All Diesel Day

The 2016 Valley Blackout Invades Louisville, KY.

- Chris Tobin

On May 14, 2016, diesel trucks of all shapes and sizes converged on the Ohio Valley Dragway near Louisville, Kentucky, for the third annual All Diesel Day Valley Blackout. Unseasonably cold weather was on hand and the skies were filled with clouds throughout the day, but the wet stuff held off and the organizers were able to get in a full day of drag racing, dyno competition, and a show and shine much to the delight of the more than 1,500 spectators and diesel enthusiasts who braved the elements to come and check out the event. In years past, Banean Woosley and Marty Schindler worked together to pull off the event, hoping to give diesel enthusiasts a fun and rewarding event that centered on drag racing rather than the sled pulling that is so common in the area.

The 2016 version of the All Diesel Day event moved to a new location and saw the addition of Jimmy McIntosh helping Woosley and Schindler organize the event. Despite the cold weather, it was a roaring success, with fast trucks flying down the track, polished machines lighting up the show and shine, and powerful rigs spinning the rollers of the portable chassis dyno. The Ohio Valley Dragway is a larger facility than the one used for the past two events and allowed for more vendor booths and greater diesel fun for the day. Sixty trucks ran across the Diesel Doctor portable chassis dyno, while 48 trucks lined up to race on the 1/8-mile track in the three classes of diesel racing, including ET Bracket, 7.70 Index, and RWYB (Run What You Brung)/Outlaw classes.