Whoever said drag racing had to be fast never imagined traversing the 1320 in a truck weighing over 20,000lbs. Although there are some relatively quick trucks that hit the track at this unique event, the majority are much slower than the cars that we’re used to seeing but surely don’t lack in the horsepower department. Anything from 140 horsepower up to 1,000 horsepower is capable in the turbocharged diesel engines that came to do battle at Old Bridge Township’s famed Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ for the U.S. Diesel Truckin’ Nationals.
29 classes were on tap and drivers would compete until only two trucks remained. The pair would then square off for the big $5,000 grand prize. Now it may be hard to imagine the trucks that keep our world moving with deliveries and such on the drag strip, but we all have to have our day at the track every once in a while and this day was for the heavy haulers. When it came down to the final pairing it was a dump truck and a semi tractor getting it done on the quarter mile.
The semi tractor in the far lane dialed in at 20-seconds flat while the green dump truck was shooting for a 24.5-second dial-in. The dump truck left the line first and as the semi closed in on the top end, it was the big ‘ol dump truck taking the victory at blazing speed. Aside from the drag racing, there’s is a little bit of everything at the U.S. Diesel Truckin’ Nationals, from 300mph jet dragsters to car crushing monster trucks, so if you missed it this year be sure to check out their website and put it on your schedule for next season!