Who else is going to UCC?

kidturbo

Piston Tester
Jul 21, 2010
2,540
1,378
113
Somewhere On The Ohio
www.marinemods.us
Good job Mark. Just making it through all 3 events is something to be proud of. I was joking on the way out that a 4th event should be added, placing your truck onto a trailer end of day under own its power.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
 

duramaxzak

Wanna be puller!
Nov 22, 2008
2,431
14
38
Minnesota
Well we ended up 7th place overall when it was all said and done but everyone involved is extremely happy with this result for sure! Apparently the Jag's truck bumped us back one more spot with their second hook. Can't thank everyone involved with this team and the effort from the group to help Mike on this truck!

Jags is a local to me small shop that took 6th overall. He used my wheels and tire's off my puller for the pull event. Mike was definitely on a nice run and would have probably moved up a spot or 2 if he wouldn't have broke. Awesome job to all involved!!!:thumb:
 

SmokeShow

Well-known member
Nov 30, 2006
6,818
34
48
43
Lawrenceburg, KY
What happened to Wagler? Did they blow it ? Didn't see any dyno numbers ?

Got a cpl pistons first drag race run. Rebuilt engine Sat (no dyno) and back in time to pull. Once the bugs are worked out, I have no doubts that engine will be capable of running with anyone else. It's a beast.


and wade Minter was the most surprising competitor to me. Always in the hunt in every event but I don't feel like he was projected to be a big threat. I knew he had a great drag truck but boy, he really put together a truck that was very competitive in all 3 aspects! As shown by all the problems other teams had in doing that, its clearly no small feat & takes good planning, equipment, help, etc. I tip my hat to them for doing so well.
 
Last edited:

malibu795

misspeelleerr
Apr 28, 2007
8,241
550
113
42
in the buckeye state
Got a cpl pistons first drag race run. Rebuilt engine Sat (no dyno) and back in time to pull. Once the bugs are worked out, I have no doubts that engine will be capable of running with anyone else. It's a beast.

Neither run sounded like it was fully loaded at the sled pull..
Definitely impressive
 

SmokeShow

Well-known member
Nov 30, 2006
6,818
34
48
43
Lawrenceburg, KY
Definitely a different Wade!

The other Wade was too busy bumping gums all weekend about his beloved II entry - Shawn Baca's truck. While it is totally respectable on the dyno, boy it totally lacks at anything else. Kind of amazing with their seemingly open checkbook approach that they can't get something to work in that truck to be competitive at anything but dyno'ing.

Which gets back to what I said before, its clearly no small task to put together a truck that is competitive at three events. Huge props to the dudes who did, it was a very small pool this year. :thumb:
 

TROJAN366

Gold Rush
Jan 13, 2012
2,474
1
38
MASS
Definitely a different Wade!

The other Wade was too busy bumping gums all weekend about his beloved II entry - Shawn Baca's truck. While it is totally respectable on the dyno, boy it totally lacks at anything else. Kind of amazing with their seemingly open checkbook approach that they can't get something to work in that truck to be competitive at anything but dyno'ing.

Which gets back to what I said before, its clearly no small task to put together a truck that is competitive at three events. Huge props to the dudes who did, it was a very small pool this year. :thumb:

II just seems greedy. Why not turn the truck down a bunch and make 1 ok pass and then go for broke. Instead they leave it on kill and destroy the driveline and make 14 second passes with parachutes......
 

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
15,615
1,872
113
Mid Michigan
II just seems greedy. Why not turn the truck down a bunch and make 1 ok pass and then go for broke. Instead they leave it on kill and destroy the driveline and make 14 second passes with parachutes......

Saying you won a drag race (even a 9 second one) or a sled pull is not going to sell as many diesel parts to the uneducated masses as saying, "We built a 2500hp engine". If II knows anything, its how to market their parts, quality be damned.

Now on the other hand, if I were to own a Dodge/Cummins truck, the ONLY place Id take it to for upgrades is Firepunk. Those guys know WTF they are doing. When it comes to trans builds, they are like Evan and Mike to us.
Four straight years winning the top diesel competition in the land says a lot more to people who live this hobby than winning just the dyno. Its how you use that power and keep the drivetrain alive that really counts. ;)

I give a lot of props to Wade Minter (NO, he's not "NGM Wade"), Derek Rose and Mike Graves. Wade and Derek were competitive in every event, and kept things close enough where Lavon had to pay attention. I think if Mike put his combo into a lighter truck, he'd have been in the top 3, too. If his rear axle didnt break, I bet he'd have been much higher on the results.
 

Ne-max

I like turtles
Nov 15, 2011
3,361
64
48
Lincoln, Ne
It gets old watching people bash Bacas truck. Dyno queen.... take it to the track.....2500hp truck 12 second 1/4.....
Who gives a crap. That's what they enjoy doing. People like drag racing, people like sled pulling, people like truck shows...... Baca enjoys the dyno scene.
If it's that easy to throw down those numbers he would not be known for the highest numbers.
 

Chad006

Drag racer wannabe
Feb 12, 2015
311
5
18
Goodlow, B.C.
It gets old watching people bash Bacas truck. Dyno queen.... take it to the track.....2500hp truck 12 second 1/4.....
Who gives a crap. That's what they enjoy doing. People like drag racing, people like sled pulling, people like truck shows...... Baca enjoys the dyno scene.
If it's that easy to throw down those numbers he would not be known for the highest numbers.

I think it's the fact that they have tried countless times to make a decent pass with multiple setups and a seemingly endless financial backing that gives the haters a leg to stand on. Don't get me wrong he clearly has the highest power truck in the ucc, I just don't understand why they can't detorque it slightly to make one decent pass.
 

Yellow Jacket

WannaBe Sled Puller
Feb 11, 2009
917
0
16
Waterloo, IA
I think it's the fact that they have tried countless times to make a decent pass with multiple setups and a seemingly endless financial backing that gives the haters a leg to stand on. Don't get me wrong he clearly has the highest power truck in the ucc, I just don't understand why they can't detorque it slightly to make one decent pass.

I would guarantee on a loaded Engine dyno, the Sigma pumped Firepunk Cummins would eat Baca's truck for breakfast.... They didn't lose 800-1000hp thru the drivetrain to the tires, it's hard to load that kind of build on a chassis dyno...
 

Evan@InglewoodTrans

yerp
Vendor/Sponsor
Aug 5, 2010
3,118
65
48
40
Western MA
We had successful 3 days all things considered. We went with one goal and that was running a 9.5 and trying to trap 150 and anything after that was a bonus. The sled pull was going to be good one but wasn't meant to be due to the traction bar mount failure that turned expensive in a hurry. While we left a lot on the table in the dyno and sled pull events we couldn't be happier with how the event went. Wade did a great job and would of been up a place I'm sure if he didn't have transmission issues during the drag race. He was on some fast passes. It's crazy what a few of the shops are willing to go through to win or at least place. Replacing multiple engines and transmissions just to get through a event to me doesn't really prove much. On the 9.5 pass we got a flat tire from the tire spinning on the rim and ripping the valve stem of the tube out and a high pressure fuel line blew. The traction bar mount breaking and the carnage it cause ended any chance of a second of pull. Trans is still good though :D
 

lutzjk913

Well-known member
May 5, 2010
1,682
168
63
groveport, ohio
We had successful 3 days all things considered. We went with one goal and that was running a 9.5 and trying to trap 150 and anything after that was a bonus. The sled pull was going to be good one but wasn't meant to be due to the traction bar mount failure that turned expensive in a hurry. While we left a lot on the table in the dyno and sled pull events we couldn't be happier with how the event went. Wade did a great job and would of been up a place I'm sure if he didn't have transmission issues during the drag race. He was on some fast passes. It's crazy what a few of the shops are willing to go through to win or at least place. Replacing multiple engines and transmissions just to get through a event to me doesn't really prove much. On the 9.5 pass we got a flat tire from the tire spinning on the rim and ripping the valve stem of the tube out and a high pressure fuel line blew. The traction bar mount breaking and the carnage it cause ended any chance of a second of pull. Trans is still good though :D

The sled pull carnage is crazy.

Sounds like it's time for some bead locks. LOL