For the second year in a row, some of the fastest diesels in the nation were invited to the PDRA World Finals. So far, these exhibition races have been a tremendous way to get compression ignition out in front of the masses. This time, the invite was extended our way and we hauled the Stainless Diesel Pro Street Dodge out to Virginia Motorsports Park to do battle with a handful of Pro Mods. Unfortunately, we faced transmission issues and fought nitrous problems all weekend, which foiled our plans for dipping into 4.70 territory. Nevertheless, we adapted and still managed to pull off multiple 4-second passes.


With significant slippage present in the TH400’s 1-2 shift due to what we believed to be the sprag assembly attempting to check out, we decided to pull power out of the 60-foot and pour it on down track rather than tear the transmission apart and rebuild it in the pits. The strategy paid off, with driver Johnny Gilbert turning in a best eighth-mile effort of 4.89 at 154 mph. Johnny would also go 4.96 at 153 mph to a 4.58 at 156 mph put up by the Rudy’sPerformance Parts Pro Mod—a solid showing given the fact that we were at a 1,000-pound weight disadvantage.


Believing a 4.7x pass is still in the truck, especially with a recent upsizing of the turbo (the GT55 now sports a 91mm, 5-blade compressorwheel), we aren’t giving up on our final goal for 2020. In fact, after a teardown, examination, and refresh of the TH400, we may just load up, head south, and meet up with our friends at RLC Motorsports down in Tennessee. Weather-permitting and depending on track conditions, the Stainless team will be looking to take one last crack at the 4.70s at Crossville Dragway.