F-250 Crushes the AWD vs RWD Challenge

Nathan Wheeler and ‘Crazy Horse’ Conquer Cleetus’s AWD vs RWD Shootout

No-prep is brutal. It eats egos, chews up big talk, and spits out underdogs who actually hook. And at Cleetus McFarland’s AWD vs. RWD Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park, that’s exactly what happened—diesel didn’t just show up, it shot straight to the winner’s circle.

Nathan Wheeler, behind the wheel of his Cummins-powered 2010 Ford F-250 dubbed Crazy Horse, didn’t just win. He erased the playbook, took down a fleet of fire-breathing twin-turbo monsters, and sent a very loud message to the world: diesel trucks aren’t just here to party—they’re here to dominate.

The format was savage. Sixteen of the baddest AWD rides. Sixteen of the nastiest RWD builds. No prep. No water. No excuses. Just a drag strip in Brandenton, Florida and $20k cash on the line (and that doesn’t include the side pot)

Launching from the scoreboard side of the track, this shootout stripped away every advantage but traction and tenacity. The RWD crew, captained by none other than Joey Hiykel of Beater Bomb fame, was outnumbered and outgunned early as the AWD machines were hooked up and ready to rock. And some, like Wheeler’s Crazy Horse, straight-up stampeded.

By the semifinals, it was AWD versus AWD, and Crazy Horse was still kicking down doors.

Wheeler’s Crazy Horse is less of a truck and more of a land-based missile with a vendetta. Reborn after a brutal crash in fall 2023, the truck was resurrected by Truck Source Diesel and stuffed with the kind of hardware that makes even the most confident of men blush a little.

Under the hood rests  D&J Enforcer Series Cummins, fueled by S&S diesel gear and governed by a MoTeC stand-alone ECU. Boost comes via a Hart’s turbo, and the go-fast sauce? Five. Stages. Of. Nitrous.

If this truck had a Tinder bio, it’d say: “Likes long walks on sketchy tracks, candlelit datalogs, and making grown men question their fuel choices.”

The path to the finals wasn’t just about horsepower. It was about redemption. Wheeler’s been chasing down his nemesis, “Gringo,” for a while—three prior losses made this matchup personal. So when he finally got the W against Gringo in the finals it wasn’t just a win. It was a victory lap for every diesel guy who’s ever been underestimated by the gas crowd.

Asked if he thought he’d even make it to the end, Wheeler laughed:

“Truthfully, I didn’t think I’d get around Gringo.”

Well. He did. And then some.

After crossing the finish line, Wheeler didn’t just celebrate—he made it rain. Literally.

Spurred on by teammate Manuel, he threw his $20,000 in winnings into the air like a diesel-powered rockstar. The Florida wind, not one to miss a good party, immediately scattered the cash across the property. What followed was a full-on, drag-strip-wide scavenger hunt as racers and fans chased rogue Benjamins like it was the wildest episode of Diesel Survivor.

Wheeler’s post-win reaction? “I was just a soldier following orders.” The stuff of absolutle legends.

In a showdown that nobody saw coming but everybody now remembers, Crazy Horse lined up against “Grimace”—a savage AWD F-150. The win wasn’t just fast. It was definitive. Diesel didn’t sneak into the winner’s circle. It dragged the competition there, kicked in the door, and parked on the podium.

When the dust settled, the 1320video crew summed it up best: “A diesel bro… a diesel… a freaking diesel came here and won!”

Wheeler, still high on victory and nitrous fumes, made it clear: “I just wanted to show the world that we’re the best 4×4 on the planet!”

From crumpled metal to crowning champion, Nathan Wheeler’s journey with Crazy Horse is pure comeback glory. It’s a win for diesel. A win for AWD. And a giant middle finger to anyone who still thinks black smoke belongs on the sidelines.

The world’s watching now. Crazy Horse is riding high. And if you’re lining up against Nathan anytime soon? Better bring a broom—because he’s sweeping events like it’s a damn hobby.

PHOTOS BY 1320VIDEO