…The Banks Sidewinder Chevy S-10 is quite simply the best-known diesel pickup in drag racing today.
With its incredibly powerful Banks-modified 6.6 liter Duramax diesel V-8 belting out 4-digit horsepower numbers and an equal ration of tire-twisting torque, this dark red racer has set and re-set quarter-mile records almost every time that it has taken to the track, and it’s still going strong!
But speed records are only part of the story of what this machine means, and what Banks learns from every step of a project like this one. Teamwork, technique, and tenacity are all given a rugged, real-world workout, and all benefit from the exercise.
From the earliest flash of an idea way back in 2005, to the final record run of the day, every moment of this S-10’s life has provided Banks with engineering data that continually yields valuable knowledge about high efficiency, superior durability, and extreme performance. The benefits of all this tough, high speed research quite are evident in the quality of the products which Banks builds.
Sure it’s one cool race truck, but that’s just the beginning of the story at Banks Power.
Jay Lamb has been a fan for decades, but only recently was able to upgrade his truck with performance parts from Banks.
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Back in 2010, Gale Banks brought two examples of diesel performance to Adam Corolla’s recording studio, less than a block from Disney’s famed animation studios. The first vehicle was a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI wagon, and the other was the Banks S-10 Sidewinder diesel drag truck.
The 2.0L diesel in the Jetta sported some extra power ...
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Gale visits with Jay Leno’s garage with the Banks Sidewinder Type-D Pro Stock Truck, which at the time, was the world’s quickest and fastest Diesel race truck. Watch as Gale goes over the truck and its engine with Jay in detail. The engine, a Duramax diesel, was not only clean running (meaning that the only ...
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It’s difficult to comprehend how a diesel could ever be sold naturally aspirated (turbo-less), because the words “Turbo” and “Diesel” flow together. Sure enough though, the 80’s diesel offerings were abominations or the road making for a definitely dark time in the diesel consumer history. There were actually over 70 different cars and trucks available ...
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Gale sat down with /Drive to discuss turbos and why they are the best option for adding power. From commercial use, racing, all the way to the military. If you’re thinking about working with Turbos to increase your power potential, then you need to watch this video and I’ll tell you why!
https://youtu.be/mH0vq7QwlRs
For more info, read ...
Read more Over the years, Rudolf Diesels creation has taken a back seat in the world of race engines to traditional spark ignition motors.
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A friend asked for a race car sponsorship recently, but we usually don’t do that. When it comes to race cars, trucks or boats…it’s more fun to build and race our own! And, that way, if we do it wrong, win a race or set a record, it’s our own doing.
When it comes to fuel, ...
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Banks Sidewinder S-10 Wins Top Diesel at Topeka
By John Stewart
Bad weather plagued the National Hot Rod Diesel Association’s World Finals last weekend in Topeka, Kansas, holding down attendance and limiting track time. But in the end, spectators got to see a diesel pickup run at a world record pace.
Gale Banks took his record-setting ...
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Banks Sidewinder S-10 Wins Top Diesel at Topeka
By John Stewart
Bad weather plagued the National Hot Rod Diesel Association’s World Finals last weekend in Topeka, Kansas, holding down attendance and limiting track time. But in the end, spectators got to see a diesel pickup run at a world record pace.
Gale Banks took his record-setting Sidewinder ...
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Gale presided as an honorary judge at the Country Club’s annual car show. Here’s some photos from the event.
Last weekend Gale Banks was an Honorary Judge in the annual Belmont Concours d’ Eleganaza at the Fresno Country Club. The event featured some of the finest vehicles, more than 200 of them, from 20’s era vehicles ...
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Gale Banks Hangs With Funnyman Adam Carolla on his “Carcast” Show and talks about the Banks Sidewinder S-10 drag truck and the Banks-powered VW Jetta TDI and more!
Azusa, Calif. – – Well-known star of stage, screen, radio, and the TV dance floor Adam Carolla this week welcomed special guest Gale Banks to the Carcast section ...
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Gale Banks Hangs With Funnyman Adam Carolla on his “Carcast” Show and talks about the Banks Sidewinder S-10 drag truck and the Banks-powered VW Jetta TDI and more!
Azusa, Calif. – – Well-known star of stage, screen, radio, and the TV dance floor Adam Carolla this week welcomed special guest Gale Banks to the Carcast section ...
Read more The NHRDA’s Season Opener in Phoenix saw the Banks Sidewinder S-10 set a record.
Read more Diesel World magazine gives an update on the industry, including the NHRDA event where the Banks S-10 had a 7.77 at 180 mph run.
Read more 50 years of automotive and marine engineering innovation was put on display at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum to honor Gale Banks and his achievements.
Read more Remember the Stray Cats’ smash hit album Built for Speed? Even Brian Setzer himself couldn’t fathom the speeds that the Banks machines are capable of.
Last time I left you with the first firing of the Banks Top Diesel Dragster engine. The guys weren’t just starting this thing up just to hear it purr. The dragster ...
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Banks’ New Top Diesel Dragster AND Record-Shattering S-10 Pickup … Both To Compete!Saturday, May 9 – “TS Performance Outlaw Drags” – Bowling Green, KY
2,500 Horsepower Unleashed: Banks’ New Top Diesel DragsterAND Record-Shattering S-10 Pickup … Both To Compete!Saturday, May 9 – “TS Performance Outlaw Drags” – Bowling Green, KY
Azusa, Calif. – – (April 20, 2009) ...
Read more Burbank, California March 21, 2009 – When Jay Leno calls from the Big Dog Garage and asks: “What’s new?” No one jokes back: “New York, New Jersey, or New Brunswick.” What Gale Banks answered back was the news that his diesel-powered Chevy S-10 Duramax-powered drag truck had just set both a new ET number and ...
Read more Hey again guys and gals. I’m getting some questions as to how the stock intake manifold compares to the Banks Big Hoss manifold. I could go on and on about the details but I figured that a picture is worth a thousand words so here’s the comparison (if you can really call it that). I ...
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Gale takes the Sidewinder S-10 drag truck over to Jay Leno’s for some fun and burnouts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYBSog51how
Burbank, California March 21, 2009 – When Jay Leno calls from the Big Dog Garage and asks: “What’s new?” No one jokes back: “New York, New Jersey, or New Brunswick.” What Gale Banks answered back was the news that his ...
Read more Gale Banks himself just arrived. As you can imagine it didn’t take long for the group of people looking at the truck to immediately start talking with Gale. I have to admit that working for Gale Banks is a little strange, but in a good way. Growing up, my father, an old school hot-rodder himself ...
Read more It’s Saturday March 7th 2009 and we’re back at the SpeedWorld drag strip in Wittman Arizona. It’s time to go racing. Being as this is my first diesel only event I’m really not sure what to expect. Oh sure, I’ve been to some NHRA events before, but the only diesels there were in the parking ...
Read more Seven seconds. It doesn’t sound like a long period of time does it? Think about it for a minute. Seven seconds. It actually takes longer then seven seconds to even write out the words “seven seconds”. It takes me longer than that to unlock my truck, put on my seat belt, and start the ignition. ...
Read more Azusa, Calif. – – The Banks Sidewinder S-10 Duramax pickup just gets faster every time it runs! And on Saturday March 7, the dark red truck with a brand new Sidewinder snake supergraphic on the side charged right past its own record once again with an incredible 7.77 -180 mile per hour run which made ...
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The words “fast” and “diesel” aren’t commonly spoken in the same breath. Diesel trucks, the Clydesdales of the truck world, have always been one-dimensional work trucks, clattering engines producing nothing but torque, with lots of black smoke thrown in.
Those cliches are fading fast as a new wave of diesel trucks hits the street.
The words “fast” ...
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Pomona, California – – On Wednesday, December 3, 2008, fifty years of automotive and marine engineering innovation was put on display at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, in Pomona, California.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WoRjPCMC6k
Pomona, California – – On Wednesday, December 3, 2008, fifty years of automotive and marine engineering innovation was put on display at the Wally Parks ...
Read more It’s mid-May 2008, and we are now at a power level with the Banks Sidewinder S-10 that is reminding me of all the nitromethane-burning engines I raced back in the day. We are using up pistons like a good thing. We’re not changing them every run like I did with my nitro-burning rails and drag ...
Read more Smoke free, high efficiency diesel engines are Gale Banks Engineering’s specialty. We look at how the company progressed to become the undisputed leaders in the field.
Read more Diesel Power Magazine takes a look inside the world’s quickest and fastest diesel pickup.
Read more Straight Talk With the Man Largely Identified as the Creator of the Diesel Aftermarket
Read more Here’s a guy who’s done it all and done it well, and he has the records to prove it.
Read more It’s been a while (again), but here’s my latest entry. I’ve got about four more in the can, only it’s just that they’re only half done each. Since the last time I wrote I’ve been to pulled over, went to visit a guy we’re selling engines to, went on vacation, went to Indy for the ...
Read more Enthusiasts understand that a dynamometer measures an engine’s output by gauging its torque, taking measurements from the flywheel (in the case of an engine dynamometer) or a vehicle’s drive wheels (with a chassis dynamometer). A dyno, though, is a far more versatile diagnostic tool than a mere power reader. When the dyno is properly set ...
Read more When Gale Banks decided to showcase one of his twin turbo Duramax diesel engines in a drag race vehicle, he wanted to start with a chassis combination that was well built, light, and proven. Naturally it had to represent a GM truck model. After a little searching, he found that Panella Trucking in Stockton, California ...
Read more Gale Banks has several goals he wants to achieve with his latest Duramax turbodiesel project truck, the Sidewinder D-Max S-10. Most obviously there’s speed: Gale Banks Engineering has a long history of winning races and setting records on land and in the water, and the expectations for the S-10 are no different. Banks wants to ...
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