CUMMINS DIESEL DRAGSTER SETS A NEW SPEED RECORD

So how fast can you go with Cummins Turbo Diesel power? That's what Scott Bentz and his team wanted to find out; and in the process, they set a new speed record. This past July, the Cummins Diesel Dragster set a new speed record with a 9.31-second quarter- mile pass at 139 miles per hour at the 6th Annual Cummins Rocky Mountain Truck Fest event at Bandimere Speedway.

"Our goal with building and racing this car was not to directly compete with other spark-ignited drag racing models out there, but to demonstrate the performance capability and durability of a Cummins diesel engine," said Bentz, team owner and vice president of Colorado Operations with Cummins Rocky Mountain. "We began four years ago with a used Cummins engine that had 30,000 street miles (48,281 km) on it and have achieved well over three times the performance limit the engine was designed to endure."

The Cummins Diesel Dragster is a one-of-a-kind car built with a stock 1999 Dodge/Cummins 5.9 L 24-valve engine. Unlike most dragsters, this car's engine has had only slight modifications to achieve their speed goals. The slight modifications include a custom header and two-stage turbo system, and a highly modified Bosch P7100 fuel pump and custom injectors. The drivetrain is a custom-built Powerglide transmission with a Gear Vendor overdrive, driving a modified Ford rear differential. Bentz has done all of the construction and most of the engineering work himself with the help of his team and sponsors: Cummins Inc., Cummins Rocky Mountain and ATS Performance Diesel. His son, Dustin Bentz, is the driver of the car.

The Cummins Diesel Dragster was one of over 500 trucks participating in the Cummins Rocky Mountain Truck Fest event on Sunday, July 27, 2003. This local event offered truck owners of all types the chance to test their skills off the line at Bandimere Speedway, a well-known national drag strip in Morrison, Colorado. Over the years, this event has grown in popularity - this year was the largest event ever. There were 528 trucks participating and over 3,500 spectators.

The trucks came in all shapes and sizes, big and small, both stock and modified, including: 2-wheel-drive and 4-wheel-drive diesel-, gas-powered pickups, SUVs, dump trucks, farm trucks and, of course, the big tractor rigs too. Some participated in the truck show only, however most came out to test their skills and truck performance on the drag strip.

One of the featured runs of the day was between the Cummins Diesel Dragster and the Banks Sidewinder, a Dodge Dakota truck also powered with a Cummins diesel engine. The Sidewinder is known for being the fastest truck in the world - breaking the land speed record in 2002. When the two lined up to take their pass, the smoke rolled off the tires and the crowd was geared up for a terrific show. The Dragster won this one with over 2.5 seconds to spare. Both drivers had some shifting problems, but everyone enjoyed the show!

"While we are thrilled with our performance and with setting a new record time, we are not finished yet," said Bentz. "We believe that with a few tuning adjustments, we'll be able to run an 8.0! Stay tuned and we'll let you know when we hit our goal." You can keep an eye on the team's progress at www.cumminsracing.com.

© 2003 Cummins Inc., Box 3005, Columbus, IN 47202-3005 U.S.A.