As an engineering technician I have worked on Special RaceTrucks for Mike Ryan, the famous Big Rig Racer, since 2008. Back in 2008 he needed something fast and reliable to race in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, a 12.46-mile course, which runs from mile 7 of Pikes Peak Highway to the 14,110-foot summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado. As I have always been into every and anything fast and loud since my uncle was a partner in a NAPA 2WD championship truck, I was excited for the opportunity to work on this project.
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Photo taken March 2012 of Mike Ryan’s Freightliner Cascadia Team
From hood to rear: Steve Egnot, Ty Egnot, Ron McConnell, Bob Ball, Mike Ryan, Wes Cayton, Kevin Hardman, Seth Hardman and Gary Maynard
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I work for Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing East (DDRE) and our corporate engineering lab, who typically would have received this project, was focused on rebuilding the Diesel engines due to new emissions level compliance laws. Since they did not have the resources at the time, they asked remanufacturing to help design and build Mike an engine in early 2008. Not only would he be using the truck at the Pike’s Peak Race, but he needed the truck to race in several events throughout the year. Mike was able to use the truck with the engine we built for him in 2008 until recently in March 2012. It had not been touched or re-calibrated since July of 2008 and performed almost flawlessly for those four years.
To get ready for this year’s race we attended the MATS truck show with Mike. After the show we took the truck and a crew of eight to Kentucky Truck Sales in Jeffersonville, Indiana to make modifications to the gear train and the engine control module. These modifications will allow Mike approximately 18mph more speed, for a top speed of 123mph! We had a reman air compressor sent to the shop to be installed for better braking, which he will definitely need once we are done tuning it.
I have worked for Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing East (DDRE) since 1987, and have done a little of everything including machining engine blocks, assembly, and Dyno testing. I am currently a crew chief and driver of a modified class pulling tractor called “Playboys Second Chance Running.” This tractor is a beefed up twin to the engine in Mike Ryan’s Freightliner Cascadia that he races with. Don't ask me how many horsepower this engine has because we cant find a dyno big enough to even think of holding it!
I can’t wait to see how Mike Ryan does at the race this year. I know with this new engine in his truck, we can expect big things from him and will hopefully see him beat his previous world record timing! And you can be sure that my team here will continue to design and build the best, fastest engines for races to come!