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Ultimate Callout Challenge 2022 

Fireworks, Triumph, And Shattered Records At The Premiere Event In The Diesel Industry

If you made it to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park the weekend of June 3-5, you were witness to arguably the most eventful Ultimate Callout Challenge held to date. With big names like returning champion Justin Zeigler, 2019 champ Derek Rose, Tyler and Tony Burkhard, and Chris Patterson’s green dually in town, there was bound to be a few fireworks. And with new rules allowing teams to campaign more than one truck for 2022, there was an added layer of excitement, which further incentivized competitors to swing for the fences. At the end of the 3-day melee, we saw 4-second eighth miles, a new, 3,300hp record dyno number, purpose-built pulling trucks competing in the dirt, and plenty of carnage along the way.

Without question, the bar was reset at U.C.C. ’22. Thanks to Justin Zeigler’s mind-blowing 3,336hp dyno pull, competitors in years to come will have a tall mountain to climb when it’s time to perform on the rollers. As for the drag strip, three trucks in the 4’s and seven more in the mid 5’s say north of 2,000 hp needs to be applied to the track in order to keep pace. Out on the pulling track, things are even more interesting, where full-blown, cut-tire pulling trucks are poised to dominate the final day of action from here on out. From the race track to the rollers to the dirt, we’ve done our best to capture all the pinnacle (and pivotal) moments of U.C.C. 2022. Be there next year!

If this truck looks familiar to you it should. It’s the same ’06 Dodge from the Firepunk Diesel stable that won U.C.C. in 2016, 2017, and 2018 while simultaneously setting records in the Pro Street drag racing category. Now it’s owned by Justin Zeigler, who sold his U.C.C.-winning truck from 2021 and built this lighter weight, even higher horsepower hot-rod in the months leading up to the 2022 event. As soon as Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park was open for business, there was Zeigler, ready to light it up. On his first pass he blew all four tires off, but on the second attempt he put up a 4.99 at 148 mph.
Fresh off a pass in the 4.40s at the ODSS season opener, all eyes were on Derek Rose at the drag strip. He was easily the favorite in this contest—and he didn’t disappoint. Right out of the gate, the center-drive third-gen put up a 4.76-second blast at 152 mph, which brought the crowd to life. Later in the day, Rose would improve on his first pass by going 4.73 at a blazing 158 mph. Time to park the truck and wait for someone to top it…the latter never happened. Day 1 belonged to Derek Rose.
Privateer “Turba Tom” Borrell returned to U.C.C. and looked every bit as consistent as he did in 2021. After putting up a 5.8-second eighth-mile during Day 1’s festivities, Borrell was the early leader until Derek Rose came out swinging with his first 4-second pass. Built and maintained in his home garage, Borrell has some big names onboard with the truck, including Freedom Racing Engines, Hardway Performance, T3 Speed Shop, Muldoon’s Performance Transmissions, Santjer Performance Development, AirDog, and Fluidampr.
Privateer “Turba Tom” Borrell returned to U.C.C. and looked every bit as consistent as he did in 2021. After putting up a 5.8-second eighth-mile during Day 1’s festivities, Borrell was the early leader until Derek Rose came out swinging with his first 4-second pass. Built and maintained in his home garage, Borrell has some big names onboard with the truck, including Freedom Racing Engines, Hardway Performance, T3 Speed Shop, Muldoon’s Performance Transmissions, Santjer Performance Development, AirDog, and Fluidampr.
One of the more highly anticipated trucks at U.C.C. was this one, which belongs to Chris Patterson of Unrivaled Diesel. And though it was a slow start for the Texas-based green machine (Patterson attributed his first two passes to driver error), things soon started to click. His third time down the track proved to be the charm, with the ’07 Dodge going 5.48 at just under 137 mph. The trip would earn him Sixth Place in the drag race portion of U.C.C.
After literally blowing up his truck a week before U.C.C. due to catastrophic nitrous backfire, Charlie Fish and the rest of the KC Turbos crew spent a sleepless night after sleepless night repairing the standard cab Super Duty they intended to compete with at U.C.C. Full disclosure, they needed a new front clip, an intercooler, a windshield, a dash, all new turbo piping, and a fresh 6.0L Power Stroke—all of which was accomplished in time to make the 30-hour haul from Arizona to Indianapolis. In Indy, Fish made the most of things, running a best E.T. of 5.56, which landed him in the seventh spot on Day 1.
Wade Minter makes the trip to U.C.C. every year and is always in the thick of things throughout the course of the weekend. For 2022, Minter piloted his ’06 Silverado to the best eighth-mile of 5.458 seconds at 133 mph, Fifth Place on the day. But just to show how stiff the competition was, at U.C.C. 2021 his 5.50-second pass was good enough for Fourth Place. It seems that every year, every competitor dips further and further into the 5’s, if not breaking into the 4’s.
Christian Koning climbed behind the wheel of the Merchant Automotive GMC (i.e. “Old Blue”) this year, but there were a few gremlins to work out before the truck could lay down a solid pass at the drag strip. Unfortunately for Koning and the Merchant team, Allison’s shifting issues held them back quite a bit. But despite all the troubles, Koning did manage to coast through the eighth mile in 7.13 seconds.
When you can’t get your fiberglass bedsides manufactured in time for U.C.C. you improvise. If you ask us, the second-gen bedsides look pretty darn nice on Robby Garcia’s late-model Ram. At the drag strip, a fuel-only pass of 6.77 was achieved before a 1-2 shift issue on the second pass spiked some huge rpm. In the pits, the damage was traced back to broken tappets, and Robby and the RKG team immediately set to work swapping a fresh Cummins into place. On the dyno, the second engine would provide 1,561 hp and 2,100 lb-ft of torque.
Kicking off the 15-truck field on Northwest Dyno Circuit’s SuperFlow chassis dyno was Tyler Burkhard—and his Silverado had undergone a notable change overnight. It was now graced with a triple-turbo setup, with the atmosphere units literally climbing out from underneath the hood. But aside from the wild looks, the truck performed, making 2,486 hp and 3,076 lb-ft of torque when all was said and done.
Strolling through the pits, it was impossible to ignore the large crowd gathered around Jesse Warren’s Shark Bait Super Stock puller. In the engine bay, they found a billet-aluminum block and billet-headed 6.0L Power Stroke staring back at them. When we learned that Warren would be dynoing for Charlie Fish’s team—and combining nitrous with the 4.1-inch, 5.3-inch compound turbo arrangement—we were convinced the current 6.0L horsepower record of 1,920 hp (owned by Warren) would be obliterated.
In preparation for Day 2 (Dyno Day), Chris Patterson saddled his Hamilton block, Cummins, with a 2-into-1 triple arrangement. As for dyno strategy, Patterson told us it would all be based on starting the run at his target rpm and with 25-psi of boost on tap before turning it loose. At the time we stopped by his team’s location in the pits, a pair of Nitto Mud Grapplers were already present up front, indicating he planned to sled pull the truck no matter what happened on the rollers. How’s that for confidence?
Derek Rose’s return to U.C.C. sparked tons of interest this year, but aside from his truck’s 4-second eighth-mile capability was its expected 3,000hp dyno pull. Rose got his chance early on Day 2, right behind Tyler Burkhard. Unfortunately, the number six cylinder was hurt before his time on the dyno even began, although that didn’t stop Rose from putting up some big numbers. Essentially running on five holes, his nasty third-gen made 2,621 hp and 3,677 lb-ft. Blowby immediately increased after the effort, but Rose had done his job. He was in the lead on the dyno, a lead he held until the last truck, Justin Zeigler’s, hit the dyno that evening.
Believe it or not, Dave Martin still plows snow with this truck. How many Silverado HDs do you know that run 6.40s at the track, can deliver nearly 1,500 hp to the rear wheels, and then move the white stuff around all winter? Strapped to the SuperFlow, Martin’s Duramax-powered Chevy laid down a respectable 1,490 hp and 2,324 lb-ft. Then it was back to the pits to prep the truck for Day 3’s pulling festivities.
On drag day the previous day, DHD invited passersby to sign their truck’s dyno day hood. Not far away sat the setup they’d be running on the rollers. At crunch time, the Precision triplets definitely delivered.
Turba Tom’s trip onto the rollers was short and sweet as he obtained solid numbers and, rather than run the risk of hurting anything, chose to stick with them. Those numbers were 1,858 hp and 2,645 lb-ft of torque, and we don’t blame him for playing it safe. After all, he was one of only a few competitors who opted to campaign the same truck in all three events.
After Chris Buhidar and the Truck Source Diesel team went 5.56 in the eighth mile on Day 1, it was time to see what the Cummins-powered Ford coined “The Mick” could do on the dyno. The single turbo (94mm GT55), nitrous-fed, MoTeC-controlled, and BTS 4R100-shifted ’00 Super Duty made 2,438 hp and 3,068 lb-ft looks easy. As in previous years, a solid effort in the dirt following the dyno could land them a spot in the top 5.
Giant tractor turbos, the largest 6.0L HEUI injectors on the planet, a little nitrous, and a cutting-edge, all-billet 6.0L Power Stroke. What could go wrong? Well, it turns out a bad throttle pedal can ruin your day. In only being able to make a half-throttle run on the dyno, a respectable yet disappointing (for the team) 1,624 hp and 1,691 lb-ft was all Jesse Warren’s Shark Bait Ford could muster on the rollers. One neat tidbit on the drivetrain: being that the Super Duty is a Super Stock truck equipped with a one-speed Reverser, a divorced, NP205 intended Gear Vendors overdrive unit was made to work—and with the right gears in the truck’s quick change transfer case 160 mph worth of wheel speed is achievable. In good health, we believe this truck could’ve cleared more than 2,500 hp.
Our hearts really went out to Ben Francis the weekend of U.C.C. 2022. It all started when Francis and his team chased a tick deep into the engine he showed up within the truck. Then a replacement Cummins (supplied by Hamilton Cams) went in, only for the truck to have transmission troubles at the drag strip. Fast forward to Day 2 and an everything-but-the-kitchen sink tune pops the backup engine on the dyno. Here you can see some of the fireballs that engulfed the front of the truck. Still, Francis put up solid numbers: 2,389 hp and 3,581 lb-ft.
In addition to finishing Second Place at the 2021 All Truck Challenge, Chris Patterson’s green dually also became the first diesel truck to make 3,000 hp on a chassis dyno when he cleared 3,089 hp aboard the late Robert Pearce’s mobile Dynocom. At U.C.C. 2022, while strapped to Northwest Dyno Circuit’s SuperFlow, his Dodge made a best of 2,614 hp and 3,611 lb-ft. On the second pull, it was apparent the truck was fighting some traction issues (VHT did not help), and Patterson kept making runs. All told, he made six dyno pulls in his 30-minute window—an impressive feat at this ragged-edge power level.
With competitors and fans alike yearning to see a 3,000hp dyno number at U.C.C., it almost didn’t seem real when Justin Zeigler blew past 3K with relative ease. Thanks to running drag radials out back (a smart move for traction) and riding the brakes (for added load beyond what the dyno could provide) to the point where the rotors were on fire, Zeigler’s dyno strategy was sound. So what are the stats behind the highest chassis dyno numbers ever produced by a diesel truck? 3,336 hp, 3,642 lb-ft, 189-psi of boost, 5.9 pounds of nitrous consumed in 1.19 seconds, and a 3,100 to 5,725 rpm sweep. Just like that, not only was Zeigler poised to win consecutive U.C.C. titles, he was “the” chassis dyno king in the diesel world.
Leaving nothing to chance, Justin Zeigler and the team called in a favor from Calvin Miller, the owner of the Runnin’ In The Red Super Stock Dodge with an aluminum block, Scheid-built Cummins under the hood. If the points were close going into the sled pull, which they were, Zeigler knew Miller could help sew up the overall win—and that’s exactly what would happen.
With the rules permitting full-blown pulling trucks to be a part of U.C.C. teams this year, many competitors wasted no time calling in the big dogs. Here, Jesse Warren (on behalf of Charlie Fish) hits the scales with Shark Bait, the infamous Super Stock class Ford that regularly competes with the highest horsepower trucks in the country. After solving the issues encountered the day before on the dyno along with reinstalling the cut tires out back, Warren was ready to see what his fresh billet-aluminum 6.0L could do in its natural environment: the dirt.
To help set the sled, Jordan Kinderman hooked his common-rail, Limited Pro Stock Dodge to it and yanked the iron sleigh out past the 300-foot mark. Thanks to water being added throughout the action and intervals of overcast sky, the track wouldn’t be as dusty as we’d seen it in previous years—which is always a good thing at a truck pull.
Pulling for Chris Buhidar and the TSD team, Tim Tuttle’s “Common Cents” Limited Pro Stock Dodge officially kicked off the U.C.C. sled pull. Tuttle’s common-rail Cummins is a regular along the local Midwest 3.0 smooth bore circuit and his 296.35-foot distance would earn Buhidar and crew the Third Place overall finish in the dirt.
Equipping their 3.0 smooth bore truck with cuts proved more than advantageous for the Quality Diesel Performance crew. The Iron Maiden Limited Pro Stock Dodge blew past the rest of the field for the win in the dirt. A final distance traveled of 308.88 feet put them a substantial 11 feet ahead of Second Place finisher, Eric Merchant.
Like Chris Patterson, Turba Tom Borrell stuck it out with one truck all weekend. His garage-built Ram continues to prove that the little guy can run with the heaviest of hitters at an event like U.C.C. On Day 3, the sled brought Borrell’s truck to a halt at 250 feet and change—not bad considering he was pitted against some of the strongest-running, purpose-built pullers in the nation.
In All Truck Shootout/KOS fashion, Chris Patterson campaigned one truck the entirety of the event—even though U.C.C. rules now allow each team to use two trucks to share the demanding workload of the 3-day competition. A respectable 274.58-foot hook earned him a Fourth Place overall finish at Ultimate Callout Challenge 2022.
The sled pull meant it was show time for the Dirty Hooker Diesel crew, a team that has extensive roots in truck pulling. The Michigan team’s Pro Stock, Duramax-powered puller (coined “Cheap Hooker”) would go 281.64 feet before it was all said and done. In the process, driver Tony Burkhard secured a Third Place overall spot at U.C.C.
When it was Jesse Warren’s turn to move the sled (once again, on behalf of Charlie Fish’s team), Shark Bait’s gnarly 6.0L Power Stroke roared to life and appeared to make a strong head of steam. Unfortunately, shortly after mid-track, the engine dropped a cylinder and the Super Duty came to a stop at 267 feet. Once the bugs are worked out of this new, billet-aluminum engine program, we look forward to watching Warren’s Super Stock Ford set the world on fire.
Here it is, the sled pull that sealed the deal for Justin Zeigler’s U.C.C. repeat. When Calvin Miller moved the sled 291.47 feet it was enough to hold off Derek Rose’s 283.82-foot effort that came by way of Kevin Morell’s stunning first-gen puller. What made this hook all the more impressive was the fact that the track had all but gone away by the time Miller got the chance to hook. Reading the track and applying his 2,500-plus horsepower at the right time proved to be the difference maker.

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Justin Zeigler (middle) and his team pulled it off again—and they did it with what could almost be considered a last-minute build! Without the unmatched help and support from his own crew, Firepunk Diesel, Hot Shot’s Secret, D&J Precision Machine, Exergy Performance, Summit Racing Equipment, and last but not least, Calvin Miller, it wouldn’t have been possible. Not only did Zeigler obliterate previous chassis dyno records with his 3,336hp run, his 4-second eighth-mile the first time out with the truck was nearly just as impressive. What will the future hold for Zeigler? Will he attempt a three-peat next year? And if he does, will he do it in the same truck? In time, we’ll know the answer to each of those questions. For now, he deserves all the joy that comes from a second, hard-fought U.C.C. victory.

 

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