Readers Rig: Jarren Casstevens’ 2006 Dodge Ram 2500

A guy like Jarren Casstevens knows what it takes to get a diesel built right. A testament to this assertion comes in the form of his 2006 Dodge Ram 2500, which he purchased bone-stock one year ago, and now has transformed to a soon-to-be drag-racing application.

Build Highlights

• Freedom Racing Engines-built head
• Hamilton 103# Valve Springs
• Fleece pushrods
• Fleece S475 2nd-gen swap with Steed Speed manifold
• BD Diesel intercooler
• BD Diesel double stack transmission cooler (split apart and located behind the intercooler)
• Fully built SunCoast 48RE transmission
• S&S 200% injectors
• S&S single CP3
• Fleece 6.7 intake plenum
• 6.7-liter Cummins fuel rail
• H&S 6.7 intake manifold
• AirDog 4G 200GPH
• Fleece Fuel Distribution Block
• Jamo 5″ Exhaust
• Fluidampr harmonic balancer
• ARP 625 Head Studs
• Fleece Coolant Bypass
• 22×12 American Force Jade SS8 with Nitto 420s
• Custom tuning by Ben Shadday at Done Right Diesel Performance

“I got my start in diesel trucks back in 2011 when I bought first diesel, a 1996 12-valve Cummins,” said Jarren. “It’s all been history since then, really. It took off big-time when I got hired at AirDog in 2014 as the sales manager. That was when I built a 1999 24-valve Cummins drag truck, and took it racing in 2015.”

Jarren swapped jobs and wound up at Done Right Diesel Performance, where he got to know the “Common-Rail Guru” Ben Shadday. “I decided it was time to sell the dinosaur and move into the common-rail scene,” said Jarren.

In a matter of months, Jarren went about transforming his 2006 Ram 2500 from bone-stock to ready-to-rock. Much of his efforts went toward beefing up the engine, equipping it with Hamilton valve springs, Fleece Performance pushrods and S475 turbocharger, BD Diesel Performance intercooler and double-stack transmission cooler, and a great deal more. “The truck makes 930 horsepower and 1,700 pound-feet of torque,” said Jarren. “For now,” he added.

Making all of that power, however, no doubt put an incredible amount of vibration and jolting to the drivetrain. It only made sense to look to Fluidampr, which Jarren did, and he installed one of the company’s stout harmonic balancers to ensure the Cummins was able to deal with the added strain of all of its performance parts.

“Fluidampr has been there for me since 2015, when I built my drag truck,” said Jarren. “They were a sponsor of mine. I’ve worked closely with them since that time and the whole crew is a joy to work with.”

Regarding the future, Jarren has plans to add compound or triple turbos to this 2006 Ram, install a set of 250-percent (or 300-percent) S&S injectors, and twin Fleece Performance CP3 pumps, as well as a bottom-end build. When all is said and done, this should prove to be one truck that doesn’t mess around, whether it’s on the street or strip!