Building Arizona’s Fastest Cummins-Powered Dodge Ram

Building the Fastest Rig in Arizona

Devin Nygaard of Phoenix, Arizona, had one simple goal for his 2006 Dodge Ram 2500—for it to one day be the fastest diesel truck in the state! Ultimately, he wants to shoot for a four-second pass and see how far he can push from there. These aren’t just lofty dreams of Devin’s; he is actively wrenching on his truck and taking it to as many races as possible to prove its pedigree.

So far, Devin is roughly 10 months into the build process, and he is pleased with the results so far. He knew that a heavily upgraded engine was just part of the overall equation. His truck would need a responsive suspension setup or else his need for speed would be dead in the water. To remedy the stock Ram’s situation, Devin approached Carter Allen at CA Fab MFG in Phoenix to assemble a pile of performance suspension components to install, starting with a front four-link and coilover brackets from Capital Diesel Performance, as well as a complementing rear four-link with an antiroll bar. AFCO BGX coilovers and RIFE shock sensors were selected for all four corners.

Next, Carter performed rack and pinion and power steering conversions to give Devin better control of his Dodge at higher speeds. A custom fuel cell, batter tray, and burndown box were fabricated for this quickly evolving project. To finish off the chassis, the guys chose a set of 15×10 Bogart single beadlock wheels covered in Hoosier 29.5-inch slicks. With that, the Ram was well on its way to becoming an absolute terror at the track.

While Devin aimed for maximum speed, he also prioritized slowing down. To do so with utmost control and confidence, Wilwood front 6-piston brake kits and dual 4-piston calipers per side for the rear would certainly do the trick. Dual TBM line locks were also added for staging and bump control.

With a rock-solid foundation underneath his Dodge, Devin then focused on its drivetrain—starting with the Cummins I6 6.7. D&J Precision Machine provided the diesel mill, but before it was shipped out, the engine was outfitted with D&J’s own deck plate rods, FSR pistons, a stage 3 cylinder head, and billet side draft. A Garrett GTX55 91 mm turbo was thrown into the mix, as were Exergy 400% injectors and a 14 mm pump, a Steed Speed T6 manifold with twin gates, and a Turbosmart 45 mm wastegate. A full MoTeC ECU and ECU Masters ADU and PMU were then installed, wired, and calibrated by Hardway Performance. Next, four kits of Nitrous Express made an appearance, as did an SPE Motorsports nitrous block and Big-D nozzles.

Devin’s Dodge was shaping up fast, and to keep the momentum going, his next call was to Brandon Wood at Tier One Transmissions in Phoenix. This is where the build took a major turn in the right direction. Tier One’s competition 48RE unit was chosen due to its capability to handle over 1,000 hp, which would give the truck more room to grow. This specific trans kit comes complete with oversized billet shafts, a transbrake valve body, and an SFI case. While Brandon had the truck in the shop, he also installed a Goerend bolt-together torque converter, a Precision Performance air shifter, a Derale cooler, and an NP271 transfer case.

Next, Arizona Driveshafts provided carbon fiber front and rear drivelines. An AAM 9.25 front and 11.50 rear drive axle with matching 3.42 gear ratios was then assembled—complete with 38-spline DHD rear axle shafts.

Of course, Devin made a few additions to his truck’s exterior, including fiberglass doors and bedsides to reduce its overall weight, and the interior was updated with Kirkey Racing 55 Series drag seats, an MPI steering wheel, and a chromoly 8.50 cert roll cage for safety purposes.

Ever since the Ram was ready to roll, Devin has taken it to as many race events as possible, including NHRDA in Phoenix, Tulsa, and Montana as well as the World Finals in Texas. He even recently crossed the northern border to attend Alberta Diesel Days. Now, that’s real determination!

Even though Devin is posting respectable numbers at the truck, he still sees the room for considerable improvement. “I am in the process of removing more weight and adding a second injection pump,” he reports. “So far, racing the truck has been effortless, and I’ve had zero issues on the new build.”

Photos by Mach1Media