Mike Ryan’s Banks Racing Freightliner
Size Matters…The Banks Super-Turbo Detroit 60 Series powered Freightliner taught us a lot about high altitude diesel calibration running Pikes Peak in the skillful hands of owner Mike Ryan! Oh, by the way, with Mike’s lack of fear, this became the fastest Pikes Peak Semi, Ever!
Mike Ryan’s Banks Super-Turbo Pikes Peak Freightliner is unlike any other truck in the universe. The truck is equipped with a 14.0L Detroit Diesel 60 series engine with a compression ratio of 15-1 and a fuel redline of 2700 RPM. The body is constructed entirely of fiberglass and carbon fiber, even still weighing in at just over 5 tons. Like any well balanced race vehicle, it is a mid-engine design. This truck truly tests the merit of each and every one of its systems. Good acceleration requires a responsive engine, high speed requires massive horsepower and cornering and handling require extreme braking capability.
- 2008 Freightliner Cascadia powered by a Banks Super-Turbo equipped 14.0L Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine from Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing, Detroit Diesel custom calibrated DDEC ECU
- Banks Super-Turbo system consisting of Banks Ram-Air® purpose built three-filter air intake system, 8.3L Whipple Twin-Screw Supercharger, S510 Borg Warner Turbocharger, Tial Wastegates and Blow-Off Valves; with Banks-designed and developed drive system, bracketry, and manifolding
- 2,400 horsepower and 4,000+ lb/ft torque (plus a 400 HP boost from Banks Straight-Shot™ when needed)
- Banks iQ man-machine interface with GPS; Banks Straight-Shot Water and Water-Methanol injection systems (used for supercharger cooling, intercooling, charge-air face cooling, and brake cooling)
- ZF HP 600 5-speed automatic transmission; Meritor RS 17145 differential, 3:07 rear gear
- Howe Performance rack & pinion steering
- Meritor 4-piston air over hydraulic disc brakes, 4-75mm pistons, 17-inch diameter Bendix rotors, front, 15.1-inch diameter rotors, rear; Fras-le brake pads
- Accuride alloy wheels, F 9.25 x 22.5, R 15.00 x 22.5; Michelin XZUZ Front 305/70 R 22.5, XDA-HT Rear 445/50 R 22.5, truck cases, road race compound
- King Custom Coil-Over shock absorbers front and rear
- Speedway Engineering anti-sway bars, F 2.43-inch, R 1.25-inch
- Two Optima 12V batteries
- Mastercraft 3G racing seats; DJ Safety seat belts and fire system
- The roof shape is from a Stearman Bi-Plane, the rear wing is a mid-90’s Indy Champ Car Short course wing double width
- The frame, chassis and roll cage was designed and built at Freightliner by volunteer engineers and fabricators
Project Photo Gallery
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