Firepunk Diesel’s Cummins-powered Duster Pro Mod car went fast—really fast— at South Georgia Motorsports Park during No Mercy 15. The team set new records in ET/MPH: 3.94 at 197 mph, 3.90 at 193 mph, 3.89 at 197 mph, 3.87 at 198 mph and 3.85 at 198 mph during the Radial Outlaw Racing Series, competing in the Radial vs. the World class. This makes the Duster Pro Mod, driven by Larson Miller, the quickest and fastest diesel door car in the world, breaking the record set by the same team’s diesel-powered S10 Pro Mod (3.99 at 183 mph) in 2021. The Duster also set a new 60-foot record with a time of 0.975-second.
Hot Shot’s Secret Director of Field Marketing and Partnerships, Kyle Fischer, recounts:
“Congratulations to Lavon, Larson, Lyn and the entire Firepunk Diesel family. We could not be more proud of this team and all of the hard work they have put in. This engine, the Executioner, built by D&J Precision Machine out of Ohio, has consistently operated at peak performance for multiple seasons powering the Firepunk team to multiple new records. We are honored to work so closely with a team that allows us all to push the boundaries of modern diesel performance to all new levels. Our partnership with Firepunk over the years has led to the development of a full line of Hot Shot’s Secret racing lubricants that is inarguable, proven in the lab, on the dyno and at the track.”
This was the first time the Firepunk team had put the Duster on radial tires, a change the team equated to “starting over,” as it necessitated adjustments to the bar settings, gear ratios, transmission, rearend, torque converter, and so on. Plus, data from the team’s former S10 didn’t directly correlate; the team had to work through various issues and find the right combination of adjustments. For example, adding weight to combat a wheelie off the line might solve one problem, but the extra weight throws off other things. The team noted that everything has to come together correctly in order to put down smooth runs.
Firepunk Diesel Owner, Lavon Miller, recalls:
“This was an exciting week on the track. Being the only diesel in a class of the top gas-powered racecars, we were excited to demonstrate what diesel is capable of. Coming into No Mercy 15 with only a couple days of testing on an entirely new setup for a radial tire, we had an e.t. goal of 3.85 seconds, and we were excited to hit that mark. This is a record that we celebrate with our partners that have helped to make this happen like Reese Brothers, D&J, Exergy, and Hot Shot’s Secret. To protect our five-speed Liberty transmission and our 6.7L Executioner engine we rely on Hot Shot’s Secret’s Adrenaline Racing line of oils. With a healthy racecar to finish the season, we are looking forward to more improvements in the off-season and seeing how fast we can take this diesel platform in 2025.”
Congratulations to the Firepunk Diesel team for achieving what it wanted: 3.85 seconds. We will watch as the team continues to push the limits with its diesel-powered Duster.