BANKS SIDEWINDER
DURAMAX DRAG TRUCK
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Latest Update:
BANKS SIDEWINDER S-10 FIRST INTO SEVENS!
QUICKEST-FASTEST EVER DIESEL DRAG TRUCK:
7.96 SECONDS @ 167.34 MILES PER HOUR!
Wittmann, Arizona December 18, 2007
We were just at the strip to test a new torque
converter set-up; but the clocks told us that
we were going even quicker and faster than we
did a month ago when we set a new record in Las
Vegas, said a beaming Gale Banks. I couldn't be
more proud of this team and their accomplishment.
Turning an astonishing 7.96 seconds at 167.34
miles an hour, the Duramax-powered Banks Sidewinder
S-10 became the first diesel truck into the sevens
on only its fifteenth and fastest-ever pass down
a quarter mile drag strip.
The S-10 ran this new "record"
TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR THIS
MARK IS NOT AN OFFICIAL "RECORD" ...
HOWEVER, IT IS THE QUICKEST/FASTEST EVER RUN BY
A DIESEL-POWERED TRUCK ... AND THERE'S STILL A
COUPLE OF ARROWS LEFT IN THE QUIVER!
with the same road-racing specification engine
that it used at the ACDelco Nationals. A new (stronger)
drag race specification engine is on the engine
stand at Banks right now.
This test took place at the NHRA-sanctioned
Speedworld Dragstrip in Wittmann, Arizona.
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STOPS NHRA CLOCKS AT 165.50MPH - 8.216SEC
HISTORIC QUICKEST/FASTEST DIESEL TRUCK RUN EVER!
.....Las Vegas, Nevada (Friday October 26, 2007) History
was made at the ACDelco NHRA Las Vegas Nationals as
a Gale Banks Engineering Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck
blasted down the “Strip at Las Vegas” posting
an elapsed time and a top speed that bettered ALL existing
records for diesel-powered pickups.
.....Less than one week earlier the that same “Banks
Sidewinder Type-D” twin-turbo had eclipsed all
MPH/ET records for Duramax-powered racing machines on
a shakedown run at the California Speedway Dragstrip.
.....“These two days in Las Vegas were really
a first ‘official’ test session for us,”
he said. “And the results were simply incredible.
Our team got the Type-D going quicker and faster on
each run. Even though we were in Las Vegas, it was really
not a gamble for us, we knew going in that we’d
be quick, fast, and clean. This is truly a new day for
diesel performance,” Banks exclaimed. “We
did every run with zero diesel smoke. The track announcer
felt that he had to keep telling the fans that our truck
was diesel-powered, and hundreds of fans stopped by
our pit area to check us out.”
HISTORY-MAKING DIESEL RUN
.....Smoke and speed do not have to go hand-in-hand
in diesel racing as this Banks record machine proved.
Banks also owns the FIA World Record for the fastest
diesel pickup ever, a 217.306 two-way “flying mile”
run that took place at Bonneville on October 19, 2002.
Both machines were devoid of any traces smoke and both
machines were built in the Banks R&D Shop at the
Azusa, California
.....“I’m very proud to say that everyone
on the team, with the exception of Wes Anderson our
driver, is a regular full-time Banks Engineering employee,”
he went on. “These are the same people who design,
prototype, test, and build all of the great products
that we’ve offered for sale for 50 years now. And,
by the way, many of the highly-specialized competition
parts that we used on this record-shattering machine
will soon be for sale under our new ‘BankSpeed
Products’ line name.”
.....Banks had strong support from a number of tech-partners
including Bosch (electronics), Garrett (superchargers),
Lamb Components (brakes and suspension) and GM Powertrain.
“Their long-standing support on this project has
been very gratifying. Their faith in our abilities to
advance diesel technology is a big part of this achievement.
Partnering with forward thinking companies like these
is something that benefits both sides, and, in turn,
the public. We’re all learning about clean, efficient,
smoke-free diesel power and all moving ahead together.
.....At Las Vegas, this particular Banks
team’s first-ever NHRA event, the Type-D got quicker
and faster on each of the four runs that it made in
front of the cream of the crop of American drag racing.
“This is the way to real step-by-step progress.
This is a great tribute to our team and our driver,”
said Banks. “Here’s where you see the real
potential of this combination. Because of time constraints,
we went to ‘Vegas with our road racing version
of the Duramax.” The instant translation of that
statement is: “We’ve got a lot more where
that came from …”
THE BANKS LAS VEGAS TEAM:
- Burton Waite / Matt Trainham: Co-Crew Chiefs
- Bob Robe (San Gabriel, CA) : Chief Systems Designer
- Matt Trainham (Upland, CA): Chassis Engineer
- Burton Waite (Claremont, CA): Powertrain / Calibration
Engineer
- Matt Trainham (Upland, CA): Powertrain / Calibration
Engineer
- Chuck Swart (Upland, CA): Electrical / Control Systems
Engineer
- John Kerby (Ontario, CA): Engine Builder / Chassis
Specialist
- Jon Whiteley (Alta Loma, CA): Engine Builder / Chassis
Specialist
- Chris Cavoretto (Pasadena, CA): Engine Builder /
Crew Member
- Rick Allen (Pasadena, CA): Crew Member
- Rick McConnell (Temple City, CA): Crew Member
- Wes Anderson (La Mirada, CA): Driver
ONE MORE TIME AND JUST FOR THE RECORD: This
was the quickest and fastest officially recorded pass
down a dragstrip by a diesel-powered pickup truck. Done
and (not by any means) done.
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