It’s no secret that 2020 has been probably one of the most bizarre years all of us have ever experienced. Regardless of your opinion or view on the pandemic that is cutting through the world, one thing we all can agree on is that we’re tired of it cutting into our events. Drag racing, sled pulling, truck meets, and so much more have either been postponed or worse, canceled.

As a matter of fact, our beloved Outlaw Diesel Super Series schedule was cut pretty thin so far this year with Rudy’s Spring Truck Jam, Outlaw Diesel Revenge, and the HollyRock Summer Showdown all being scratched off the list. The tracks we know and love just happened to be in states with tight regulations on crowds therefore we weren’t able to make it happen.

I realize the last few sentences aren’t the best news but wait, there is more. As of now, just a few weeks out, Gregg Jolly, Race Director of the Outlaw Diesel Super Series has confirmed that we will be racing in Crossville, Tennessee for the seventh annual Rocky Top Diesel Shootout.

“Obviously the coronavirus has thrown a  pretty large wrench in a lot of our season for 2020,” Jolly said. “Each state has different mandates that have to be abided by to help everyone be as safe as possible. In some cases that meant we just couldn’t hold the events. Now that we’re slowly easing back into things we are able to move forward with our season and are able to put on a show for our fans. Albeit maybe not as many spectators as we hope for due to social distancing but still being able to be at the track doing what we love is a win. The delay of action has been double-sided. Some taking advantage of the time to further improve their builds along while others have taken this time to get more quality time with family. While the break has nice, we’re certainly ready to be back at the track.”

I myself am guilty of this but most people don’t realize what goes on in the background to make these events happen even without the chaos that is unfolding as we speak. A lot of manpower and money getting tossed around to make these events happen and the fact that we’re going to get it done on top of the world’s restrictions is pretty incredible.

New builds, improved setups, and a ton of eager racers ready to fully unload. You aren’t going to want to miss it.

With that being said, you’re safe to mark your calendars, book your hotels, pack your coolers, and head to Tennessee! The Rocky Top Diesel Shootout is always one of the best shows of the year and with everyone eagerly waiting to race and watch diesel trucks, its probably going to be a full house. Expect some super nice rigs in the Show & Shine lot and a ton of fast trucks in all seven classes the ODSS offers on Friday, July 24th, and Saturday, July 25th.

A portion of the drivers in each class has only got one (diesel) race under their belt, including myself. Has this big delay in racing affected their on-track sharpness? Has this delay allowed teams to privately test and be more prepared for race day? We will have those answers in just a few short weeks.

Points Update

JAMO Performance Exhaust ET Bracket

1. Ryan Riddle – 86
2. Artie Maupin- 66
3. Adam Doan- 66
4. Nick Morris- 55
5. Justynne Hamm- 55

ATS Diesel Power 7.70 Index

1. Jacob Middleton – 76
2. Logan Dezan- 61
3. Ryan Riddle- 54
4. Corbin Hall- 43
5. Chris Hogan- 31

Thoroughbred Diesel 6.70 Index 

1. Landon Miller – 100
2. Zack Danner- 70
3. Chase Ringer- 56
4. Rick Fletes- 53
5. Norma Hall- 46

Firepunk Diesel 5.90 Index

1. Rodrigo MacMaster- 73
2. Austin Doidge- 43
3. Dustin Sterling- 36
4. Brett Marcum- 33
5. Austin Denny- 31

Hot Shots Secret Pro Street

1. Derek Rose- 78
2. Paul Cato- 54
3. Johnathan Montesino-41
4. Johnny Gilbert- 33
5. Michael Dalton- 30

SunCoast Performance Pro Mod

1. Larson Miller- 66
2. Logan Yelton- 42
3. Steve Royalty- 30
4. Johnathan Montesino-30
5.  Brian Gray- 23

Industrial Injection Pro Dragster

1. Jared Jones-55

We’re hoping you all will make it out to the 7th annual Rocky Top event because it will certainly be one we won’t forget. For more information about the Outlaw Diesel Super Series, head on over to their website here. For those of you who can’t make it to the show, stay tuned right here on Diesel Army for the full event recap, truck features, and news from Tennessee.