While the initial stages of this video make it hard to tell what we are watching, the massive plume of black smoke makes it very clear that a Cummins Turbo Diesel powered Dodge Ram is off in the distance. 24 seconds or so into the video you can see a bit of smoke towards the end of the grandstands but shortly after, this diesel burning Dodge Ram begins really throwing the soot as the driver begins his pull.
I usually prefer to show off the Dodge Ram in action in our various video features but the fact that the person filming didn’t zoom in or out gives us a great look at the incredible trail of soot left floating in the air behind this rig as it rips the sled down the track. Not only does this Ram have smoke billowing from the stack mounted in the hood but it literally creates a storm cloud of diesel soot across the front of the grandstands as it reaches its final destination – 336 feet from where it started. This Cummins Ram sounds as great as it looks so make sure to have your speakers turned up when enjoy this week’s Black Friday clip!
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
