“Hey dude, what are you doing this weekend?”
“Going to see my grandpa.”
“Cool.”
Said no one. Ever.

But this is sad. Grandpas are like abs, baby fat & breathable air, you really only miss them once they’re gone. Here are a few trucks to explain why you should grab a folding chair, a trucker hat & a weak beer to listen to some old man wisdom.

7. Grandpas Know Something About Really Using Trucks

Your Grandpa may have grown up on a farm, picking crops or helping his own granddad transport grain to the silo. He did all of this without a lift, a tow package or a Warn winch – because he knows one thing for sure, trucks are for getting stuff done.

6. They’re Patriotic

Grandpas not only love trucks but they love America. Warts and all. Yes, their political views may not always match your own. But give him 5 minutes and your grandfather will remind you why this is the greatest country on Earth. Of course, one of those reasons will be his Chevy.

5. In His Day, Trucks Had Personalities

Nowadays, most vehicles are mere computers on wheels. Fast, exciting, and often flawless computers, but personality-lacking interfaces still. Early trucks had definite personalities – whether it was their grill that looked like a face, bulbous wheel wells, crazy body lines or running boards so big that you could surf on them.

4. They Know Stuff You Don’t

Think you know everything there is to know about trucks? Of course, no one does. But how about this one?  Ever driven a Diamond T? Me neither. But our grandpas very well may have.

3. Because Things Get Better With Time

Your grandpa is probably driving a truck that's much older than you are. Why? Because this vehicle “works just fine.” How can he stand it? Doesn’t he want a new truck? Of course he does. But guess who else always has money when you need to borrow some? Thought so.

2. Grandpa Lived In The Golden Age Of Design

If you want to see American automotive design at its best, look no further than a truck from the 1930s and 40s.  Even the logos were badass: 

1. Your Grandpa's Style Is In Style

No, your grandpa probably doesn’t own an Icon Thriftmaster. And “bespoke” isn’t a word he would use to describe any of his trucks. But what makes ICON cool is essentially the same as everything that makes your grandpa cool— opinionated, patriotic & obsessed with trucks.

Thus, I implore you, if you still have a grandpa, spend some time with him. Especially if you’re an enthusiast and he shares your passion for cars. He may not know what the latest and greatest is, but he’s got something way more valuable – his story.

Here's one truck that's far from grandpa style... but we think yours would dig it. Check out the '90 Dodge Crew Cab "Lobster Wagon."

The Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, is one of our favorite weeks of the year. The great ‘wheeling, friendly people and unmatched scenery keep up coming back year after year. While the Red Rock 4-Wheelers host the official event, there’s often a few other “sub” events not associated with the club taking place during the week. The video above is from the 2017 EJS Experience. It highlights some of the trail action their group had and the carnage JKX Alaska alumni C.J. Breaux had with his Tactical Off-Road JK.

See more action from the 2017 Easter Jeep Safari!

There were literally thousands of Jeeps in attendance at the Jeep Beach 2017 event. Hosted by the Mid-Florida Jeep Club, the 15th annual Jeep-only gathering was jammed-pack with activities, raffles, off-road course (at the Daytona International Speedway no less), and over $150,000 in raffle prizes.

The gallery above offers a taste of the incredible collection of machines on-hand at this year’s event. Check in soon for a full event recap giving you all the details you need to know.

Jeeps are in full spring here! Jump over to our Easter Jeep Safari coverage from Moab.

Choices can be confusing when looking for a new set of tires. Since this is where the rubber meets the road, the decision is an important one. As a discerning enthusiast, with your car’s handling at stake, doing a little homework and choosing a tire that best complements your vehicle’s capabilities will have a sizable payoff. To help you, we’ve made a short list of street-going Nittos with key characteristics of each.

Motivo

• Daily tire for the performance-conscious driver
• Long treadlife tire compound
• Handles confidently across a wide range of challenging weather conditions

Learn more about the Motivo. 

Invo

• A step up in performance capabilities
• Unique, asymmetrical tread design
• Quietness and comfort ushers in luxury

Learn more about the Invo. 

NT555 G2

• Designed with the performance driver in mind
• Increased traction on wet and dry conditions
• Cornering confidence

Learn more about the NT555 G2.  

NT05

• The ultimate performance street tire
• Responsive sidewall for superior handling
• Helps connect more of your car’s power to the pavement

Learn more about the NT05. 

NT555R

• DOT-compliant drag-radial tire
• Maximum grip
• Allows for street-to-strip driving

Learn more about the NT555R.  

NT01

• DOT-compliant competition road-course tire
• Optimized heat cycling for regular track use
• Balance of traction and control for precision driving

Learn more about the NT01. 

Find out more and search for a dealer at NittoTire.com.

LED strip lights are one of the cheapest and easiest mods you can do to customize your ride. Although I’m going to show you how I installed them in my Jeep, once you know how to install them, you can easily apply them to any car. They are bright enough for practical purposes, or you can use them to add some a certain vibe to your rid. The best thing about LED strip lights (besides the price) is that they can be cut to any length desired, which allows for creative lighting effects.

DISCLAIMER: Aftermarket interior lighting is prohibited in many U.S. states and counties. Be sure to check your local laws before adding lights to your vehicle.

The cabin of my Jeep is a dark pit at night, and I often found myself wishing it was little brighter while groping around trying to find something in the dark. Sure, I could always turn on the overhead dome light, but if I’m driving at night I don’t exactly want the entire interior lit up from overhead. I wanted subtle ambient lighting, so I decided to add LED strip lights to my center stack.

WHAT YOU NEED

Required Tools:

• Roll of LED strip lights
• Soldering iron with fine tip
• Fine gauge solder
• 16-18 gauge electrical wire (enough for your installation)
• Wire cutter/stripper
• Liquid electrical tape
• 9-volt battery for testing 
• Flat head screwdriver or trim tool

Optional Tools, Depending on Your Situation:

• Drill
• 7 mm socket wrench/nut driver
• Multimeter
• In-line fuse holder and fuse
• Relay

You can buy a 5-meter roll of flexible LED strip lights for less than $10 on places like Amazon and eBay. They come in 12 volts and 24 volts. You want 12 volts if your car has a 12-volt battery (most do). The roll contains 300 lights, and they are typically available in white, red, yellow, green, blue and multicolored.

Red is popular with off-roaders because it doesn’t ruin night vision, but it wasn’t the look I wanted for the interior of my Jeep. White and yellow were too bright for my purpose, so I went with a cool blue to provide subtle ambient light. If you are going to install the lights on the exterior of your vehicle or down near the carpet on the interior, you should get the waterproof lights, but it’s not necessary for most interior installs.

The first thing you should do is test your lights to make sure they work before you start cutting and soldering. Touch the positive and negative leads from the strip lights to the corresponding posts on the 9-volt battery to make sure the lights are working.

Next, decide where you want to place the lights and how long the strip needs to be. The lights need to be cut in groups of three. My lights had soldering pads placed every 10 groups of three (every 30 lights), but I only wanted three strips of six lights. There was a bit of waste involved to make sure that each strip had a soldering pad, but the lights are so cheap that it’s no big deal. You will want to use the soldering pads because the wires running through the strips are tiny.

Paying careful attention to positive and negative/ground (marked on the strip), solder leads to each of your strips. You’ll need to have some patience for detail work and be careful not to use too much heat. After the solder joints have cooled, use the battery to test each strip again. If everything is working properly, use the liquid electrical tape to seal your solder joints. You could use standard electrical tape or heat shrink tubing, but the solder joints are so small that I found it much easier (albeit messier) to use the liquid electrical tape.

INSTALLING THE LIGHTS

To remove the center stack trim on a 2007 Jeep Wrangler, use the flathead screwdriver or trim tool to pry up the top section.

There are two hex screws securing the trim face at the top. Remove them, and then use the screwdriver or trim tool to pry off the trim piece, starting at the top and working your way down. Be careful of the wiring behind the trim.

I just needed to pull the top half out so I could reach behind to do my wiring. If you want to completely remove the trim, you will also need to pop out the bottom trim piece and remove the two screws at the bottom. This is a great time to clean out some of the dust that has accumulated from our many off-road trips!

I drilled three small holes in the trim piece for the wires to pass through. Since the lights would be facing downward, the holes aren’t visible. Then I started hooking up the wires behind the center stack before affixing the lights. This allowed me to once more test my wiring with the 9-volt battery to make sure that all lights were working before permanently mounting the lights to the trim.

There are several different ways to wire the lights to a power source. Since I wanted to be able to turn the lights on and off whenever I wanted, I wired mine to a switch on my Rugged Ridge A-pillar switch pod. Accessing the switch pod meant removing the sun visor, windshield trim and A-pillar.

Your exact wiring for your installation will depend on your specific vehicle, what electrical mods you may already have and when you want the lights to turn on and off.

If you don’t have a switch pod, other options include:

• wiring to your headlights so they come on anytime you turn your headlights on,
• wiring to a dimmer switch (in a Wrangler JK wiring to the orange wire with gray tracer will dim your LEDs with the other accessory lights),
• wiring to the dome light so they turn on when your dome light is on (the thin yellow wire with white tracer in a Wrangler JK)
• wiring to the cigarette lighter/accessory adapter (make sure to use one that is only hot when the car is running),
• wiring to the door switch if you want courtesy lights that turn on when a door is opened, and
• wiring directly to the battery.

After verifying that all wiring was done properly and the lights were working, I mounted the lights to the center stack trim. The lights have an adhesive backing. Make sure to clean the surface before removing the backing and placing the lights in the final position. Tidy up your wiring and replace the center stack trim in the reverse order in which you removed it.

Now flip the switch and enjoy your new custom lighting!

The lights are much brighter than I thought they would be. I used three strips of six lights, and as soon as I saw them in the dark I realized that half that number would've served my purpose.

This mod is so easy and cheap that you may find yourself wanting to place lights all over your vehicle, especially if you participate in car shows. Some of the most popular ways to use them are under the dash in the foot wells, under-seat lighting in the rear passenger compartment, as rock lights for night ‘wheeling on a Jeep, or to provide underglow for any vehicle. If underglow alone isn’t showy enough for you, use your imagination. You could light the interior bed of a pickup truck, add lighting under your hood, line your rims or light up your ride for the holidays.

If you’ve added LED strip lighting to your vehicle, we’d love to see your photos!

Last year we gave you a quick look at the then new Ferrari 488 GTB, except it was bone stock and sadly couldn't be driven. Well, Targa Trophy took care of that for us recently with their latest episode of "Ride Check."

Teaming up with the beyond popular streetwear label, Anti Social Social Club (ASSC), for this exclusive test drive, Targa Trophy's own Jason Overall and professional motorsports driver, Miles Maroney both take the 488 GTB on various local roads throughout Southern California to give driving impressions from two different points of view: the everyday, casual enthusiast and the everyday, casual enthusiast with professional racing experience. 

This particular 488 GTB isn't stock, since ASSC's founder, Neek Lurk, tends to modify his collection of cars in some way, shape or form, and has done so even from his early days with Stussy (a slammed Prius on TEIN coilovers and Volk Racing TE37s come to mind). 

It's slightly lowered with a set of Novitec springs that work with the factory coilover system, and since it seems Neek can't get away from that JDM style, a set of TE37s have once again made its way onto one of his rides. Adding some extra horsepower and making it extra loud is the Capristo exhaust, which doesn't come cheap at a MSRP of up to $7,950!

Be sure to watch the Targa Trophy video at the top to see how they get the Anti Social Social Club 488 GTB loose, and see some bonus photos of the car in the gallery below.

(Photos: Targa Trophy/Mo Satarzadeh)

When we first learned about Mike O'Brien's Datsun 620 build, we weren't really sure what was more impressive: the build itself, or Mike's ability to transcend from concept to reality so seamlessly. As the lead engineer at the Roadster Shop in Mundelein, Illinois, Mike is no stranger to one-off builds that require a level of attention to detail you simply won't find anywhere else. Their reputation for delivering builds of such high caliber is evident in Mike's work, and his own projects are no exception. But without further adieu, let's dive into this devilish Datsun 620.

The Platform

Mike’s first love will always be his MKII 1986 Supra, which he bought bone-stock at the age of 16 and slowly built over the years. When the Supra came to a point of completion in his eyes, he knew it was time to start a new build from scratch that he could design and engineer with the finished product clearly defined from the beginning.

Originally, Mike wanted to build a V8 Toyota Tercel 4WD, but that idea was soon replaced with the Datsun 620 platform thanks to a few local craigslist ads that planted the seed in his mind. Once the excitement ramped up over the prospect of a mini truck with mega performance, he was all in on the Datsun. In order to really push his own limits, he wanted to design every component of the Datsun build prior to building it. With the use of CAD software and help from co-worker, Chris Gray, Mike was able to render a finished product to look forward to.

The Design

When Mike first envisioned his Datsun, he knew it had to be different from his clean and smooth Supra.

“I wanted it to be something angry, and vulgar, and abuse-ready," Mike explained on his Ratsun.net build thread. “What I wanted was pretty simple. I wanted something low, fast, over-engineered, and not-polished enough to care about beating the crap out of.” 

The Datsun is rolling on a set of Nitto NT555Rs to further push its performance-oriented agenda, but they've actually been a part of this build since the first renderings were made. Much like other builds Mike has worked on at the Roadster Shop, the chassis and suspension design needed to blend seamlessly with the rest of the car.

“I didn't want them to be the only thing your eyes are forced to reckon with when you look under her skirt.”

Although unconventional for most Datsun owners, Mike’s choice of powerplant comes as no surprise. The 1UZ-FE Toyota V8 currently sitting snug in the engine bay of the Datsun is the same motor you’ll find in his Supra build — this time with a custom rear-mounted twin-turbo system. The engine features a custom ITB (individual throttle body) manifold and air box, custom clear cam gear covers and red cam gears. 

Getting Up to Speed

The build has been in progress for around 18 months so far, and there isn’t much Datsun left. After stripping the truck down to its bones and removing the drivetrain and chassis entirely, Mike was left with a relatively clean cab and bed to work with. He continued to engineer components for the truck using CAD software, cutting and sourcing the parts needed, then assembling them onto the build. This process is evident in the comparison photos Mike posts on his Instagram, showing the CAD drawing next to the real-life counterpart. We challenge you to look for yourself and try to find a difference (hint: you won't find any).

Slowly but surely, the build was coming together. Design, cut, weld. Week after week, Mike continues to develop new components to add to his creation. A fully boxed frame was engineered and fabricated to replace the stock Datsun frame, complementing his custom suspension design and drivetrain choice. Other parts of the build Mike has already installed include the suspension, dashboard, motor, transmission and remaining drivetrain components.

Although there is still so much to be done, the amount of work completed within the first 18 months is staggering, especially considering his normal workload at the Roadster Shop.

Going Forward

Mike’s level of detail and his willingness to share his insights makes this one of the most complex and in-depth builds we’ve ever followed. It’s nearly impossible to cover every component he has engineered and built on this truck, but you can bet we'll be following the Datsun 620 very closely. We can’t wait to see the next stages of the build as it nears completion.

Stay up to date on Mike’s progress on his Instagram @3d_magic_mike, or follow his build thread on Ratsun.net for more juicy details.

(Photos courtesy of Mike O'Brien)

Last year, we introduced you to the Trophy Rat. A hand-built shop truck designed to merge the world of rat rods and go-fast desert trucks. Built by Keith Northrup, the Trophy Rat has gone on to prove that it’s more than just a conversation piece. This latest video on the truck offers insight into the build and just how well it works on the tarmac and trail. From blasting through the desert on Nitto Trail Grapplers to launching the one-off International in the dunes, this video brings the goods.

Read the full feature on the Trophy Rat!

The Ultimate Callout Challenge is an event like no other. Nowhere else will you find this many high-powered diesel trucks vying for supremacy in three completely different categories: drag race, chassis dyno, and sled pull. Essentially, a shop-truck challenge, UCC pits some of the biggest names in the industry against each other. Wagler Competition Products, XDP, Industrial Injection, Firepunk Diesel, Rudy’s Performance Parts, Fleece Performance Engineering, Dynomite Diesel Performance, SoCal Diesel and BD Diesel are among some of the companies that either build or provide extensive support for competitors.

With so much on the line, the engine and driveline combinations range from wild to wilder. Massive fuel systems, mega-sized turbochargers, loads of nitrous and billet parts are par for the course on most of the builds, as there is no playing it conservative at UCC. In fact, to even have a shot at winning, these trucks have to be on the ragged edge for every event.

While it’s no surprise that the quickest elapsed time at the drag strip, the biggest number on the dyno and the furthest distance in the dirt gets you the win, just being able to make the call is a challenge in and of itself at UCC. After all, building a truck to be competitive in all three events is no small feat.

For 2017, six of 33 competitors were forced to throw in the towel before ever showing up, and for many others that did make it to Indianapolis, mechanical gremlins or all-out carnage would wreak havoc on their weekend. All told, 26 trucks would enter the fray, and the first half of them are profiled below.

Stay tuned for the second half of the UCC field in Part 2, followed by our in-depth drag race, chassis dyno and sled pull coverage.

1. JIM RENDANT

Calibrated Power Solutions

As stated, several teams were forced to throw in the towel before the event ever kicked off. Such was the case for Jim Rendant and the guys at Calibrated Power Solutions. However, they didn’t let the fact that a rod left their engine stop them from toting the truck a couple hundred miles to Indy — where they put the carnage on display for all to see. Starting with a fourth-generation Ram 3500, the guys at CPS decided to do something truly unique with their UCC build. You won’t find a 6.7L Cummins under the hood of this truck, but rather an ISL Cummins.

Exit Stage Left

After being sleeved and punched out from 8.9L to a whopping 10.4 liters of displacement, the ISL Cummins was saddled with three massive S591 BorgWarner turbos, dual 14mm CP3 pumps from Exergy Performance, a water-to-air intercooler built by Wehrli Custom Fabrication and a Firepunk Diesel 47RE automatic.

Unfortunately, a few days before the event one of the engine’s factory connecting rods decided it had had enough during some chassis dyno testing — and while the engine was turning out 3,000 lb-ft of torque.

While it’s a shame that the CPS crew wasn’t able to get in on the action this year, we’re told they plan on bringing this truck back in 2018 and that it will better than ever. We can’t wait!

2. LAVON MILLER

Firepunk Diesel

Making the trip back to defend his title was Lavon Miller and the Firepunk Diesel crew. After taking home the crown in 2016, his ’06 Dodge took a turn even further toward serious this go-round. The engine is still a deck-plated version of a 6.7L based Cummins from D&J Precision Machine, but it now sports one of D&J’s Stage 4 cylinder heads and has been moved back 14 inches in the truck for better weight distribution. For fuel, Lavon stepped up to 700 percent over injectors and dual 14 mm CP3s from Exergy Performance, along with an Exergy-built Bosch stand alone ECU. On top of that, the truck now meets the latest SFI 25.6 spec — meaning it’s legal to run 7.99 in the quarter-mile…

3. JEREMY WAGLER

Wagler Competition Products

One of the more highly anticipated trucks at UCC 2017 was Jeremy Wagler’s two-wheel-drive Chevy Silverado. Powered by a sequentially blown and turbocharged version of the Duramax 6.6L V8 Wagler calls its DX500, it’s also laced with a healthy dose of nitrous and water-methanol. Making things even more interesting, the Wagler crew will be swapping an entirely different rear axle (complete with cut tires) under the truck for the sled pull. Without a doubt, this Bow Tie sports one of the craziest engine combinations we’ve ever seen.

4. TODD WELCH

Power Driven Diesel

Bringing mechanical injection to what has all but turned into a common-rail show didn’t seem to bother Todd Welch and the guys from Power Driven Diesel. After all, this second-gen Dodge is stuffed with one of Scheid Diesel’s billet-aluminum Cummins blocks, a Warhead cylinder head from Hamilton Cams, triple 106 mm turbos and a 16 mm P-pump. With a parts combination this extreme, producing north of 2,000 hp should be a cinch on the dyno.

5. JESSE WARREN

Warren Diesel

As someone who’s constantly pushing the infamous 6.0L Power Stroke platform to new heights, Jesse Warren of Warren Diesel showed up to do battle in his F-350 Super Duty. Trust us, this truck will surprise you. Jesse feeds a built 6.0L V8 well over 100 psi worth of boost thanks to a compound turbo arrangement utilizing an unreal 112 mm charger as the atmospheric unit. And (perhaps most impressive), being that Jesse specializes in 6.0L Power Stroke injectors, his engine still sports HEUI injection.

6. RANDY REYES

Randy’s Transmission

We’ve highlighted Randy Reyes’ ’06 Dodge Ram 3500 in the past, but it’s worth mentioning again just how serious his dually is. Thanks to an Industrial Injection built Cummins, triple-turbos and plenty of fuel, it’s capable of making 1,900 hp on the dyno and running 9’s in the quarter-mile — at 7,800 pounds. An all-or-nothing kind of guy, we’re sure Randy will give it everything he’s got in each event.

7. WADE MINTER

SoCal Diesel

With a 9.00 at 155 mph under his belt, Wade Minter’s “TrippleMax” Chevy Silverado should pack one of the stronger punches at the drag strip. The heavy-breathing, triple-turbo’d stroker Duramax mill under the hood was put together by SoCal Diesel and the truck is closely looked after by the guys of Truck Source Diesel. Watch for this nasty Dmax to run near the top in the 1320 and belt out somewhere around 2,000 hp on the dyno.

8. BEN SHADDAY

Done Right Diesel Performance

Ben Shadday of Done Right Diesel Performance has been in the big horsepower Cummins game a long time. Not only has he been behind some lightning fast common-rails on the drag strip, but he’s got extensive sled pulling experience. Weeks before the event, the 6.7L Cummins-based engine powering his Ram cleared 2,015 hp and 2,481 lb-ft of torque on the engine dyno — with lots of fuel to spare. S&S Diesel Motorsport, Sun Coast, HSP Diesel, Wagler Competition Products, Fleece Performance Engineering, and D&J Precision Machine top the list of shops that lent a helping hand in this potent build.

9. AARON RUDOLF

Rudy’s Diesel Performance

If any driver competing at UCC could be labeled fearless, it’s Aaron (Rudy) Rudolf. As someone who’s run countless 9’s in the quarter-mile and put the 6.4L Power Stroke on the map years ago, Rudy showed up with a lightweight Super Duty prepped for the drag strip (9-inch axles, giant slicks) and ready to kill it on the chassis dyno (lots of nitrous). After telling us the triple-turbo’d 6.4L V8 should clear 1,200 hp on fuel, Rudy laughed and said he’d spray it past 2,000 hp.

10. ANTHONY REAMS

Xtreme Diesel Performance

How about a truck that’s already been 8.85 at 156 mph? If you were thinking Anthony Reams’ triple-turbo, common-rail Cummins-powered ’95 Dodge would be one of the trucks to watch at the drag strip, you’d be right. Other than defending champion Lavon Miller, Anthony pilots the only other truck at UCC that’s already been in the 8’s. Triple turbos, big fuel supplied via S&S Diesel Motorsport and Done Right Diesel Performance tuning coupled with plenty of nitrous and the sky could be the limit for Anthony and the XDP crew.

11. JUSTIN HYATT

Husker Diesel Performance

Justin Hyatt’s Husker Diesel Duramax has already proven it can run 9.70’s in the 150 mph range, but we have a hunch it will go faster at UCC. Sporting an engine and fuel system from Industrial Injection, race-ready heads from Wagler Competition Products, an Allison 1000 built by No Zone Diesel, big compound turbos and EFI Live tuning from Ridge Runner Diesel Performance, this truck should haul the mail. We also look forward to seeing Justin finish in the top half of competitors in the chassis dyno competition.

12. CHASE LUNSFORD

King Speed Race & Repair

No stranger to running mid 5’s in the eighth-mile and spraying the ever-loving daylights out of his engines, Chase Lunsford and the King Speed Race & Repair crew put this UCC truck together in just 40 days. That’s right, the truck was purchased in stock-appearing form on March 11th and showed up in Indy on April 21st looking like this. True to form, three nitrous bottles could be found in the bed, along with a 6.7L based Cummins under the hood. As one of the top drag racers at UCC, we expect Chase to do well in the 1320, but we wouldn’t be surprised if he cleared well north of 1,500 hp on the dyno.

13. CODY HALE

Anarchy Diesel

The rush to prepare a truck for an event like UCC is demanding, but Cody Hale's experience might just be the most extreme version we’ve heard. On Tuesday morning (three days before the event), his Anarchy Diesel Dodge was basically in pieces, with no driveline or rear axle to speak of. By Wednesday night, the truck was running. The only problem was that due to parts not showing up on time, Cody and his crew were forced to reuse the hurt 5.9L Cummins they’d pulled out of the truck.

It makes power courtesy of a big set of compound turbos, S&S Diesel Motorsport dual 12 mm CP3 pumps, Industrial Injection injectors and a 400 hp shot of nitrous. We know they thrashed to get the truck to Indy and that it might not be running perfect, but we think the relentlessness of this crew will pay off in the end. Look for Cody to click off a low 10 or high 9 in the quarter-mile and put up a solid number on the dyno.

Check back soon for The Trucks of Ultimate Callout Challenge: Part 2.

This might be the second wave of Ultimate Callout Challenge competitors, but in no way does that mean these trucks are any less capable of winning. In fact, any one of the 14 vehicles profiled below has what it takes to take home the trophy. Just like the batch of trucks profiled in Part 1, built engines, radical fuel systems and triple-turbo arrangements seem to be the standard — along with each ride’s powertrain living on the ragged edge — in order to have a shot at finishing in First Place.

Scroll down for the inside scoop on the rest of the UCC field — and then buckle your seat belts for the drag strip. Our in-depth quarter-mile coverage comes your way next!

1. SHAWN BACA

Industrial Injection

As one of the highest horsepower trucks at UCC, all eyes will be on Shawn Baca’s Ram in the dyno competition. It’s rumored that his Industrial Injection-backed, triple-turbo’d, deck-plated Cummins monstrosity will send more than 2,500 hp to the rear tires this year. And if he can get the air-shifted transmission to work as planned, the “Master Shredder” (as it’s called) should put up an impressive elapsed time through the quarter-mile. After fairing well in the sled pull event last year, also look for Shawn to put forth a decent effort during the sled pull.

2. JOSH GRUIS

Jag’s Pro Truck Shop

In less than five months’ time, Josh Gruis and his team at Jag’s Pro Truck Shop transformed this Dodge into a truck that could run 9’s, produce 1,500 hp on the dyno and hold its own in the dirt. A 6.4L common-rail Cummins — along with a healthy compound turbo setup — dwells beneath the hood, while a 48RE automatic from Goerend Transmission handles the shifting duties. A drag racer in every sense of the word, look for Josh to finish near the top in that arena, but also place mid-pack on the dyno and surprise a lot of folks during the sled pull.

3. SHAWN ELLERTON

Longtime diesel head and 6.0L Power Stroke loyalist Shawn Ellerton is one of many competitors making a return visit to UCC. Once again, Shawn is hauling his lime green regular cab Super Duty all the way from Alberta, Canada, to do battle. His built 6.0L benefits from a big set of hybrid injectors from Warren Diesel, dual high-pressure oil pumps, a cab-mounted, triple-turbo arrangement featuring three BorgWarner SX-E units and a nitrous system that is anything but conservative. As is his style, Shawn will be going for broke in every event.

4. CHASE FLEECE

Fleece Performance Engineering

Chase Fleece kept quiet about what exactly he was bringing to UCC 2017, and after seeing this regular cab Dodge in person, it was well worth the wait. Three turbos, a 6.7L-based Cummins with billet rods and Diamond Racing pistons, a Hamilton cam, Sun Coast transmission and Oz Tuner tuning sums up the truck’s powertrain, which should be good for 2,000-rwhp. Don’t be surprised to find Chase’s Dodge near the top during the sled pull and dyno events.

5. MIKE GRAVES

Hollyrock Customs

This is the type of truck that shows up at the local test and tune and drops jaws. Mike Graves’ Duramax-powered, Allison-shifted crew cab GMC Sierra packs a triple-turbo arrangement, big fueling upgrades and is capable of running 9’s. It’s uncommon for an Allison transmission to survive 9-second passes, but Mike and the Hollyrock Customs crew have been pulling it off for years, which makes their presence at UCC more than warranted. While the drag strip will be this truck’s biggest strong suit, mid-pack or better finishes in the sled pull and on the dyno are expected.

6. DEREK ROSE

DNR Customs

Derek Rose's center-drive DNR Customs Dodge Ram epitomizes the ultimate UCC truck. It sports a billet-aluminum block Cummins built by Fleece Performance Engineering, which combines the awesome flow of a 12-valve cylinder head with a common-rail fuel injection system. Making use of three gear-driven 12 mm CP3s, 650 percent over injectors and triple turbos, this is easily one of the rowdiest trucks that came to play at UCC 2017. If Derek’s truck doesn’t overpower the drag strip, it should have no problem finishing near the top in the 1320, and we would be surprised if the truck doesn’t clear at least 2,000 hp on the dyno.

7. JARAN HOLDER

Holderdown Diesel Performance

Another solid competitor representing the Blue Oval crowd is Kentucky native, Jaran Holder of Holderdown Diesel Performance. His regular cab Super Duty has seen 9’s in the past and he and his 6.0L Power Stroke will no doubt be swinging for the fences at UCC. Warren Diesel injectors, a massive compound turbocharger arrangement featuring an S598 and S475 from God Speed Turbo Innovations, Innovative Diesel tuning and a 4R100 transmission should help turn this F-250 into a little rocket ship.

8. TOM HAUSER

RevMax

Tom Hauser’s 6.7L Cummins-powered, two-wheel-drive fourth-generation Ram may not be setting the world on fire, but it is definitely pushing the 68RFE automatic to new heights. Sporting a RevMax Signature Series 1000, Tom and his team aim to show everyone what a RevMax-built 68RFE can handle. On top of that, this is the only truck competing at UCC that was driven to and from the event (a 1,200-mile round trip). Look for Tom’s truck to turn out a 10 in the quarter, a four-digit horsepower number on the dyno and a surprising two-wheel drive effort during the sled pull.

9. DONAVAN HARRIS

Armor Inc. / Dynomite Diesel Performance

Making the return trip to UCC is Canadian native Donavan Harris of Armor Inc. and his standard cab Ram. With a deck-plated common-rail Cummins displacing 6.4 liters, compound turbos, a maniacal amount of fuel on tap and experience in all three types of events, Donavan should have what it takes to place in the top five at UCC 2017. Expect 9’s at the drag strip, 1,500+ hp on the dyno and a full pull in the dirt.

10. ZACH FULLER

Starlite Diesel

While some might assume that bringing a heavy, dual rear wheel truck to UCC is the equivalent to bringing a knife to a gunfight, they’d be dead wrong when it comes to Starlite Diesel's Zach Fuller and his Chevy Silverado 3500. Trust us, this thing moves out. Thanks to a full Wagler Competition Products Duramax under the hood, triple Garrett GTX turbochargers, Industrial Injection Cobra injectors and XP CP3’s, Zach’s Bow Tie behemoth (nicknamed “Big Blue”) is fully capable of finishing near the top in every category. Think bottom 10’s in the quarter-mile, 1,200+ hp on the dyno and a six wheels digging in the sled pull.

11. CODY HOPKINS

Destructive Diesel Performance

Although Cody Hopkins’ Destructive Diesel Performance Ram has a definite “street status” appeal to it, the triple-turbo arrangement under the hood says it’s still here to party. Cody’s goal at UCC is to pour 100 percent into each event yet finish with a truck that’s still in one piece — a tall order even for a streetable, 1,100 hp rig. But while Cody’s Ram may be down on power as compared to some of the other competitors at UCC, it has a better chance of avoiding the breakage gremlins as well as allowing him to place strong in each grueling test.

12. WESLEY BEECH

Beech Performance

Wesley Beech knows his way around the 6.4L Power Stroke platform, and for UCC he’s bringing the nastiest version he’s ever put together. His ’08 F-250 will conceal a two-stage trio of turbochargers (two S480 atmospheric units feeding an S482 in the valley), a custom dual high-pressure fuel pump system, dual 220-gph FASS fuel supply systems, MCC tuning and a 4R100 transmission. Sprinkle in a healthy dose of water-methanol and nitrous, and you get a late model Ford that will be a force to be reckoned with.

13. ASHLEY BLACK

Black’s Diesel Performance

After campaigning a wheels-up, 9-second, two-wheel-drive common-rail Pro Street Dodge for several years, Ashley Black and his Black’s Diesel Performance crew put this regular cab four-wheel-drive version together for UCC. The 6.7L Cummins powering it has been destroked to a 6.4L, the fuel system employs a set of 500 percent over injectors from Exergy Performance, and the triple-turbo arrangement makes use of three BorgWarner based S400 turbos from Stainless Diesel, complete with the company’s billet 5-blade compressor wheels. Throw a substantial amount of nitrous into the mix, and you can see why Ashley and crew have their sights set on making 2,000 hp.

14. DAN SNYDER

Snyder Performance Engineering

Even though it’s technically a 7.0L stroker, Dan Snyder of Snyder Performance Engineering is bringing the only 6.7L (based) Power Stroke to UCC. To get through the quarter-mile in a hurry, his Super Duty has been four-linked and lightened to a trim 5,500 pounds. For power production, Dan is feeding the built Power Stroke air via triple S400-based turbos, while stroker high-pressure fuel pumps, a monster set of piezoelectric injectors from Exergy Performance and dual low-pressure fuel systems will take care of diesel delivery. Without a doubt, this truck is on the cutting edge of what a 6.7L Power Stroke is capable of in this type of mega-horsepower environment.

In cased you missed it, check out 13 more awesome trucks from Ultimate Callout Challenge in Part 1.

What do you get when a couple of car guys invite a bunch of other car guys to drag strips all across the country to race everything from daily drivers to dedicated drag cars head-to-head against others in their class in single elimination rounds for cash?

You get Street Car Takeover.

When I first spoke with Justin Keith, the founder of Street Car Takeover and the owner of the sinister C7, he suggested that if I plan to attend one of his events, it had to be the one in Indianapolis. When I asked him why, out of all the SCT events throughout the year, I shouldn’t miss this one, his answer was simple:

“Indy brings it.”

My roots in the auto world are deep in the street car scene. My first car in high school was a Mustang GT with a modest, but tastefully modified 4.6L that I worked on myself and raced at local tracks on the weekends. Although those days are long gone, I have a healthy appreciation for the modern street car scene here in SoCal. But when I got off that airplane in Indiana, I soon realized just how drastically different the street car scene was from my home state of California.

Due to a relentless bout of rain on Thursday night, the entire event schedule was pushed back one day, but that didn’t seem to throw off the locals. Drag slicks, lopey cams, long tube headers, nitrous bottles and of course... bigass turbos. They seemed to be on every car I walked passed at the Twin Peaks restaurant parking lot during the Friday night meet and greet. Unless you think you’re somehow above the law, those modifications just don’t fly with the cops back in California. But this was the Midwest, a Mecca for American motorsports, and it was almost as if you wouldn’t get a spot in the parking lot unless you were putting down some serious numbers.

Speaking of serious numbers, Justin and the SCT crew arranged for a mobile dyno tech to bring his machine down to the Twin Peaks so attendees can see the numerical fruits of their labors. One impressive dyno run I caught was a Chevy Silverado with a fully built 5.3L V8 and twin turbos, putting down just over 800 hp to the Nitto NT555Rs, on pump gas and 7 pounds of boost. I later spoke with the owner, Jeremy, who said he was excited to see how his truck would fare on the track that weekend.

Where there’s street car racing, 1320Video is sure to be nearby. The hugely popular YouTube channel and media outlet, best known for their coverage of street racing and track events, brought a full booth of merchandise to the event, and it seemed everyone was wearing a 1320Video hat or sweater. These guys were definitely in their element.

Car-guy celebrity and 1320Video team member Cleetus McFarland even made it to Indy with “Leroy,” his completely stripped C5 Corvette. Cleetus, whose real name is Garrett Mitchell, demonstrated the instant effect of nitrous oxide by shooting a direct shot from the bottle into Leroy’s intake on the mobile dyno, effectively increasing his baseline run of 386 horsepower to 466 horsepower with the spray alone. “Hell yeah, brother!” as Cleetus would say.

Day 2 and 3 of the Street Car Takeover at Indianapolis consisted of the fast stuff. Saturday at 3 p.m., the gates of the iconic Lucas Oil Raceway opened to let in fans and racers alike. Some people even drove hundreds of miles to attend the race. Rainclouds had given way to powerful winds sweeping across central Indiana, but otherwise it was a beautiful cool spring day full of sunshine.

The pits were abuzz with cars prepping for their day on the track. I made my way to the Street Car Takeover booth, leaving my anemic rental Nissan Versa in between some tall trailers so as to not be seen exiting it. The booth was full of attendees checking in, buying event T-shirts and of course picking up Issue 11 of Driving Line Magazine with Justin’s C7 ‘Vette on the cover, which made its debut at this event.

With driver’s meetings, safety regulations, competition rules and tech inspections all done, it was time for racing. Domestics, imports, trucks, full-blown race cars — they all lined up to go head to head with worthy opponents. The elimination rules were simple: Lose a race, and you’re out.

The beauty of Street Car Takeover is that there’s something for everyone. No prep racing, where the track is basically dusted off with no real preparation, makes for some wild passes down the strip. Other features of the event included drag racing, roll racing and grudge matches, where local racers settled their differences at the green light with their own cash on the line. Big daily cash payouts upwards of $3,000 for class winners kept everyone on their toes, but the competition remained respectful and peaceful. Handshakes and pats on the back were common after a race.

Growing up in SoCal as an auto enthusiast, I’ve been to my local drag strip plenty of times on street car nights. But Indy was a different animal. Only here can you watch a car roll into the parking lot off the highway and then have your jaw drop as it pulls wheelies down the strip an hour later. Don’t get me wrong; we have fast cars in California too. But the consistent performance and versatility of these cars blew me away. In hindsight, ear protection probably would have been a good idea, but something about that half-muted hearing on my way home from the drags put a smile on my face.

Reluctantly, my high-octane weekend had come to an end, and it was time to say goodbye to my new friends at Street Car Takeover and 1320Video. It’s amazing how people from all over the country from all walks of life can instantly click over a shared passion, swapping car stories and their plans for the future. I really can’t wait to attend the next SCT event, because it’s the local fans that make it so great. Each city carries its own car culture around it. As I boarded my 6 a.m. flight back to California, I couldn’t help but feel I was leaving with a bit more than a few souvenirs and full SD cards; a piece of Indy was coming home with me.

Indianapolis, a city born and bred in racing, was the perfect backdrop for Street Car Takeover's latest event. With so many unique local builds in attendance, we got the chance to see just about one of everything you can think of. Check out the gallery above to see for yourself why the Indianapolis street car scene is as strong as ever.

Learn what made the Indy SCT event so special.

If you entered the sport compact scene in or around its early ‘00s glory days, count yourself lucky. You’ll know how awesome it was to see the E.T. milestones fall at the hand of well-funded and endlessly pioneering competitors, driving quicker into the history books each weekend. You’ll remember the TV cameras and five-figure crowds (and yes, the foam parties) of NHRA Sport Compact or NDRA competition. You’ll also know how much the sport has shrunk — and how much its mainstream allure has shuttered — in the years since.

But more importantly, you'll know how much more distilled and competitive it has become, how far those who’ve been driving it have progressed their sport, and how the competition is still as hot and exclusive as ever.  

A decade-and-a-half ago, a “national” event in sport compact drag racing was just that: a major gathering of the nation’s top contenders, to battle it out for big prizes, total media coverage and maybe even a shot at some foam party groupies.

That might not be the case today. But where the name and invite still stand, those who compete are fully due the titles, prizes and respect winning a national event entails — as well as the ability to call out any eligible rivals who neglected to compete.

The motorsports/experiential wing of import/sport-compact print mainstay DSPORT Magazine, the Import Drag Racing Circuit (IDRC) has seen its share of the glory days and remains today for the diehards who’ve stayed with the sport and those who have since come into the fold. Fielding just four events a year makes their inaugural West Coast Nationals event that much more substantial for those serious about earning competition wins; for the rest, it’s simply good track time and an chance to catch up with friends and taunt rivals. We saw plenty of both at this year’s outing.

Largely gone are the days of no-holds-barred Hot Rod and Outlaw-class tube-frame, fiberglass dragsters, but sportsman classes — particularly Sport FWD cars — are today as competitive as ever. Most of these machines fall into the IDRC’s Pro FWD class while still retaining things like factory sheet metal, windshield glass and tire limitations. With SoCal’s rich street-racing heritage, lots of the fastest of these machines are former street-racing legends made competition-legal for events just like this.

Front-man for FCS Fab, supplier of locally designed and fabricated drag swag is seen on more of the Pro/Sport FWD field than not, at least it seems. Jason Park and Co. posted the quickest Pro FWD E.T. of the day in qualifying, in their endlessly clean DC2 Integra, with an 8.940 seconds at 173.83 mph blast.

Not far behind was Behzad “Driver B” Agahzedeh in his four-door Civic, posting a 9.939 at 154.17 in the first round, and an even quicker 9.405 at 144.98 in the second. 

But coming out on top was Omid Khalif with an ultra-consistent trio of 9.0s from his “Turbo Joe” Civic hatch, running as quickly as 9.064 seconds at 170.51 mph to take the win.

Two FWD notables were Aaron Tomosada, with a best 9.175 at 161.77 in his Zero 4 Racing turbo DC2 Integra, and teammate Nalani Whatley in her Honda CRX with a 9.339 at 148.41, with no turbocharger or supercharger to speak of.

And now we get to that “largely” disclaimer from a few paragraphs earlier.

Winning the Pro Turbo 10.5 class and running faster than an impressive field consisting of a built Subaru WRX STI, Porsche 911 and Mazdaspeed3 was Jason Ames and his completely-devoid-of-livery, late-'90s-styled Civic Hatch, blasting from the past with an 8.617 at 168.51 in his final-round performance. And just behind him was Thony Mony in the Do It Dyno Civic coupe, posting a 9.454 at 153.98 in qualifying and coasting his way to the finals with Ames.

Dozens of other racers took to the strip in classes for everything from fast forced-induction and all-motor RWDs, to high-dollar AWDs and even to the random (and surprisingly quick) full-size pickup or (not so quick) family minivan.

And while all that was underway, IDRC’s “InstaFame” car show brought out SoCal and the Southwest’s usual suspects, plus a few pleasant surprises in no fewer than 22 categories, notably from SoCal86, Autofashion USA, Team Hybrid and Sho Kru.

Absent from competition were several local SoCal drag regulars, as well as some continually "in-development" projects we’ve got our eye on, and a lot of very fast competitors from NorCal and the Pacific Northwest. In true SoCal drag-scene form, those who cleaned up this time are taunting those very rivals to come out and play next time.

IDRC travels to Colorado next month and out to Ohio in August before returning to Fontana for the Finals in October. As always, count on us to bring you the conclusion to all the drama.

For full race results and to get involved, visit www.importdrag.com, and check out our coverage from last year's IDRC event.

In the meantime, the only thing hotter than the drag strip are the 100+ photos we've got for you in the gallery below.

Unlike last year’s Ultimate Callout Challenge, the chassis dyno competition wasn’t the first event at UCC 2017. Instead, things kicked off at Lucas Oil Raceway’s quarter-mile drag strip, which meant competitors weren’t able to size each other up like they were last year. It was go-time right from the get-go — and it was immediately apparent which teams had had ample time to test their ragged-edge setups. While half the field struggled to get down the track — be it due to launching, traction, shifting, or engine ailments — the other half looked impressive.

Derek Rose and the DNR Customs’ Dodge ran a 10-flat on its first pass, followed shortly after by a 9.16 at 148 mph. Mike Graves and the Hollyrock Customs GMC went quicker and quicker each time it hit the track. Jesse Warren’s 6.0L Power Stroke rocketed to a 10.30 and later a 10.0 at 144 mph. And then, right out of the gate Lavon Miller and the Firepunk Dodge clicked off an 8.79-second pass at a blazing 156 mph. On the opposite end of the spectrum, both Ashley Black’s and Wesley Beech’s engines checked out on them, Ben Shadday lost a cylinder, Jeremy Wagler melted a couple pistons, and the transmission issues Shawn Baca encountered with his 2,500 hp Ram quelled any chances of making a full power pass.

Throughout the drag races, it was clear that some of the trucks were overpowering the track — and the west lane ended up being avoided altogether. Ultra-cool air temperatures and the threat of rain didn’t help matters, either, but despite precipitation being all around the Indianapolis area, the action was only brought to a halt once on account of inclement weather. We’ve pinpointed the high marks of the drag racing portion of UCC 2017 below — but make sure you stay tuned for our comprehensive chassis dyno coverage. It’s up next.

10-Second 6.0L

Right out of the gate, Jesse Warren proved his 6.0L Power Stroke could hang with the best of the best in the UCC field. His 10.30-second quarter-mile set the tone on what to expect from his track-proven Super Duty. Before the night was through, Jesse would collect a 10.05-second time slip.

Coasting to a 9.79

Following a nasty launch, Josh Gruis’ Dodge looked to be well on its way to a low 9-second pass. However, an issue with the transmission not taking third gear forced Josh to lift off the throttle and then lay back into it. Then the engine lost an injector near the end of the track. Amid the disruptions, the truck still clicked off the first 9-second pass of the afternoon, coasting through the traps at 9.79 seconds.

Almost 8’s

Wade Minter’s triple-turbo, nitrous-fed Duramax was on one a heck of a pass before the output shaft broke in his transmission (a built 48RE). Somewhere around 3/4 track, there was a loud pop and Wade couldn’t complete what was sure to be a high 8-second trip through the 1320. Even with the transmission failure, Wade coasted to a 9.79 at 106 mph — good enough for a Sixth Place start to the weekend.

Setting the Bar

After making a 10.0-second pass his first time down the track, Derek Rose and the DNR Customs’ Dodge leaned on the truck a bit harder the second time out. The result was a sound 9.16-second pass at 148 mph that both awed the crowd and gave Derek the early lead. His low 9 would stand as the mark to beat for nearly two full hours and would end up locking him into the runner-up position going into the dyno event.

Record-Breaking

Gradually stepping things up between passes, Mike Graves and the Hollyrock Customs GMC Sierra went from a 10.80 at 134 mph on its initial run to a 10.16 on the second — and then it proceeded to light up the board with a 9.55 at 149 mph. We believe Mike’s all-out, mid-9-second pass is a new record for crew cab Duramax-powered GM’s and it’s a monumental achievement for a truck still utilizing the Allison transmission. The record-setting pass would land the Hollyrock crew in the fourth spot on the night.

Consistency Is Key

In an awesome display of both power and consistency, Donavan Harris spent all of his time on the track running 9’s. And while his first pass would be his quickest in terms of E.T. (9.52 at 143 mph), the Armor Inc/Dynomite Diesel Ram would tack on another mph in its second attempt (a 9.69 at 144) and pull off a 9.58 at a speedy 146 mph before retiring to the pits.

Down, but Not Out

It was one of the most anticipated moments of the day: the Wagler Competition Products“Shop Truck” pulling into the staging lanes — with none other than Street Outlaws’ Farm Truck behind the wheel. The blown and parallel turbo’d Duramax rocketed out of the hole but had issues mid-track, which led to an oil down and the truck coasting to an 11.45-second pass at 84 mph.

Back in the pits, the Wagler crew loaded the truck on the trailer and headed back to WCP headquarters for a rebuild. After discovering two melted pistons, it was evident that the crankcase had become pressurized and blew out the rear main seal. While the mishap would cost them a chance to compete on the dyno, the Wagler team promised they’d be ready for the sled pull on Day 3.

Lack of Traction

Randy Reyes was ready to rock as soon as the track opened, but sadly his 7,800-pound, daily-driven dually never found adequate traction. Trying to apply 1,500+ hp to a cold track via all season tires resulted in some wicked six-wheel smoke shows, but not the 9-second passes Randy was hoping for. When all was said and done, Randy had to settle for an unfortunate best quarter-mile effort of 12.24 seconds.

Only Truck in the 8’s

Although he brought the same truck that took home the UCC crown in 2016, Lavon Miller’s Dodge underwent a slew of changes before this year’s show (chassis, engine, fuel system). So how did the new setup fare? In true Lavon Miller/Firepunk Diesel fashion, the truck appeared well-tested and track-proven. Its first pass off the trailer yielded an 8.79 at 156 mph and Lavon backed it up with an 8.63-second blast on the following attempt. With the fastest elapsed time and the only truck in the 8’s, Lavon and the Firepunk crew were off to a great start.

Duramax/Allison in the 9’s

Another Allison-shifted Duramax, the Husker Diesel Silverado driven by Justin Hyatt, was in hot pursuit of the 9-second zone. After running a 10.10 at 120 mph, Justin put together a 9.62-second pass at 148 mph. Unfortunately, engine troubles which couldn’t be rectified ended their weekend early, and the Husker team was forced to forego the upcoming dyno and sled pull events.

68RFE Goes 10’s

Fitted with slicks and going faster and faster with each trip down the track, Tom Hauser’s two-wheel-drive Ram would eventually lay claim to a 10.79 at 125 mph. Even more impressive than getting into the 10’s is the fact that this truck’s 1,200+ hp Cummins is backed by a RevMax-built 68RFE — the six-speed automatic that’s notorious for failure in high-horsepower applications.

Hard Luck

Despite the fact that the truck was packing a Scheid Diesel billet-aluminum block Cummins with a 16 mm P-pump, 36-degrees of timing and triple Garrett turbos, Todd Welch’s second-gen Dodge was unable to live up to its potential on the drag strip. After battling multiple issues, the Power Driven Diesel Ram ended up with a best pass of 15.73 seconds.

Spun Main

Aaron Rudolf’s 9-inch axle’d, triple-turbo 6.4L Power Stroke would cut 1.3-second 60-foots on its way to a couple 10-second passes. Unfortunately, the engine would spin a main bearing during its final pass of the night: a 10.20 at 141 mph.

DRAG RACE RESULTS

Quickest Elapsed Times:

Learn more about these 24 trucks in Part 1 and Part 2 of our UCC event coverage.

Blues, BBQ and Elvis: a few things Memphis is known for. This year they can add the Red Bull Global RallyCross to that list. For 2017, the GRC series got down in the dirty South to kick off the season at Memphis International Speedway.

Along with new venues, 2017 also introduced a new points system, more heats and a new format where top qualifiers start in the back of the grid. The addition of more heats means more chances to earn points. These new changes should make for a more competitive season.

We last left Red Bull’s Global RallyCross series back in October for its finale in Los Angeles, with Scott Speed taking his second back-to-back championship title.

In the season opener, Speed picked up right where he left off running strong all weekend, sweeping pole position in qualifying, multiple heats and semifinals. You could say that he was already "up to speed" despite being months removed from last season's finale.

By the final, all eyes were on Speed. The rest of the field wasn't going to let him sweep the race, including VW teammate Tanner Foust. Not long after crossing the starting line, an incident with Patrik Sandell’s Subaru ended his day early and forced a restart.

Once restarted, VW teammates Speed and Foust jumped into first and second with a fight for third place between Sebastian Eriksson (Honda), Mitchell deJong (Honda) and Steve Arpin (Ford) going on up until the checkered flag dropped.

At the last lap, Arpin took advantage of the the Joker Lap to take third place, which he held until the end of the final lap.

Foust stayed on Speed's tail though the whole final, finishing less than a second behind Speed. The podium ended with a Speed, Foust and Arpin.

Will Scott Speed continue his dominance through the season and defend his two-time championship title? We’ll have to wait and see. Global RallyCross heads to Louisville, Kentucky, for Round 2 on May 21.

When it comes to week-long Jeep events, there are two that have become spring-time staples: the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, and Jeep Beach in Daytona Beach, Florida. While Moab’s red rock trails make it the go-to for hardcore ‘wheeling enthusiasts, Daytona’s historic shoreline offers a family-friendly vacation atmosphere that every level of Jeeper can enjoy. Since we’ve covered EJS extensively in the past, we took a drive down to Daytona Beach to show you why Jeep Beach is such an attraction for thousands of Jeep-loving people across the U.S.

Most enjoy heading to the beach for vacation — even those with it in their backyard so to speak. That’s essentially how Jeep Beach got its start. Founded by the Mid-Florida Jeep Club, the all-volunteer organization had an idea for a Jeep-only event to be held on the shores of the famed Daytona Beach. Now in its 15th year, the annual event is a week-long Jeep fest that blends a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere with plenty of activities to keep you busy.

Daytona Beach is one of the few places in the U.S. that you can drive on the sand. From sun up to sun down, the shores of Daytona are filled with Jeeps and families enjoying their time by the warm Atlantic Ocean.

For those who sign up in advance, there are optional ‘wheeling day trips early in the week. If you’re arriving late in the week, you’ll still get to use low range on the manmade obstacle course at the Daytona International Speedway infield.

This is about as much rockcrawling you’ll see in this part of Florida. The course is open to those who sign up and can be a bit more difficult than you might expect. This Wrangler Unlimited on Nitto Ridge Grapplers did a great job of maneuvering his way through the rock garden.

Another popular aspect of Jeep Beach is the vendor show held on Friday and Saturday at the Speedway. Here, you can check out the latest wares from hundreds of companies and retailers. Even major tire manufacturers such as Nitto are on hand to discuss its latest builds and tires.

People and companies come from all over. You might recognize this tan 2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited as it was one of only 14 vehicles to participate in the 2016 JK Experience Alaska trip. It belongs to ARB, a company well-known for its selectable differential lockers and off-road accessories.

We’re always searching for new products, and there were a few cool items on hand. Stereo manufacturer Alpine has stepped into the cooler game with its new ICE In-Cooler. The high-capacity Grizzly-brand cooler is fit with an assortment of powerful Alpine speakers, built-in Bluetooth audio connection and an auto-detect system that can sense if the vehicle’s battery is getting too low to start. Tailgaters, rejoice!

Speaking of tailgating, Bestop also had some cool new gear onsite. The Roughrider Tailgate Shelf is designed to attach to the inside of any 2007 to 2017 Jeep Wrangler tailgate. The shelf collapses neatly when you don’t need it and drops down with the press of a button when you do. Capable of supporting 35 pounds, it’s a pretty handy feature for those working or camping out of the back of the Jeep.

One trend we noticed in Florida were wheels — big wheels, to be exact. It wasn’t uncommon to see 20-, 22-, and even 24-inch wheels on a JK. KMC was on hand showcasing some of its latest massive Moto Metal wheels. If big is what you are after, KMC has plenty to offer.

For those brave enough to tackle the biggest climb at the Speedway, once you made it to the top, you were faced with two-foot of muddy water. This TJ proved that his Terra Grappler G2s had enough bite to get him out in a hurry.

While there were more JKs in attendance than anything else, there were a quite a few classics as well. Old-school setups like this CJ-7 on Mud Grapplers were a great change up in the late-model scenery.

Jeep even showed support for the week by bringing out some of its present and past concept vehicles. The J-12 looked right at home cruising the beach. Will 2017 be the year we finally see a new Jeep truck? We hope so.

Like free swag? There’s plenty to be had at Jeep Beach. In addition to the $150,000 in raffle prizes, companies were handing out cool gear all week.

Even Ultra4 guys are into Jeep beach! We spotted two-time KOH champ Loren Healy taking a break between races in his Family Dragon JK.

You can spend hours ogling Jeeps in the parking lots. Trust us, we did. Given there are so many Jeeps in one area, you’ll see a variety of build types. Want to know how X bumper or Y lift looks on your Jeep? Just keep walking and you’ll likely spot one with one on it. Even better, every Jeep owner we ran into was happy to talk about their Jeep.

For all you active Instagramers, you’ll likely recognize this 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. It belongs to Allie Argenio, aka @ITSJKLADY. She was one of many that drove their Jeeps down from New Jersey. 

We trust our lightbars to see at night, but we’ve never thought about running one over. Heise LED Lighting System was eager to show just how much abuse (or weight) its bars could take.

One of our favorite Jeeps of the 2016 SEMA Show was on hand. For those of you who don’t recall, this is the Pathkiller. It belongs to the power soft top manufacturer MyTop. It’s essentially 2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with an all steel front end conversion from a 2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ.

On the last day of Jeep Beach, participants are invited to hit the shores for a cruise. After 2,300 Jeeps hit the sand, the club stopped counting. It was one of the most enjoyable traffic jams we’ve ever been a part of.

Want more photos from Jeep Beach 2017? Check out our Mega Gallery!

After the smoke had dissipated from the drag strip, competitors immediately got to work preparing their trucks for the next grueling test: the chassis dyno. While some owners simply changed tires or made tuning tweaks, others thrashed all night long to ready their rigs for the rollers. The carnage endured during the drag race had several competitors searching for parts, hanging spare turbos, rebuilding, inspecting or replacing transmissions and others were even swapping in brand new engines. When the sun came up on Day 2, the transmissions were fixed, the engines were set on “kill” and the nitrous bottles were topped off. It was time to let it all hang out yet again.

During the dyno competition, each competitor would be pitted against the mobile AutoDyn 849 load cell SuperFlow chassis dyno owned by Custom Auto of Idaho Falls, Idaho. Each competitor was given 20 minutes to produce the biggest horsepower and torque number their truck could muster. Some used the full 20 minutes while others made a solid number and called it good. Some swung for the fences and survived while others suffered catastrophic damage. Everything from 2,400-rwhp to complete engine failure was on display during this event, so make sure you check out all the details below.

There’s just one more contest to go, so stay tuned… In the finale, these trucks will face off against the iron sled.

Shawn Baca: 2,447 HP/3,311 LB-FT

With a 19th place finish in the drag race, it wasn’t the start that Shawn Baca and the Industrial Injection crew were hoping for. On top of that, the only usable gear left in the transmission was Overdrive. But with Shawn being a known commodity in chassis dyno competitions — and Overdrive happening to be his gear of choice on the rollers anyway — no one was counting him out just yet. However, just when it looked like Shawn had entered his comfort zone, more gremlins surfaced. Due to a stuck nitrous solenoid, the bottles couldn’t be turned on until the truck was up to speed in Overdrive (or else the nitrous would snuff out the engine). Despite the circumstances, Shawn and his crew showed considerable poise and still managed to lay down the highest numbers at UCC 2017.

Derek Rose: 2,047 HP/2,778 LB-FT

As you can imagine, a dry block (no coolant circulating) means an engine can get heat soaked in a hurry. Such was the case for Derek Rose and his billet-aluminum block, 12-valve headed, common-rail Cummins. After making a test pass, Derek turned the truck loose on the second attempt and cleared the 2,000 hp mark. Having achieved numbers that would no doubt place him near the top, Derek decided to call it a day and start transforming the truck into a sled puller.

Wade Minter: 1,960 HP/2,727 LB-FT

Thanks to a strong, Sixth Place finish in the drag race, Wade Minter and crew were right in the thick of things when they drove onto the rollers. After replacing the broken output shaft the truck suffered at the drag strip and making a quick nitrous jet change while on the dyno, the 7.1L SoCal Diesel stroker Duramax produced just shy of 2,000 hp.

Donavan Harris: 1,625 HP/2,182 LB-FT

Also in the hunt for a top spot was Donavan Harris and the Armor Inc/Dynomite Diesel Performance Ram. After an initial run of 1,556 hp and 2,077 lb-ft of torque, Donavan improved the truck’s numbers to 1,625 hp and 2,182 lb-ft and called it good. Look for Donavan and his team to dominate during the sled pull.

Randy Reyes: 1,898 HP/2,469 LB-FT

Due to traction issues limiting him to an 18th Place finish in the drag race, Randy Reyes looked to redeem himself on the dyno. He did that and more. At the time he put down these impressive numbers, it was the most the dyno had seen (his Ram was the fourth truck to grace the dyno). As the day wore on, just five other competitors would surpass what he and his nitrous-fed dually were able to turn out.

Jesse Warren: 1,611 HP/2,422 LB-FT

Proving once again that the 6.0L Power Stroke can run with the big dogs, Jesse Warren put up a combined number greater than 4,000 — which was good enough for Eighth Place and the highest finish for the Ford crowd. Jesse’s engine, fitted with a healthy compound turbo configuration, sees well over 100 psi of boost. His setup’s massive, 4.4-inch inducer atmosphere charger alone produces 80 psi.

Shawn Ellerton: 1,062 HP/1,843 LB-FT

One 6.0L that didn’t fare so well on the rollers was the engine powering Shawn Ellerton’s Super Duty. Holding nothing back, Shawn sprayed all the nitrous he had on the first pull — and his Power Stroke wanted no part of it. Some of the wreckage left behind included what was left of the small end of a billet connecting rod.

Lavon Miller: The BIG Reveal

We knew Lavon Miller would be bringing his A-game to the dyno competition, but we had no idea he’d be competing with the mother of all engines. The night before (immediately following the drag race), Lavon and the Firepunk crew swapped a mechanical injection Cummins packing 14:1 compression, a Sigma injection pump and a massive set of triple turbos from Columbus Diesel Supply into their First Place Dodge. No, nothing was wrong with the common-rail 6.7L based Cummins “Enforcer” engine (built by D&J Precision Machine) that catapulted them into the 8’s at the drag strip — they just wanted to put on a show courtesy of some pure unadulterated, mechanical horsepower.

Lavon Miller: 2,399 HP/2,712 LB-FT

To make sure the engine produced adequate boost, Lavon rode the brakes to add load beyond what the SuperFlow dyno could provide. The strategy worked, as the Cummins mill saw an obscene 186 psi of boost courtesy of the exotic Sigma injection pump and triple-turbo arrangement. In the process of power-braking the truck with this kind of power on tap, the rotors were literally on fire. By the end of the second dyno pull, the brake fluid boiled, blew the reservoir cap off and sprayed brake fluid on the exhaust manifold, causing a small fire. When the smoke cleared, Lavon would lay claim to Second Place on the dyno, which when combined with his win the day before on the drag strip meant he was the man to beat heading into the last event: the sled pull.

Chase Fleece: 1,855 HP/2,576 LB-FT

After suspension issues kept him from getting down the track in a straight line the night before, Chase Fleece showed up with the perfect dyno tune. It took just one good pull before he decided to back off the rollers, get the truck back to Fleece Performance Engineering headquarters just a few miles away and prep his Dodge for sled pulling duty.

Aaron Rudolf: 1,122 HP/1,577 LB-FT

Knowing he’d spun a main bearing at the drag strip, Aaron (Rudy) Rudolf decided to see if his hurt 6.4L Power Stroke could survive an all-out effort on the rollers. With no oil pressure to speak of and an engine with an audible bottom end tick, Rudy let the Ford eat. Immediately after his 1,122 hp pull, the engine seized. Then it was back to the pits for an engine swap, as Rudy planned to go for broke in the sled pull as well.

Chase Lunsford: 1,576 HP/2,307 LB-FT

When you show up with three nitrous bottles mounted in the bed, everyone knows you mean business. Chase Lunsford didn’t disappoint, either, spraying his 6.7L Cummins to the tune of 1,576-rwhp. His combined total of 3,883 would land him a top 10 finish.

Ben Shadday: 1,930 HP/2,254 LB-FT

After toasting a piston the night before, Ben Shadday was back with another engine for the dyno (thanks to Fleece Performance Engineering). But while the Quad Cab Dodge would lay down a strong 1,930 hp, Ben’s hard luck with engines continued as the spare Cummins mill lifted the head.

DYNO RESULTS

Most Horsepower and Torque Combined:

See how fast these diesels can go in our UCC drag race coverage.

Get ready for an epic showdown of miniature proportions. If you've ever wondered who would win in a battle of iconic movie and TV cars, then wonder no more, because YouTuber Mark Rober has created the perfect video for you. Usually known for his wild engineering know-how and "sciencey-build-stuff," Rober dabbled in filmmaking by choreographing a Hot Wheels race between the A-Team Van, Knight Rider's K.I.T.T., Ghostbuster Ecto-1, Back to the Future DeLorean and the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine.

The video has everything you could ever want in an epic Hot Wheels stunt race, including a Mario Kart soundtrack! Check out some of what you might expect when you watch the full video.

Hot Wheels Tracks

Lots and lots of tracks.

Drifting

Look out, Alex Heilbrunn.

Unbelievable Jumps

Welcome to the Fast and the Furious portion of the video.

Under Water Adventure

Diving Line?

Mouse Traps

BIG mouse trap.

Psychedelic Paths

The track was #LIT.

Time Travel?

Great Scott!

Explosions

It wouldn't be epic without at least one explosion.

Place your bets on who you think won, and then watch the full video at the top. You won't be disappointed, promise!

So far the 2017 Formula Drift season has been off to an exciting start and now they're hitting Round 3, Atlanta. Back at Road Atlanta this year, the track has a fast entry with light turns.

During Round 1, FDLB, we saw a surprise James Deane return and conquer the podium with Alex Heilbrunn by his side in 2nd for his first-ever Formula Drift PRO podium. Orlando's Round 2 saw the Norwegian Hammer strike once more with Fredric Aasbo claiming the top spot, on the podium and in points, in his all-new Toyota Corolla iM. Heading into Round 3 it's anybodies game. Watch the Top 32 Main event above, or for qualifying below.

Visit our Drift landing page for all the FD content you need, including galleries and Top 32 Play-by-Plays for every event.

The Ord Mountain Route Network was created to provide a link between the Stoddard Valley and Johnson Valley OHV areas. While the two OHV areas allow open riding, Ord Mountain is a limited use area and vehicles must remain on marked trails.

Like most California BLM areas, the trails have recently been renumbered, so it’s useless to try to follow any trail guide that is more than a few years old. You should also be aware that many newer trail guide websites merely copy information from other sources without verifying if the information is current. If you have a trail guide or book that lists 1- or 2-digit trail numbers for the Ord Mountain sub-region, it is out of date. The Ord Mountain (OM) network now has 4-digit trail numbers.

We were out exploring Ord Mountain for the first time a few weeks ago when we spotted a long trail running through an epic vista surrounded by mountains on all sides. We didn’t have time to go check it out that day, and we vowed to return. Digging out my trail books, I found the Ord Mountain Trail, which runs south-to-north through the Ord Mountains. It turned out not be the trail we had spotted in the distance the previous week, but this 25-mile route runs through mountains and washes and ascends to 4,800 feet, providing some scenic views.

Getting Off-Road on the Ord Mountain Trail

We picked up the trail off graded Camp Rock Road at the Johnson Valley OHV information kiosk. Since we were using outdated information and the trail numbers didn’t match, it took us two tries before we realized that we needed to make a sharp left onto the narrow trail, not the wider trail. Beyond this point you are outside of the open riding area of Johnson Valley and need to stay on the marked trail. The sandy trail begins with plenty of whoops (the proper technical term is whoop-de-doos, but I don’t know anyone who actually calls them that).

The trail turns wide and flat as it heads toward Tyler Valley. Many sources state that dispersed camping is not permitted on the north end of Tyler Valley, but I verified directly with the Bureau of Land Management that dispersed camping is permitted throughout the Ord Mountain sub-region.

The trail follows along the edge of Ericksen Dry Lake in Tyler Valley. There are Native American trails and circles on a cliff above the lake.

Beyond the dry lake, the trail begins climbing into the mountains and gets rougher.

There are embedded rocks up to 12”, but no ledges or other technical challenges.

For a while the trail joins a powerline road, and there is a series of steep, narrow hills with sharp drops.

We came across this and I honestly don’t know what it is. It may be meant as a wildlife tank or guzzler (although I doubt it would be right next to the trail), or possibly a foundation for something that was never built.

Ord Mountains Anita Mine

The trail intersects with Daggett Wash Trail, which will take you out to I-40 near the town of Daggett. Following the directions in our trail book, we turned left onto OM 6440 (which used to be SV 183), and then left again onto OM 6441 (which used to be OM 3) and took that to the Anita Mine.

There’s not much to see at the Anita Mine except some holes in the ground. There is room to camp, but the ground is too rocky for a tent. Gold, silver and copper were mined in the Ord Mountains.

There are expansive views of Lucerne Valley from up here.

As the trail starts working its way down the mountain, it gets rocky again.

The Strangest Pottery Kiln We've Ever Seen

It’s not unusual to find a car that has been stripped and burned out in the desert, but what I found most interesting in this example was the collection of random pieces of pottery at the base, including several hand-made coffee mugs and tiles. Did someone actually use a car fire as a kiln to fire some pottery? There's stranger ideas I suppose.

Back down in the valley, the trail turned to sand again. With a wet winter this year, this section of trail was overgrown with plant life. It was impossible to avoid some desert pin striping on our rig from the creosote bushes on the side of the trail.

The trail ends at paved Barstow Road (California 247). Directly across the road is the Stoddard Valley OHV area and New Jack City, an area that is popular with rock climbers.  Turn right on 247 to visit the famous Slash X Ranch Café, a local bar that is heavily patronized by off-roaders.

To be honest, I would not go out of my way to do this trail unless you have nothing better to do. There are easier and more direct ways to get between the Johnson Valley and Stoddard Valley OHV areas while avoiding pavement, if that’s what you want to do, and there are other trails in the Ord Mountains with better scenery and more interesting mines to explore. Maybe we’re getting spoiled, but this one hit pretty high on our Boring scale.

See more trails around Johnson Valley, brought to you by Nitto Tire Trail Grapplers.