CUMMINS VS. DURAMAX VS. POWER STROKE

AN INSIDE LOOK AT TRUCK PULLING’S NEW 2.6 CLASS

TLove it or hate it, smooth bore turbocharger rules are here to stay in truck pulling. Not only do they eliminate all the rule bending associated with the “gray area” map groove turbos of yesteryear, but they’re much easier for tech officials to inspect. On top of that—and perhaps most importantly—they help level the playing field as far as horsepower is concerned. But even though smooth bore rules have favored the Cummins-powered trucks in the Pro Stock and Limited Pro Stock fields to date (3.6 and 3.0, respectively), the same can’t be said for one of pulling’s newest classes: the Pro Street Diesel category.

After the Pro Street Diesel Truck class saw immediate success in the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League’s Western points series, it was picked up by the Illinois Tractor Pulling Association (ITPA) for the 2017 season. The class mandates a 2.6-inch smooth bore turbo, air-toair intercooler, OEM driveline, and single rear wheel configurations. Despite the obvious turbo limitation, competitors are still squeezing 800 to 850-rwhp out of their setups, and Cummins, Duramax, and Power Strokes mix it up on a nightly basis. You read that right: even V-8 powered Blue Ovals are competitive in this class.

To give you an idea what it takes to compete in the ITPA’S 2.6 class, we’ve profiled half a dozen of its top-running trucks below. From P-pumped 12-valves to the steadfast Duramax to the 6.7L Power Stroke, it’s a diverse crowd to say the least.