Day one of the 2019 Ultimate Callout Challenge is in the books, and following that would be one of the most unbelievable days in competition history. The ultimate callout competitors made their way over to the dyno and the qualifiers attempted to apply yesterday’s horsepower and torque to the dragstrip on the historic Lucas Oil Raceway. Let’s dive in.
It seems like every other year, we’re blessed with less than stellar weather. This year was no exception. It rained continuously for most of the day until finally, it was clear enough to start drying and prepping both the dyno and the dragstrip. Competitors and spectators waited anxiously to see those big times and big power numbers showcased in a brisk Saturday afternoon.
Amongst the cold, May weather, power numbers were happening and trucks were flying. Colorado native, John Schirado, piloted his second-gen Ram down the strip with a best elapsed time of 5.720. That finished him in first place overall in the drag racing portion but still slightly behind Mike Wysowski after an incredible show on the dyno just the day before.
As the qualifiers made passes for the rest of the day, the big dogs had their fire suits on, kill switches engaged, and prayers said. It was the dyno showdown everyone has been waiting for. Claims were made, hearts were broken, but at the end of the day, it was DNR Custom’s pilot Derek Rose taking home the dyno crown and the bragging rights with a new Ultimate Callout Challenge record horsepower and torque.
2,503.2-horsepower and 3,783.1-ft/lbs of torque is what it takes to win the dyno competition on this stage. Derek Rose set out to make a big number and that’s exactly what his bright-blue Ram did. Rose credits his entire crew and all of his sponsors for helping get this truck where it is to do what it’s doing.
Although it was only good enough for second place, Justin Andres in his new regular cab Ram placed second on the dyno with 2,268.5-horsepower and 3,176.5-ft/lb of torque. An incredible number for sure, but Rose was ahead of second place by 234.7-horsepower. What a day on the dyno. Other top names in the dyno competition are Shawn Baca, Donavan Harris, Chris Buhidar, Todd Welch, and Josh Scruggs.
With kill-mode engaged, at this power level, anything can happen. It’s either going to stick and back off the dyno under its own power, or it is going to really tear some expensive items up. For Dirty Hooker Diesel, their Duramax-powered Chevrolet Silverado was one to beat. Tony Burkharts 5.62 pass was wicked fast for a learning sled puller crew and they were heading towards a great finish.
On dyno day, they were hoping to see a 2,000-horsepower pull but at the end of the day, it did make the number but at what cost? After the dust settled, they ended up making their 2,000+ pull (2,053-horsepower), but after the turbocharger let go, it began to run away on its own oil. It was certainly a scary situation and we’re glad the pilot, Mark Broviak, owner of Danville Performance, was okay and safe.
Armor Inc’s Donavan Harris and Dynomite Diesel’s Lenny Reed teamed up to build a rocket ship and a powerhouse once again this year. Team Armor and Dynamite Diesel laid it down on day two finishing with 2,096-horsepower and 3,019-ft/lb of torque on the dyno and drove itself off the dyno. With only sled pull remaining, they are sitting pretty in the standings.
New this year was the Outlaw Diesel Super Series Pro Mod showcase under the lights. This brought the Pro Mod field to the UCC event and showcased their full race builds to spectators who may have not seen them before. They brought the fastest passes of the weekend and it was a hell of a show. Unfortunately, the event was cut short because of poor track conditions.
Day two has been an absolute war zone here in Indianapolis and with the point cards getting tighter, it’s all coming down to a soggy day on the dirt with a heavy sled behind them. Stay tuned to day three and full event results on Diesel Army! For more information about the Ultimate Callout Challenge, be sure and check out their website. What was your favorite part of the show so far? Let us know in the comments below!