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Driver #1: Lavon Miller
Two-time and defending Ultimate Callout Challenge Champion Lavon Miller and his dedicated team of family, friends, and employees from Firepunk Diesel in Plain City, Ohio hope to go for the three-peat in 2018. Miller and his Dodge have dominated the drag racing portion of the past two UCC events and with continued engine refinements, they are expected to be at the top of the pack once again.
The Firepunk Diesel Dodge competition truck is no one-trick pony though as the triple-turbocharged 6.7-liter Cummins engine built by D&J Precision Machine has landed Miller on the top of the podium two years in a row. He did it with a common-rail engine in 2016 and a mechanical-injected engine in 2017. We can’t wait to see what the team shows up with for 2018.
Lavon Miller is coming back to defend his title at the 2018 Ultimate Callout Challenge.
As a drag racer, Miller has had some struggles on the pull track, but the Firepunk Diesel team developed chassis configurations to transform the truck into a pulling machine that took home second place in 2016 and scored well enough in 2017 to retain his Overall UCC Championship title. The small-town Ohio team doesn’t know the meaning of quit and will iron out the wrinkles.
After the amazing success that Miller and his team have had with the truck, it is very hard to bet against them. While thirty other competitors stand in the Firepunk team’s way, they have proven that they know how to rise to the occasion and deliver when the moment comes like any great champion. Knowing to be capable of well over 2,000-horsepower, and the resume of the truck, we could definitely see a three-peat.
Number #2: Eric MerchantÂ
While Eric Merchant will be a rookie at the 2018 Ultimate Callout Challenge, he certainly is no rookie in the world of diesel performance and diesel motorsports. Merchant is especially well known to Duramax enthusiasts, who turn to his shop Merchant Automotive for maintenance and performance items for their trucks.
If you’re a Duramax owner, you’ve probably heard of him. He’s widely known for expertise on the Duramax engine as well as the Allison transmission. Merchant has certainly been around the block as far as the diesel performance industry goes. Nearly 10 years ago, Merchant built his first Duramax which ended up breaking the 1,000-horsepower mark, which is no simple feat. Since then, he’s turned his focus on to sled pulling.
New to the UCC format, Merchant looks to make a bigger name for himself in 2018.
Nearly 10 years ago, Merchant built his first Duramax which ended up breaking the 1,000-horsepower mark, which is no simple feat. Since then, he’s turned his focus on to sled pulling. Merchant will more than likely be an X-factor when it comes to day three of competition.
Merchant, with no prior UCC experience, is about to take his truck through the gauntlet against the best trucks in the country. We look forward to see what the team at Merchant Automotive brings to the table next year!
For more information on the 2018 Ultimate Callout Challenge be sure and check out their website. Tickets are on sale now and don’t forget to use the discount code, DieselArmy, to save $5 at checkout!
