sport is fairly new, and there are still a lot of things we haven't tried yet," says Stewart. "We've only been running 40 pounds of boost. Since Houston is the last event of the year, we'll crank it up on each run to see what happens when we run 60, 80 and maybe even 100 pounds. We think we can get in the 7.60s."

Click here to see a video of the Dakota's record 8.61 @ 157 pass at Vegas

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