10/24/2023
Normally I do our Diesel Truck Wars recap post first thing Sunday morning but I got home at 230 am Sunday and literally fought a leg cramp for an hour trying to lay down, only to wake up around 7 and drag myself out of bed to start the decompression/unloading of the event but here we go. The event was a success! Zack Pierce and his team battled thru some issues early in the day but come out on top in the Kill Devil Diesel Outlaw Diesel class solidifying his 3rd overall victory at DTW if memory serves. Chris Gelbaugh clicked through a very competitive group in the Diesel N' Automotive Services Singles Elite class to take home the trophy and the money. Seeing it stage, you would never think it's got a 90+mm single charger on it lighting that fast without nitrous, very impressive. The chatter of the day was all about NRE Performance 6.70 index and who was gonna take home $5700? Jared Swink would cut through a field of 32 determined racers to take the win but not before he also managed to get into the Semis of the Outlaw class as well securing some more loot. His 6.0 street truck put in work Saturday and with the help of his crew chief/wife and family.....ohh and a super creepy mustache, he won enough money to buy my 98 tacoma with 270k miles on it. Ryan Riddle made the long arduous journey out our way to secure the trophy in the Versa Sales 7.70 index as well as taking runner up in the Albemarle Landscapes and Tree Service ET Bracket where he was dethroned by local boy Corey Byrum in his dialed, and lethal Diesel f150. Hats off to Corey for coming out on top of field of 44 trucks. Buddy Callaway and myself would like to thank all the sponsors as well as the companies who kicked in on payouts for all the classes. We also would like to thank the racers who continue to come back year after year as well as the new ones who come out to give us a try. As always the Trueblood Family and staff have our greatest appreciation for allowing us to put on DTW at Northeast Dragway. We will have photos being released very soon from Jenn Smith and a video from Kendell Ferebee of Full Frame Productions also in the near future. Talks and plans are already in motion for the 2024 season, we will have some dates and fb event pages up very soon. We are always looking for ways to improve upon the event and we have some ideas on the table for 2024 so expect to see some surprises next year. (Definitely more tee shirt cannon) One last thank you to Trent Owens Dennis Harnish and Jake Bachman for the extra help setting up and breaking down of the event, and Drew M Carter for the 2am ribs...oh and Randall Carter Fleming for putting up with me in staging. Until next year....
