SEMA 2008: Gale Banks Sidewinder diesel dragster

Horsepower guru Gale Banks just unveiled his finished diesel-powered Sidewinder dragster here at SEMA. As a follow-up to their diesel D-Max Type-D Pro Stocker pickup, Banks Power designed and built this NHRA Top Diesel Dragster with motivation coming from a 1,200 hp GM Duramax 6.6L diesel V8. The car should be able to reach its stated goal of running consistent 1/4 mile times in the sixes at over 200 mph. As impressive as that might be, the car looks incredible too in unpainted carbon fiber. Click here to see Sam's interview with Gale Banks and follow the jump for the full press release from the company. And don't forget to check out the gallery as well.


Azusa, Calif. 10.24.08 - - Banks Power, the nation's pre-eminent producer of complete aftermarket packages that not only power up, but bolster fuel mileage as well in both diesel- and gasoline-powered light trucks, motorhomes, and SUVs; will have some new attention-catching "items" on its stand at the 2008 SEMA Show. First, foremost (and pretty darn obvious) will be the latest weapon in Gale Banks' "arsenal" of diesel-powered record assault vehicles; his brand new Sidewinder Top Dragster. At almost 300 inches long and powered by a Banks-equipped GM Duramax 6.6 liter V-8; the dart-shaped, projectile is aimed squarely at being the first diesel dragster to make consistent, backed-up 200+ mile per hour runs in the quarter mile. Sharing space in the Banks display will be the new Banks Marine Engine that's also based on the muscular GM Duramax. Designed to be a state-of-the-art, high performance diesel engine for use in a wide range of boat types; the 6.6 liter diesel engine will be available from Banks in multiple ratings and configurations depending on application and customer requirements. This is the engine that elicited such a positive buzz at the Miami Boat Show earlier in the year. It too will be seen by SEMA show goers for the first time at this show. Additionally Banks will have all of its latest consumer products on hand including the new EconoMind Tuner®. Designed and produced with the words fuel efficiency foremost on everyone's mind, this latest electronic marvel from Banks helps vehicles to get every last mile out of every drop of fuel, as well as allowing those same vehicles to "flex their muscles" on demand or when encountering steep grades. Also on view at SEMA will be Banks' brand-new revolutionary SpeedBrake™ for the GM Duramax LBZ & LMM engine. The patented, all-electronic unit is completely adjustable for individual preference as well as for all road and load conditions. During extensive testing this system exceeded expectations and far outperformed any other so-called "competitive products" in all braking functions. In fact, no other company offers anything like the functionality of this exclusive Banks SPEED CONTROL. The gargantuan SEMA trade show, held annually in Las Vegas, attracts over a million members of the multi-billion dollar automotive aftermarket industry, takes place this year on November 4-7, and is anchored at the sprawling Las Vegas Convention Center. Gale Banks Engineering has just begun its NEXT fifty years of design, engineering, prototyping, testing, and manufacturing excellence. From its founding in 1958, Banks Power has been continuously involved in applying the tough lessons learned in all-out competition to improve street products for everyday users. Generally speaking, Banks customers do not actually need to go 200 or more miles an hour. But most feel that getting the best of power and mileage out of Banks' unflinching quest for speed is a pretty good spin-off.