In its second year at Wagler Motorsports Park, the 25th Annual Scheid Diesel Extravaganza (SDX), organized by Scheid Diesel Service Co., was smorgasbord of all things diesel, for those with an appetite for horsepower!
Kicking things off was Outlaw Diesel Super Series (ODSS) Friday Night Grudge Racing, sponsored by S&S Diesel Motorsport. While there were several matchups to settle scores, the race for the #SSfueled Grudge Belt was an exciting heads-up rematch between Brett Marcum and Dan Zelten, who last met in the 5.90 finals of RTDS. With no worries of a breakout, both teams turned up the wick in hopes of claiming the belt and the cash. When the bulbs dropped, both trucks left hard, but then Marcum started getting out of shape, yet did his best to keep all of that 4WD torque in check. Zelten went right down Broadway, but then blew an exhaust up-pipe right before the finish. Thanks to the Truck Source Diesel hot tune, Zelten’s SoCal Diesel-powered Chevy had enough momentum to get to the stipe first and claim the belt.
Business as usual for Johnny Gilbert and the Stainless Diesel team in ODSS Pro Street, earning number 1 qualifier and a new speed record with a 4.86 at 158.02 MPH hit, and then going on to win the event.
Current ODSS Outlaw 5.90 leader, David Large, has proven to be dead-consistent thanks to excellent driving skills and support from the Hardway Racing team. Large ran a solid 5.918 to secure number one qualifier, and later went rounds through a tough field all the way to face Dustin Sterling in the finals. Large has been on a roll, but the Sterling Diesel Performance team was ready for a race. After the light haze cleared, it was Sterling that lit up the board and earned the Outlaw 5.90 win.
Moving on to the dirt side of the Wagler compound, Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League (PPL) had twin tracks prepped for the Super Bowl of truck pulling. SDX is so popular that the Pro Street and Limited Pro trucks have to qualify just to make the show in the evening. When competing against the best trucks in the US, it’s an accomplishment just to make it into the show.
Two #SSfueled Limited Pro Stock Diesel trucks made in into the show on Friday night, “Grey Area” wheeled by Evan Davis and Jordan Kinderman’s “Cummin Get It.”
Saturday night was a stronger showing for Team #SSfueled in Limited Pro, with four trucks qualifying for the evening pull: Team Michiana Diesel, Matt Loucks in “Night Howler” and Garrett Loucks in “Un-Locked,” along with Evan Davis in “Grey Area,” and Jordan Kinderman earning Runner Up with the Freedom Racing Engines-powered “Cummin Get It.”
On Friday, Doug Monroe drove “Bad Influence” to a win in the Pro Street Diesel Trucks qualifier. He was joined by Ronnie Hall in “Hall Pass,” Fleece Performance’s Jimmy Barclay in “The Sunset Hooker” and Lee Stiltz in “Privileged” in the evening show.
Lee Stiltz pushed “Privileged” to a Pro Street qualifier win on Saturday, and went on to pull in the evening show along with Ronnie Hall in “Hall Pass,” Sheldon D’Huyvetter in “Project Underdog,” and Doug Monroe in “Bad Influence.”
Over the weekend, nearly one hundred daily drivers, tow pigs, and weekend cruisers strapped up on the chassis dyno to see what their trucks were made of. When all was said and done, #SSfueled trucks put down the top five numbers of the weekend in the Dyno Contest.
On Friday, Austin Myers of Wagler Competition Products took the win with 1,346 HP/2,257 TQ, followed by Justin Norris with 1,169 HP/2,116 TQ, and Thomas Andre with 1,129 HP/1,835 TQ.
Two Tylers ruled the dyno on Saturday, and the weekend overall. Tyler Barkdull made 1,477 HP/2151 TQ for the win and Tyler Veerkamp wasn’t far behind with 1,372 HP/2,172 TQ.
After 25 years, the Scheid Diesel Extravaganza is still the premier diesel truck event that pulls in the best crowd and the toughest competition. SDX has proven to be the bedrock of diesel motorsport for decades, with no signs of changing anytime soon.