Diesel Power Challenge 2014: Nail Biter to the Last. And the Winner Is....

Lavon Miller's back seat driver helped him bring home the prize.

The best way to sum up this year’s Diesel Power Challenge is to give an overview of Thursday night’s DPC Banquet in the ballroom of the Marriott in West Denver. Sean Holman, editor of Diesel Power magazine and the director of this year’s event served as Master of Ceremonies, opening with the rhetorical, “Anybody ready to find out results?”

Holman began by thanking all the teams and sponsors who make this event possible. After a few remarks by sponsors, it was time to give out the trophies.

The Distance Award went to Danick St. Pierre. This was not for the longest distance on the sled pull three hours earlier at Adams County Fairgrounds. Rather, it was the award for most miles (1780) – or in St. Pierre’s case, as he is from Canada – for kilometers travelled (2800).

Dan Howard fueling up for the 150 mile Fuel Economy run.

The People’s Choice Award was based on all the competitors weighing in on the coolest truck out there, specifically modifications inside and out. That trophy went to Dan Howard in his 1995 Ford F-350.

The Driver Skill Award was given to Troy Sankey of Stevens Point, Wisc., who cruised to a new record in the trailer tow event in his 2006 Chevy 2500.

This year there was less carnage than in any DPC event of recent memory, but we still saw damage, and the recipient of this reward was Shiloh Ellingford whose beautiful blue 2006 Chevy 2500 was showing so much promise, till misfortunes struck in the drag race competition that interfered with his ability to complete the 150-mile fuel economy run.

After all these ancillary awards were dispensed the focus turned to the events themselves and how the competitors fared. For dramatic effect Sean Holman read the names in reverse order, as in a beauty pageant. We’ll dispense with that drama and go straight to the top three in each competition.

Dyno 
1st ~ Lavon Miller
2nd ~ Shiloh Ellingford
3rd ~ Matt Kauffman

Trailer Tow 
 1st ~ Troy Sankey
2nd ~ Lavon Miller
3rd ~ Shiloh Ellingford

1/8-Mile Drag w/ 10,000 Pound Trailer
1st ~ Danick St. Pierre
 2nd ~ Matt Kauffman
3rd ~ Shiloh Ellingford

1/4-Mile Drag Competition 
1st ~ Matt Kauffman 
2nd ~ Danick St. Pierre
3rd ~ Lavon Miller

Fuel Economy Run
1st ~ Danick St. Pierre
2nd ~ Wes Beech
3rd ~ Lavon Miller

Sled Pull 
1st ~ Lavon Miller
2nd ~ Wes Beech
3rd ~ Matt Kauffman

Taking a measure of the trucks before they head to the mountains.

As we entered the Day Three it was announced that five competitors still had a chance to win, two of them tied and another one point off. But by day’s end one driver left the pack behind and it was Lavon Miller in his 2004 Ram 3500 with 623.2 points, a thrilling finish to a week of thrilling experiences. The second and third place drivers were one point apart with Matt Kauffman in second at 573.7 points and Danick St. Pierre precisely a point behind.

AMSOIL had historically provided a “shopping spree” for the winners of past competitions. This year, we also gave a check for $1500 to be applied toward a performance upgrade in preparation for next year’s return to defend his title.

Noteworthy: All of the top three trucks were Cummins-powered diesels.

The competitors who received trophies all had a moment to share while up on the stage. One after another commented on the deep emotional connections that have taken place during the week. It is a week of bonding, and Lavon Miller expressed what any of the drivers probably would have felt if they had won: “It feels bad to beat your friends.”

Congratulations again to Lavon Miller of Plain City, Ohio.

STILL MORE PHOTOS TO COME

Day Two: Diesel Power Challenge at Bandimere Speedway

The events for Day Two of the Diesel Power Challenge take place at Bandimere Speedway, the historic quarter-mile drag strip tucked against the mountains just outside Morrison, Colorado. The speedway opened in 1958 with many of the great drag racers of all time showing their stuff here.

Because we were asked not to publish scores till released by the magazine, this will be written only to give a sense of the day. Follow #DPC14 to learn outcomes.

Trailer Tow
First event for the day is the Trailer Tow. This is a test of driver skill, but it is also timed. Fastest score wins. The drivers must tow a 10,000-pound trailer through a course of cones and park back where they started within a specified area. Minus ten points for moving a cone. Double penalty for hitting the AMSOIL boxes.

At the drivers meeting Sean Holman explained the rules for this event, after which they all walked the course as a group to see it up close. Finally, they were shown what a good run would go like. The running order was announced and the first driver

Diesel products manager Mark Nyholm places a Go-pro.

Here's how they fared: #3 Lavon Miller of Plain City, Ohio had no power steering but managed to do a very clean run.
#10 Danick St. Pierre took a tentative rather than aggressive approach and had a clean run.
#7 Ryan Anderson of Michigan did a very fast, clean run.
#9 Troy Sankey also had a fast clean run, and best run of the morning at a minute and a second.
#1 Wesley Beech won this event last year, and had the first run with problems. He knocked down one cone and re-set it up with the trailer, but by the end knocked down a second.
#5 Matt Kauffman had a good clean run. .
#4 Shilo Ellingford seemed to be strong, but unfortunately knocked down three cones as he backed into the box at the end.
#8 Dan Howard had the biggest struggle on the Trailer Tow, especially while backing through the straight chute, and by the end had some other troubles.
#2 Dan Manary and #6  Cory Chomos have dropped out due to vehicle issues and did not run today.

1/8 Mile Trailer Tow

Instead of showing towing finesse, the competitors had to show their power on the track. Each would get only one run. Here was how they fared...
Oh, wait. We can't tell you that yet.









1/4 Mile Drag

ROUND ONE: Time Trials
The quarter mile drag goes like this. The trucks make as many passes as they can in a half an hour. Based on how they placed in their solo time trials they would then be bracketed for side by side showdowns till there is only one truck standing.

Here are some of the scores on those solo passes. The first up was #9, Troy Sankey in his 2006 Chevy who ran 12.59 or 116.14 mph.
Dan Howard followed with a 14.59.
Matt Kauffman came out and ran a 13.708.
Lavon Miller had a sidewinder start but made a solid run at 11.304 in his Ram 3500.
Danick St. Pierre: 11.831
Wes Beech:  13.285 first run, 12.517 second.
Ryan Anderson  had a halting start... 16.249
Dan Howard again, 15.022...
Shilo Ellingsford.... 12.461 elapsed time but fasted mph at 127.28
All was compiled into a running order for side by side competition.

ROUND TWO: Side by Side   

After the first round was completed, this is how they were bracketed:
Ryan Anderson vs. Lavon Miller:
Wes Beech and Matt Kauffman:
Troy Sankey and Danick St. Pierre:
Shilo Ellingsford and Dan Howard.

ROUND THREE: Final Four
You will find out when soon I hope. Lots of drama, thrills and heartache.

Meantime.... Thursday is Day Three, beginning with the 150 Fuel Economy Run.

Stay tuned.

On the Threshold of Another Diesel Power Smackdown

Editor Sean Holman, captain of the DPC

The weather is perfect, the grass is green, the ten competing teams are all checked in and things are on the ready here at the Diesel Power Challenge in Denver.

At five p.m. Monday the Diesel Power Challenge staff and all the assembled sponsors and teams met here at the Marriott Hotel in Golden for an initial debriefing with regards to the week ahead. Diesel Power editor Sean Holman spelled out the rules and expectations for the week. Having broken his arm recently he was well aware of how strange the contraption appeared to others that held his limb rigid. He said it was a steampunk weapon attached to his arm and that it shot laser beams when he held it up. We almost believed him.

This year's trophies were displayed on a table at the front, as if the teams needed any more motivation than simply being named champion. Nevertheless, AMSOIL is also sweetening the victory by awarding the winner with a $500 shopping spree and $1500 toward a performance upgrade for next year's competition. (Yes, the winner gets the opportunity to return and defend his title.)

The teams all seem prepared to do battle the Diesel Power way.

This is the Tenth hosting of the Diesel Power Challenge. Here is the list of this year’s competition.

The Competition

Wes Beech is back and ready to rumble.

Wesley Beech - 2008 Ford F-250, Reigning '13 DPC Champion; Akron, Ohio

Dan Manary - 2012 Ford F350; Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Ryan Anderson - 2008 Ford F-250; Farmington Hills, Michigan

Dan Howard - 1995 Ford F-350; North Planes, Oregon

Lavon Miller - 2004 Ram 3500; Plain City, Ohio

Matt Kauffman - 2006 Dodge Ram 3500; Plain City, Ohio

Danick St. Pierre - 2008 Ram 2500; Gatineau, Quebec, Canada

Shilo Ellingford - 2006 Chevy 2500

Cory Chomos - 2011 Chevy 2500; Drumheller, Alberta, Canada

Troy Sankey - 2006 Chevy 2500; Stevens Point, Wisconsin


Follow along in social media: #DPC14