Indianapolis, IN, June 3rd-5th, 2022 —
One of the biggest events on the diesel performance calendar took place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Raceway Park! The Ultimate Callout Challenge was an action-packed weekend where competitors were put to the test on the drag strip, at the dyno, and in a sled pull. In addition, there was the UCC Show and Shine, where builds of all years, makes, and models came to be shown off by their owners!
The Diesel Performance Industry Expo was also present at UCC, where some of the largest vendors and manufacturers including XDP set up shop to show off their products and interact with race fans!
XDP’s 2022 UCC booth featured giveaways and freebies for all the fans at the track, but also showcased XDP’s line of fuel contamination kits, remanufactured CP3 & CP4 fuel pumps, remanufactured fuel injectors, engine oil pans, transmission pans, and more! To find out more visit XDP.com!
We also caught up with manufacturers like BD Diesel, S&B Filters, ATS Diesel, Nitro Gear and Axle, FASS Diesel Fuel Systems, and more! Industry brands came from all over North America to show off the latest in diesel performance innovations and products. Free stickers were flying off the tables with all the fans out at the track ready to represent their favorite manufacturers!
Friday kicked off the start of UCC for the 15 teams competing, starting on the drag strip. This year’s UCC featured an eighth-mile run down the strip, with teams hoping to collect as many points as they could before the dyno and sled pull competitions. Due to event cancellations in recent years, teams and drivers from around the industry have been waiting since 2019 to take another crack at posting what would be some insane times in this year’s drag racing portion of the competition. They didn’t disappoint.
Top Fuel , ODSS, and UCC Drag Racing
We had the chance to talk to UCC and ODSS competitors like Jared from Scheid Diesel, Top Fuel Diesel Drag Racer Mattie Graves, and the defending UCC champion Justin Zeigler! The staging area and pit were filled to the brim with competitors, getting their trucks ready for the weekend, and also sizing up the competition.
We spoke with Mattie Graves about her experience running her twin-turbo Duramax Top Fuel Dragster at UCC, “So my very first outing was last year here at Indy and I made my best pass of the season, which was a 4.54. That held out for the whole season and made me the fastest woman in diesel motorsports.”
Defending Champ Justin Zeigler came into UCC with a few changes to chase a back-to-back win, “We’ve got a completely new truck front to back. This is Lavon’s (Miller) old pro street truck, with my power plant in it. This is an engine we know we can abuse, and you’ll see some more of that tomorrow (on the dyno). It’s come a long way and it should do its job.”
Do the job it did as Zeigler would find himself amongst the top three points earners on the drag strip, in what would be a record-setting weekend for him and his team.
Sub 5-second runs
The top three finishers all posted sub 5 second runs.
Derek Rose (DNR) – 4.737
Tony Burkhard (DHD) – 4.96
Justin Zeigler (ZDP) – 4.997
(Source: Diesel Army)
Getting out to a fast start would prove crucial as these three competitors would go on to battle head-to-head on the dyno and in the sled pull.
Competitors prepped through the night, making adjustments and modifications to get the most out of their trucks on the dyno for Saturday. The dyno event was undoubtedly the star of the show as spectators in the stands and media members packed into their respective areas to see the horsepower and torque up close. This portion of UCC is known for the unbelievable power these trucks can put on display.
Dyno
The most notable change to the top 3 competitors’ setups was undoubtedly the turbo setup DHD swapped out overnight. Rolling onto the dyno with three giant turbos protruding from the hood, it was clear Burkhard and DHD were there to do more than just contend. They set the bar making 2,486.9 hp and 3,076.4 lb-ft torque.
Derek Rose and the DNR team put down some serious numbers. However, came up just short of Tony Burkhardt and DHD on power. Cranking out 2,342 hp and 2,908 lb-ft of torque in his diesel-powered machine would get Rose in the mix. Adding some event points toward his overall standing.
Last but not least to hit the dyno, was none other than Justin Zeigler. Zeigler, who had sat back and watched all day long, was finally ready to push the limits. Zeigler was ready to get to work, and work he did. The 3,000 hp mark would be broken! Justin Zeigler set a UCC record of 3,336 hp and 3,642 lb-ft of torque, launching him into the record books.
Between all the action at the track and on the dyno, we had the chance to head over to the UCC show and shine. Here we saw some of the wildest, most creative builds from across the nation. Robert and his 1967 “Custom” Duramax. Gary and his wide 2017 F250. Cody’s blue and gold 1993 first-gen. Brandon’s ‘15 F350 Lariat Platinum. Trucks that’ll show you your reflection at the show but tow a bobcat during the week. Jesse’s 1991.5 stock-ish 2-tone Dodge. Tanner and his big blue 2003 Duramax that has more than a few surprises under the hood.
Show & Shine
Sunday’s sled pull wouldn’t factor much into the overall standings for the leaders. However, Quality Diesel Performance would take home the crown for the pull down the track. While there were some impressive performances by all the teams competing. The final points were tallied and there could only be one winner.
Justin Zeigler and his 3,336 hp dyno run was enough to secure him back-to-back UCC wins! Derek Rose finished second in the points and Tony Burkhard rounded out the top three.
In what was overall a great weekend for the diesel performance industry. We’re glad to see the return of events like UCC filling up the calendar again! Check out the final results from all the weekend’s festivities here and see the full event recap video for more!