The American Way

Being the biggest and the best is sort of an American tradition, and for those who attended PDI’s annual truck show and dyno competition, they got a real taste of true Americana.  Held November 1-2 at their St. George, Utah facility, Performance Diesel Inc.’s (PDI) fourth annual Customer Appreciation and Dyno Competition, held in conjunction with a Pride & Polish truck beauty event, proved to be a show all about big rides and big power.

Held at PDI’s shop in southwestern Utah, their location could be described, above all else, as extremely clean.  This was a pleasant surprise to me, considering the sort of work these guys do when wrenching on trucks.  And the weather could not have been better – it was sunny and warm (even hot) both days, which was a great respite from the first chills of the coming winter, which much of the country was already feeling.

Since 2001, PDI has become one of the renowned centers for high performance diesel tuning.  Over the years, PDI has built a reputation for being able to do everything from mild tunes and improvements in efficiency and economy, to all out, balls-to-the-wall performance engines.  Started out to just show some appreciation to their customers and put a few trucks on the dyno, this event has now grown to be a full-on dyno competition and truck beauty contest.

With classes for Cat, Cummins, and Detroit engines, several very notable trucks arrived to put down some big power.  Last year’s Cummins champion, Cody Madsen, came down again with the yellow Peterbilt with an ISX engine owned by McAllister Enterprises.  Putting down 707 HP last year, Cody had stiff competition this year from Don & Shelly Hunt, who registered 766 HP with their ISX-equipped truck.  But, when Cody got the yellow truck on the dyno this year, it blew the rest of the Cummins-powered competition out of the water, putting down 865 HP to the wheels.

In the Caterpillar class, Darnell Bradshaw of Kustom Diesel Repair took 1st place with his C-15 that put 823 horses down, beating out 2nd place finisher Phil Miller, who’s C-15 registered a ground-shaking 706 HP.  Randy Rebillard had the only entrant in the Detroit class, but his “Tired Iron” Peterbilt put down an impressive 755 HP, which is an obscene amount of power to be pumping from a 12.7-liter Series 60 Detroit.

But, it was Paul Marcotte of Marcotte farms and his 1999 Peterbilt 379 “Barely Legal” that was crowned with the “King of the Hill” award.  Paul’s Cat-powered truck surpassed them all when it put down 904 HP to the rear wheels.  Needless to say, if you see Paul’s red, white and black truck out there on the road, it might be tough to keep up with it!

PDI also had several of their custom rides on display, including their wild 2001 black and blue “Family Buziness” Peterbilt 379, built by both Todd Roccapriore and PDI.  But the crowd favorite of the display trucks proved to be Todd Roccapriore’s green and black “Widow Maker” Peterbilt.  Aside from an astounding amount of custom fabrication, the truck also has one of the wildest Cat engines ever made.  With everything from massive turbochargers to work of a more “classified” nature on the motor, the engine goes far beyond what most people expect.

Once on the dyno, “Widow Maker” began snorting as the engine revved higher and higher.  Then, smoke began pouring out of the engine as it started screaming, popping and shooting flames out the stacks.  This truck pushed the dyno to its limits, doing several runs, eventually topping out at over 1,700 HP.  The truck, whether sitting parked, idling, or running at its’ limit, is truly unreal and was a treat to see.

In addition to the big power rides, the truck beauty competition, which had both a “wash and park” and “white glove” contest, had some great trucks in attendance, too.  Some of these rides included Bill Rethwisch’s 2012 orange and white Peterbilt 389 and matching tanker, as well as Sandvik Trucking’s 2005 brown and red Peterbilt 379 (shown by Isaac Aguilar).  Boots Chivington brought out his black and orange W900, along with Chris Jonsen and his cool matte black ’72 little-window 359 Peterbilt (which also put down an impressive 540 HP from his fully-mechanical Big Cam Cummins).  Bob Anderson’s unique KB-2 International, painted satin black, was a favorite, too.  Somewhere between a pickup and delivery truck, this unique little hot rod always had a big crowd hovering around it.

If big power is your thing, the PDI Customer Appreciation and Dyno Competition is certainly a show worth visiting.  You won’t soon forget the power you’ll see and feel as the trucks literally shake the ground around the dyno – it’s wild, it’s fun, it’s excessive – it’s American!  We’d like to congratulate all of this year’s winners.

WASH & SHOW WINNERS

BOBTAIL (2006 & NEWER): 1st Josh Skidmore/Skidmore Transportation Services, Brigham City, UT – 2013 White & Yellow Peterbilt 579; 2nd Cody Madson/McAllister Enterprises, American Fork, UT – 2007 Yellow Peterbilt 379; 3rd Crystal Murphy, Cedar Fall, TX – 2007 Light Blue Peterbilt 379.

BOBTAIL (2005 & OLDER): 1st Gary Dewsnup/Aero Express, Salt Lake City, UT – 1995 White, Black & Green Volvo WIA; 2nd Eldon Jaeger, Worthington, IA – 2000 Purple Peterbilt 379; 3rd Travis Brown/Red Salisbury, Washington, UT – 2001 Gray Flamed Peterbilt 379.

COMBO: 1st (tie) Phil Miller, Amargosa Valley, NV – 2010 Cream & Brown Peterbilt 389/2013 Wilson livestock trailer AND John Martin/Whitchurch & Son Trucking, Chico, CA – 2013 Green & Yellow International Prostar/2004 Reinke curtain van; 2nd Chad Betland, Big Lake, MN – 2007 White Kenworth W900L/2014 Reitnour flatbed; 3rd Kevin Zitting, Washington, UT – 2000 Orange & White Peterbilt 379/2014 East drop-deck.

BEST WASH & SHOW BOBTAIL: Eldon Jaeger, Worthington, IA – 2000 Purple Peterbilt 379.

BEST WASH & SHOW COMBO: Phil Miller, Amargosa Valley, NV – 2010 Cream & Brown Peterbilt 389/2013 Wilson livestock trailer.

PRIDE & POLISH (WHITE GLOVE) WINNERS

BOBTAIL: 1st Isaac Aguilar/Sandvik Trucking, Valley Center, CA – 2005 Brown & Red Peterbilt 379; 2nd Jeremy Pearson/Bob Orton Trucking, Panguitch, UT – 2013 Black Peterbilt 389.

COMBO: 1st Bill Rethwisch, Tomah, WI – 2012 Orange & White Peterbilt 389/2008 Polar gas tanker; 2nd Mo Whitchurch III/Whitchurch & Son Trucking, Chico, CA – 2008 Green & Yellow International 9900i/2014 Wilson flatbed; 3rd Stacey Bettridge/KB Oil, Cedar City, UT – 2000 White & Blue Kenworth W900L/2000 Beall tanker.

ANTIQUE: 1st Darnell Bradshaw/KD Truck Repair, Loma, CO – 1983 Red & Cream Peterbilt 359; 2nd Josh Skidmore/Skidmore Transportation Services, Brigham City, UT – 1978 White & Yellow Kenworth W900A; 3rd Chris Jonsen/Far West Freighters, St George, UT – 1972 Black Peterbilt 359A.

INTERIOR (CAB ONLY): 1st Mo Whitchurch III/Whitchurch & Son Trucking, Chico, CA – 2008 Green & Yellow International 9900i/2014 Wilson flatbed.

INTERIOR (SLEEPER): 1st Bill Rethwisch, Tomah, WI – 2012 Orange & White Peterbilt 389/2008 Polar gas tanker; 2nd Isaac Aguilar/Sandvik Trucking, Valley Center, CA – 2005 Brown & Red Peterbilt 379.

PAINT (BOBTAIL): 1st Isaac Aguilar/Sandvik Trucking, Valley Center, CA – 2005 Brown & Red Peterbilt 379; 2nd Darnell Bradshaw/KD Truck Repair, Loma, CO – 1983 Red & Cream Peterbilt 359; 3rd Jeremy Pearson/Bob Orton Trucking, Panguitch, UT – 2013 Black Peterbilt 389.

PAINT (COMBO): 1st Bill Rethwisch, Tomah, WI – 2012 Orange & White Peterbilt 389/2008 Polar gas tanker.

ENGINE: 1st Bill Rethwisch, Tomah, WI – 2012 Orange & White Peterbilt 389/2008 Polar gas tanker; 2nd Mo Whitchurch III/Whitchurch & Son Trucking, Chico, CA – 2008 Green & Yellow International 9900i/2014 Wilson flatbed; 3rd Isaac Aguilar/Sandvik Trucking, Valley Center, CA – 2005 Brown & Red Peterbilt 379.

LIGHTS (BOBTAIL): 1st Paul Marcotte/Marcotte Farms, Momence, IL – 1999 Black & Red Peterbilt 379; 2nd Jeremy Pearson/Bob Orton Trucking, Panguitch, UT – 2013 Black Peterbilt 389; 3rd Boots Chivington, Vernal, UT – 2000 Black & Orange Kenworth W900L.

LIGHTS (COMBO): 1st Bill Rethwisch, Tomah, WI – 2012 Orange & White Peterbilt 389/2008 Polar gas tanker; 2nd Mo Whitchurch III/Whitchurch & Son Trucking, Chico, CA – 2008 Green & Yellow International 9900i/2014 Wilson flatbed; 3rd Stacey Bettridge/KB Oil, Cedar City, UT – 2000 White & Blue Kenworth W900L/2000 Beall tanker.

LIMITED MILEAGE (BEST INTERIOR): tie Paul Marcotte/Marcotte Farms, Momence, IL – 1999 Black & Red Peterbilt 379 AND Josh Skidmore, Todd Henry & Jim Henry/Skidmore Transportation Services, Brigham City, UT – 2007 White & Yellow Peterbilt 379/2014 Western Elite step-deck.

LIMITED MILEAGE BOBTAIL (BEST PAINT): Paul Marcotte/Marcotte Farms, Momence, IL – 1999 Black & Red Peterbilt 379.

LIMITED MILEAGE COMBO (BEST PAINT): tie Kamrie Brinkerhoff/Bob Orton Trucking, Panguitch, UT – 2014 Dark Blue Peterbilt 389/1984 Beall tanker AND Josh Skidmore, Todd Henry & Jim Henry/Skidmore Transportation Services, Brigham City, UT – 2007 White & Yellow Peterbilt 379/2014 Western Elite step-deck.

LIMITED MILEAGE (BEST ENGINE): tie Paul Marcotte/Marcotte Farms, Momence, IL – 1999 Black & Red Peterbilt 379 AND Josh Skidmore, Todd Henry & Jim Henry/Skidmore Transportation Services, Brigham City, UT – 2007 White & Yellow Peterbilt 379/2014 Western Elite step-deck.

BEST OF SHOW (LIMITED MILEAGE BOBTAIL): Paul Marcotte/Marcotte Farms, Momence, IL – 1999 Black & Red Peterbilt 379.

BEST OF SHOW (LIMITED MILEAGE COMBO): Josh Skidmore, Todd Henry & Jim Henry/Skidmore Transportation Services, Brigham City, UT – 2007 White & Yellow Peterbilt 379/2014 Western Elite step-deck.

BEST OF SHOW (WORKING BOBTAIL): Isaac Aguilar/Sandvik Trucking, Valley Center, CA – 2005 Brown & Red Peterbilt 379.

BEST OF SHOW (WORKING COMBO): Bill Rethwisch, Tomah, WI – 2012 Orange & White Peterbilt 389/2008 Polar gas tanker.

DYNO COMPETITION WINNERS

CAT ENGINE: 1st Kustom Diesel Repair/Darnell Bradshaw – 823 HP C-15; 2nd Phil Miller Livestock – 706 HP C-15; 3rd T.J. Potter Trucking/Chad Betland – 699 HP C-15.

CUMMINS ENGINE: 1st McAllister Enterprises/Cody Madsen – 865 HP ISX; 2nd Big Boss Trucking/Don & Shelly Hunt – 766 HP ISX; 3rd Bob Orton Trucking/Kamrie & Kyler Brinkerhoff – 720 HP ISX.

DETROIT ENGINE: 1st Randy & Jona Rebillard – 755 HP 12.7L Detroit.

KING OF THE HILL 2013: Marcotte Farms/Paul Marcotte – 930 HP C-15 Cat.