NHRDA World Finals: The Fastest And Strongest Diesels In The Nation

Everything is bigger in Texas! That was quickly realized when we landed in Dallas. Off to the hotel before the show and we ran into a sea of traffic. But, the sea of trucks and trailers heading the same direction was a good sing. The big weekend is finally here, the 2017 World Finals are in full swing.

Although it’s not a diesel, it still caught our eye and made plenty of horsepower.

As if the title World Champion wasn’t enough, the team at the National Hot Rod Diesel Association (NHRDA) got Super Bowl-style rings for the winners of each class and event as a little more of an incentive. A different, yet stylish, addition to the title was a thoughtful idea.

Due to some unfortunate rain earlier in the day, it required some additional help on the track. After a few hours of discing, scraping, and packing, we were ready to hit the dirt and see some pulling.

If you were expecting just Texas natives to make it, you were wrong. Shawn Baca with Industrial Injection made the trip all the way from Utah with high hopes of clinching the championship.

Sled pulling and drag trucks started trickling in on Day 1, but it was all about the dirt track drivers. We didn’t hear it directly from anyone, but as a fellow driver, we knew these guys were going to turn it up an extra notch, and spray it a little more. After all, this is the final show of the year.

The Farm Truck, owned and operated by Dan Vallance, owner of Valair Inc., was here to start this weekend off right.

Super Stock Champion

In the Super Stock category, it was Jim Greenway taking the win. Greenway only made it to one other NHRDA event this year, but came out on top with his rock hard ram. A 306.08-foot pull earned Greenway the top spot on the podium.

One bad third-gen Ram getting ready to put on a show for Texas.

Pro Stock Champion

Something that rarely happens is a double up in the winner’s circle. Greenway took a little weight out to run Pro Stock and took home the win. Greenway’s winning run was an unbelievable 370.09-feet. The crowd was shocked to see the truck keep pulling.

The irony in a third-gen Dodge pickup named Uncommon.

Limited Pro Stock Champion

Even though Jesse Knight’s overall season points finish was under the top 10, Knight still made the trip to Ennis. Looking back, we are sure he’s okay with it. Knight piloted the Hillbilly Bone Ram 338.00-feet to beat out all of his competitors by a great margin.

Jesse Knight had all cylinders firing perfectly during Day 1.

Also, a celebrity guest was in the house this evening. Aaron Kauffman from the hit TV show, Fast-N-Loud, was in attendance cheering on his friends from Industrial Injection. Kauffman was on hand to see some Shawn Baca carnage in person.

A few members of the Industrial Injection crew share a funny moment with Aaron Kauffman. Pictured they are holding the remains of a turbo from Shawn Baca’s Master Shredder 2.

What a day it has been for us here in Texas. With Day 1 in the books, we look forward to what Day 2 has to offer. Be sure and check back tomorrow for the latest coverage from the World Finals. Which sled pulling truck was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.

About the author

Artie Maupin

Artie Maupin is from Southeast Missouri and has an extreme passion for anything diesel. He loves drag racing of all kinds, as well as sled pulling competitions.
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