Those who follow truck and tractor pulling have certainly
noticed that with each passing year, diesel pulling classes are growing
exponentially. As interest in the sport
continues to grow so too does the pursuit for more power and efficiency under
the hood within the diesel engine.
Another big change for pulling in the last decade has been the
introduction of the diesel weekend, an action packed showcase of power and
performance among the most knowledgeable diesel minds in the country. This weekend in Franklin, Kentucky, a meeting
of the diesel minds will take place at the TS Performance Show.
What is TS Performance you might ask? It is one of the most up and coming
companies in the country thanks to its attention to detail and ability to
improve upon fuel economy and power for diesel engines. TS Performance was started in 1997 by Dennis
and Sheila Perry and is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky. What began as a personal challenge for Dennis
to help a few friends find more power has grown into something beyond the Perry’s
imagination. From its inception, the
Perry’s have understood the importance of giving back to the community in which
they are so involved, and thus, they started the TS Performance weekend.
The weekend began with diesel drag racing and a bikini
competition but has continually grown and expanded with the brand. Each year the customer’s of TS Performance
encourage the Perry’s and their staff to raise the bar yet again, not just to
showcase their power to their customers but also their commitment to giving
back. With that in mind, the Sled Pull
was added several years ago to make the
schedule even more exciting for the diesel fanatics. With a full list of classes contested,
pulling action goes on for the better portion of Saturday with the 2.6 trucks
vying for valuable qualifying positions in Saturday Night’s finals. The Saturday Night session will feature the
Pro Stock Tractors, Super Farm Tractors, Super Stock Diesel Trucks, Pro Street
Diesel Trucks, 2.6 Diesel Trucks, and a little bit of noise thanks to the Super
Modified Two Wheel Drive Trucks. The
classes will be sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League and will serve
as the inaugural event for the 2012 Midwest Region.
Having known very little about TS Performance, I was excited
when the idea came up about a feature to highlight the weekend of action in
Franklin. Before I could gather all of
the necessary information I wanted in order to fully write a story, I was
treated to a firsthand experience of the power of a TS Performance
application. Over the weekend, I
traveled to Lincolnton, North Carolina for the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League
Champions Tour event and rather than travel south by myself, I caught a lift
with Jared and Bethany Nelson of Altamont, Illinois. As we traveled through the Smokey Mountains
and later the Gorge, I remember asking Jared what he had done to improve the
power of his Peterbilt. The simple
answer was a new TS Peformance box and the proof of its power was evident as we
left every other semi in the dust as we traveled through the mountains. I found it to be so fitting that I would be
able to give a personal testimonial of the raw power and improvements that it
made to the pace at which the Nelson’s Peterbilt could travel. However, what impressed Jared the most was
not its power but efficiency with fuel mileage over the more than one thousand
miles traveled.
Photo Credit John Kraust |
If you are free this weekend and are looking for a way to
express your love for pulling and diesel smoke, look no further than the TS Performance
Weekend. Spend the day on Friday at
historic Beech Dragway, where if history repeats itself records are sure to
fall. Wake up Saturday morning with a
tour of the Vendor Alley to learn more about the products that exist to allow
your diesel engine to run happy. After
the Vendor Alley, show your power and compare it to others on the Dyno. Conclude your morning with a visit to the
Show N Shine and a picture with the “Fuel Girls.” At 11:00, the qualifying will start on the
pulling track for the 2.6 trucks, and if all goes well, you should be able to
make your way to the Bikini competition on the stage at 3:00. At 6:00, the smoke will be flying as the
pulling will begin and all six classes will be vying for bragging rights as the
2012 winner of the TS Performance Pull.
For more information on TS Performance and the weekend’s
festivities, please visit www.tsperformance.com. The question has been asked what will
TS do to raise the bar in 2012 and only those in attendance will be able to
find out!
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