A main shaft is a key rotating part inside the transmission. If it breaks, the transmission can’t send power to the wheels, so the truck can’t drive normally.
“Trans” is shorthand for transmission, the drivetrain component that manages gear ratios and transfers engine torque to the wheels. In competition, transmission failures are common when power and torque exceed what the stock or lightly built drivetrain can handle.
Duramax is the name people use for a Chevy diesel engine. It’s a popular engine to modify and race, so you’ll hear it a lot in diesel truck communities.
A chassis dyno measures power and torque at the wheels while the vehicle is loaded and running on rollers. It’s commonly used for tuning verification and for comparing builds because it reflects real drivetrain output rather than just engine output on a test stand.
Concept
V8 platform
A “V8 platform” here means a competition category/build centered around a V8 engine configuration rather than the more common diesel setups discussed in the episode. The hosts use it to highlight that the guest is competing with a V8 while others have different engine families (notably Cummins).
They’re talking about trying to win (or place high) at UCC with a Duramax-based build. They also discuss how tough the competition is compared with other diesel setups.
Dirty Hooker diesel is a company/team that works on diesel performance. In this conversation, they’re helping with what the Duramax builder is doing for racing.
They’re talking about getting the truck ready for racing. That includes dyno testing and then practicing with drag-strip runs so the tune and setup work as expected.
The LB7 controller is the truck’s factory computer for the diesel engine. It controls things like how the engine injects fuel, and it’s more limited than aftermarket tuning computers.
A standalone setup is a different engine computer than the factory one. It lets the tuner control the diesel more directly and usually makes it easier to dial in performance.
Term
fine tune
Fine-tuning means making small tweaks to the engine settings after testing. It’s how tuners dial in the tune so the truck runs right in real conditions, not just on paper.
Car
LB7
LB7 is the name of a particular diesel engine used in some Duramax trucks. People like it because it’s common in the performance world, so there are lots of parts and tuning options for it.
“Stock stroke” means the engine is using the same basic crankshaft throw as it came from the factory. It’s a way of building for power without changing that internal dimension.
The Rosler Turbo 400 is a turbocharger. A turbo forces more air into the engine, which helps the engine make more power—especially on a diesel when the fueling and tuning are set up to match.
Term
shaving about 4 to 500 pounds
Lighter weight helps the truck accelerate and stop more easily. Cutting a few hundred pounds can make a real difference on track.
“100 miles an hour” is a speed reference likely tied to drag-racing trap speed (the speed at the end of the run). Trap speed helps indicate how well the car is accelerating and whether the power is being carried effectively to the finish.
Term
flames lit
“Flames lit” means you can see flames coming out of the exhaust. It usually happens when the engine is running extremely hard, and it can mean a lot of heat and fuel is involved.
The Chevrolet Camaro is a sports car that was made in different generations over many years. When people talk about older Camaros, they often mean the earlier versions that are popular to modify for more power or better performance. The podcast’s “four gen” comment is referring to one specific era of the Camaro model line.
Concept
full trial by fire
“Trial by fire” here means jumping into high-stakes racing with little experience and learning through real competition. In motorsports, that approach increases the risk of mistakes and mechanical stress because the driver and setup haven’t been dialed in yet.
Company
DHT
DHT sounds like the team or shop helping with the truck project. The speaker credits them for being available and supporting the build.
Part
feel injectors
Injectors control how diesel fuel is sprayed into the engine. Upgraded injectors are often used when people want the truck to make more power.
Exergy is a company that makes performance parts for diesel trucks. Here, they’re being credited with fuel-system hardware that helps the truck make a lot more power.
An intercooler is like a radiator for the air going into the engine. It cools that air so the engine can burn fuel more efficiently and handle more power.
Term
200 PSI
PSI is a measure of pressure. When they say “200 PSI,” they mean they’re planning to run the system at a very high pressure and want the parts to handle it safely.
A leak in a diesel performance fuel/boost system can cause pressure loss, poor fueling/air control, and even safety issues. The segment suggests they previously saw a leak-related problem and are trying to improve the setup this time.
AMSOIL UCC is a competition/event that people in diesel performance circles follow. They’re talking about doing another interview after that event.
LIVE
Thanks for joining. You're listening to the diesel performance podcast. I'm Chris Emke
and we have an excited Amsoil UCC 2026 competitor interview today. We'll dive right into it.
We got Cody Hawk. Cody, how are you doing, man?
I'm having fun as always.
Are you having fun with grinding and working? Are you having fun grinding, working on a
competitive truck for a competition coming up in a couple of weeks? Where yet?
Currently, we're in the 18 hour day mode. I'm trying to get everything buttoned up and
we are right on the cusp of everything being ready to rock and quite excited.
So in an 18 hour work day, it's work for half and then play work for the second half on
the truck, I assume.
That is everything to a T, currently.
I've been around this a time or two.
So this year, this is going to be your second year. Last year was essentially your rookie year for UCC.
How did you feel? I mean, you must have enjoyed it. You're coming back again, right?
Me and my guys had an awesome time. I guess I would say our only goal last year is to make sure it drove back into the trailer.
And it didn't exactly do that as we snapped the main shaft and the trans, so we had to winch it in, but it was running.
The engine ran, so you essentially could have ran it winching it on and it would have ran into the trailer.
Yep. We had the engine spinning to utilize the power steering in the brakes and just no power to the ground.
Awesome.
I'd say before we dive into kind of the truck and what you've been up to the last year, for any of our new listeners who don't know who Coty Hawk is,
can you give us a little bit of background on your history and how you got into diesel to get to this point?
So I'm Coty Hawk. I own Hawk Performance Diesel.
As anyone on Facebook that owns a Duramax probably knows me by now. At least I would hope. I'm going to hope my ego there a little bit.
But I got started with the family construction company.
We ran a bunch of older Ford 7-3s when I was younger and we jumped to the Duramax side in 2003.
Our first one I still have that is one of our in-house pulling trucks.
I've got a half million miles in 1200 horse snow.
Last year we ended up setting the Duramax world record for horsepower on a chassis dyno at 3140 with my guy Moore Luke behind the wheel.
And since then we have tried to push it and learn more as we go and try to put a V8 back on the podium at UCC.
You kind of beat me to the punch there when my producer Justin had given me the schedule of who we're interviewing today.
And I came across your name and I know who you are and we've interviewed in the past.
But like you're the first V8 that I've interviewed. Everybody else has had Cummins motors.
And I mean you made a big splash last year. You made a big number.
I guess you're a Duramax kind of guy through and through.
Do you do you like that being kind of like the underdog going into I'm not saying that this is a Cummins game because a Duramax has one in the past.
But it's it's one Duramax versus 10 Cummins at a at a swing I feel.
Do you think you know does that set back other challenges for you or what's your view on that.
Me and my guys and everybody else in the V8 platform see it we're roughly 10 to 15 years behind the technology on the Cummins guys.
Obviously the Cummins first came out 89 I think our Duramax first came out in 2001.
So I would say too with that you know a lot of advancements have taken place in the Duramax platform I would say probably over the last you know 56 years specifically.
And it seems like a lot of those advancements have taken place with the boys over at Dirty Hooker diesel.
You have a good relationship with the guys over there.
Are they kind of help assisting in like what they've learned with their old truck in what you got going on in your competition truck.
Honestly I can't thank them like I guess what's what's where I'm saying I don't know how to thank them more the guys up there have been extraordinary and they're helping for me here.
So Tony's the first one to answer a question if I have it.
He's an awesome human more than happy to help with anything we throw at him and he's always got ideas to bounce back and forth.
Again I can't thank them enough.
I don't think I'd be here without him to be honest.
No.
This is this is me.
It's hey you know what I just I put up the money and I put up the time and I got a team of people that are by my side to help answer questions help with tuning help with you know truck setup help with strategy it's it's a group effort it's a whole team to get you here.
100% there's not a chance in this universe that I could do this all by myself.
I got a group of five guys that have been here every other weekend with me.
One guy's been here every single day with me.
I got Josh and Charlie Pham.
He's the one that's been put the chassis together for me.
It's tough to think about trying to do it by yourself to be honest.
Now if memory serves me correctly last year you you pretty much were down to the wire having the truck ready to go for you CC.
I also you know remember correct me if I'm wrong you shared a tent with Josh McCormick correct.
Yeah yeah me and Josh went in half and half on a big tent last year and yeah we were down to the absolute last strand of wire time to get everything done.
We ended up exploding it four days before we're supposed to leave and I spent one of those days up at DHT reassembled everything and there's also done so three days before I had no engine.
I remember the Saturday being at UCC and watching you and the crew thrash on the truck and I wanted to come over and say hi and I saw everybody just moving 100 miles an hour and I was like I'm not going over there and bugging you guys.
I want to make sure you guys get what you need to have done and you know shortly thereafter you made a big number on the dyno you know you did your thing in that capacity which is badass.
Did you learn anything or are you doing anything preparation wise this year to maybe be a little bit more prepped than last year I know last year was a misfortune with the motor but what are you doing different this year to prepare than than last year.
So that last year we were running a factory style LB7 controller.
We got hooked up with the guys that actually this year and we went to a wash stand alone setup basically top tier control system you get the diesel game.
And that's that's a big stepping stone for us.
There's a lot more control.
We're going to be able to see a lot more data and fine tune it in.
Last year we had we had it together until each before UCC and right now we're three weeks ahead.
Okay, and we're slapping another dyno this week this weekend.
And start to lay in some numbers and get everything nice and hot report all that fancy jazz.
Then after we're happy in the dyno.
I'll have roughly two weeks of going to look drag strip just laying in some passes really getting acclimated to how it's set up now.
We changed a bunch of pretty much everything on the truck is one thing that's the same as the body panels in overall built to the engine.
Can you can you share with any of the listeners like what's the what's the power plant?
You know what's the basis of the power plant this year?
What's the setup?
So obviously I love my LB7 so it's an LB7 based RMAX 7-1 stock stroke big four built from the guys of the DHT.
This year we changed the control setup that I mentioned from just a factory 2002 technology LB7 E54 controller to the Bosch standalone setup.
And we moved on from the 47 the DuraFlight the 47R8 the DuraFlight swap from the guys at Firepump and we ended up picking another transfer from the guys at Firepump, a Rosler Turbo 400.
Oh shit.
Yeah, so some guys know that's the biggest and baddest unit you can possibly find and weighs a lot less and holds a lot more.
I'm hoping I don't break another main shaft.
I'm trying to load it up when we're on track.
We're estimating we're shaving about 4 to 500 pounds on the truck.
And after we get it done on the dyno this weekend we'll be making a small release video.
I'm hoping if everything goes well to share all of the other details.
I'm obviously hiding something.
Of course.
That's okay.
I don't want to tell everybody until this video is out because it's going to be very, very fucking cool.
I mean, I feel like that adds to the excitement.
Like, hey, you're one of a few Duramaxes that are going.
You made a shit ton of power in the past.
You've made a name for yourself in the Duramax space.
You have a great team behind you.
You're changing up these things.
Oh, and by the way, I got something else up my sleeve.
We got, we got something else coming.
I'm more, it's good. It's kind of the story behind it is kind of funny,
which we talked about doing what I'm mentioning coming back from the less,
guys at less performance fence out in Wyoming last year when we made our 3,000 horsepower.
It was kind of like an off-handed comment. We're talking about it.
Then I went on a stubble billing trip with my family and I came back and Mr.
Mori Loge and Josh shot kind of just work.
Said they're going to work on the truck for the weekend, pull the engine out,
get it up so we can get refreshed and everything.
I walk in Sunday after getting back and these guys are sparks flying,
stuff's a cotton. I'm like, what the fuck?
And yeah, we just, we made that executive decision.
We're doing this. So it's kind of funny.
That's awesome. I mean,
sometimes it's difficult when doing builds or being in this type of atmosphere.
Sometimes it's difficult to like make a decision.
So sometimes it's just easier for someone else to make the decision for you,
but also has a good frame of mind to be like, Hey, this is, this is the better route to go.
100% is it's, it's changed the whole setup on the truck and it's for the better.
It's just a lot more extra work. If we wouldn't have done this,
we would have had the truck ready to like three months ago.
But we had to do a stop engine back in and go and it's a whole other level.
What guys have asked about what we did last year,
I've honestly said that we were just honestly playing around last year.
And this is a whole another ballgame. We're trying to throw at it.
What, what drove you like, what drives you?
Did you have so much fun competing last year?
Like was it, was it the competing last year where, you know, your, your,
your first year in, you know, you placed 11th stats that I have.
You were eighth in racing. You ran a six 27. The truck made 1,930 horsepower.
Unfortunately, there wasn't a pull that, that you were able to, to finish up with.
Um, you know, some guys would leave from that and be like, Yeah, this is just not,
not for me. What happened from then to going on the dyno in Wyoming to make that
big power number to you now, just like, Hey, like 100 miles an hour, all,
all flames lit. I'm doing this. I'm coming back with vengeance. Like what,
what drives you for that?
So when I made that, that six 27 pass, that was my fifth pass ever on a drag strip.
Most guys, they start with the old, old, like four gen Camaro or something.
They got from their own foot and making 600 horse passes here and there.
And I kind of decided to do full trial by fire and try to put my,
my, my full fully built race truck as fast as I could,
but with no experience behind, behind the wheel.
And then I've get a couple of more past the end of last year and I'm getting
more implemented to it.
Honestly, our setup wasn't the best.
We're, we're, that's what really pushed us to, to double down on everything.
We want to see how fast we can push it. And we obviously know we can,
we can make power that that's, that's not a question.
I know how to, to go truck lawn.
So the build drag racing aspect is where, where we are, are headed next.
It's kind of odd how things like time out and work out because you have the
least amount of experience in drag racing, yet that's the first event.
You had some experience. I know that's the second event.
Sled pulling you've had the most experience with and you were unable to
compete in that, in that side of the contest last year.
Yeah, yeah, that, that one kind of bummed me out.
And that's what I, I personally am most excited for.
If you tell, if you ask more, he is, he is ready to roll on the dyno.
He says, we're talking yesterday and he says he hasn't slept quite,
quite the best thinking of how, how his strategy is going to lay out for
how he wants to make power on the super flow.
He's telling Mr. Cody, Mr. Cody pulling him that he's coming for him.
That, I mean that, so you just saying that gave me chills and that's got to
make you feel really good that you have someone that is that dedicated to
doing what needs to be done.
Like you don't have to question his wants or needs any more than your wants
or needs at that point.
No, no, no, no.
We are in one mind there and to put an emphasis on it a little bit more.
Mori went out and caught a, a plate carrier like the police would wear
when he straps in on the dyno.
He's going to be wearing like an actual armor, armor plates.
Oh my God.
He's going after it.
He's, he's going to war sort of speak.
Jeez.
So that's, that was our mentality last year.
And now he is actually like putting it in stone.
He's going to war.
He's committing.
He's committing.
So the 2026, you know, year, what's the goal?
What's a, what's a, I mean, yes, a wins a win, but what's the overall
goal for you coming into this year?
I want some kind of hardware to come home with.
I want a trophy of some kind.
That's just my personal, like, I think it'd be cool to have something
that says, says my name on it somewhere.
Um, the direct strip, I'd like to see under a five, under a 550.
Um, obviously that, that's where I'm going to learn the most.
We know what we're going to do on the dyno.
Um, goal there is anything over 3000 horse again to pack up what we did
Wyoming.
Um, then for Poland, I just want to make the hook.
That's, that's, that's what I, again, that's what I enjoy the most.
Yeah.
Do you have any sites on any competitors that like, you know, you want
to be able to go toe-to-toe with and see how you size up next to or not
necessarily a specific individual?
I guess I would say everybody that's competing, like it's all awesome,
good fun between all of us.
Um, we had some banter back and forth, like, like poking fun at each other.
Um, I don't have my sights in anybody, like trying to beat him.
Um, if Josh was there, I, I, uh, if he was competing this year, I'd make fun
of him for rebuilding his transmission five times in one day, but obviously
he's not showing, he's not showing up with his truck this year.
He's, he's, uh, helping Meyer.
So I can't make fun of him for, uh, 11 rebuilds in one day.
Hey, it's, it's dodging.
I'm going to make fun of Meyer.
It's dodge things.
Yeah.
That was fun.
Then he made fun of me for retorque in our heads twice in one day.
It's all, it's all back and forth fun.
No.
It's awesome.
You need that, especially in, in a, I don't want to say it's a high
stressful environment.
I mean, you have time that's against you and you have so much to accomplish
in a couple of days, but you know, clearly you looked forward to this all year
long to get to this point and then it's finally here and you know, you're
thrashing, working on the truck, but sometimes kind of take a step back
and just live in the moment.
And the banter and the shit talking, you know, everybody's got to have thick
skin in that capacity, but it just, it adds to the excitement and to the
enjoyment of as weird as that sounds.
Oh, thousand percent.
He didn't poke fun at Josh here and there.
It made my day.
I think it was, you know, it was Friday.
It was Friday out last year.
And I'm kind of excited to, to see what everybody can do and what we get to
do.
I've done a lot, not differently this year and hopefully it's for the better.
Well, we're looking forward to seeing you compete.
I'm excited to see how the Duramax stacks up along a sea of Cummins trucks.
You know, any of the listeners know I'm more Cummins oriented, but I'm at the
end of the day, they're all, they all have their unique places and they all have
their advantages and disadvantages.
And I mean, it sounds like you're building a really cool truck to, you know,
swing for the fences and really, you know, prove that the platform can do what
it's supposed to.
Are there any shout outs?
I don't want to put you on the spot, but do you have any shout outs or any
thanks to anyone that's, that's gotten you to this point?
So first and foremost, my guy Josh, Josh shot a shotty fab.
He's been day in, day out with me ever since we started this on the guys up at
DHT.
Again, they're one call away from answering anything I got guys that dynamite
build the, the biggest and baddest feel injectors on the planet.
Guys at Exergy, Jeff has been one call away ever since we decided to go down the
Bosch route.
He is an awesome human.
They're awesome humans.
They built the baddest pumps on the world.
Where else?
The guys that shied, we ended up getting one of their intercoolers this year.
It's quite cool.
It's quite beefy.
Hopefully it'll hold the 200 PSI we're planning to throw at it.
Yeah.
I'd say that all handed leak.
Right.
That's, that's the way we ended up seeing last year.
About 190 pounds.
Hopefully we do better.
Yeah.
It's a lot.
Wow.
Yeah.
There's a lot going on everywhere here and everybody's behind us and we are
ready to party here real soon.
Well, I'm, I'm looking forward to seeing your success in the weekend.
But I think what I'm most looking forward to, if you can carve some time after the
AMSOIL UCC, maybe we can schedule a time to get on another podcast and do it fresh
while all of the memories are still in the back of your head and everything's fresh
in your mind and kind of just go through everything and just kind of roll through
the punches on how the contest went for you.
Hell, if we'll be driving home Monday after the contest, if you guys want to reach out
out, I got six hours of doing nothing driving.
Say less.
Well, I'll talk with Justin.
We'll get something planned now ahead of time.
So we're ready to go for it.
Hey, Cody, where can we, where can the guys check out your social channels?
You said you got a video dropping.
That's a secret.
Can we get, can we get some ads and user names to have these guys check it out?
So it'll probably be on our, on our Facebook page.
Hock Performance Diesel LLC.
My media guy will probably put it on Instagram and TikTok as well.
Both of them are just Hock Performance Diesel.
We'll probably record it Saturday and Sunday as we're on the dyno and everything.
It'll probably take Monday to edit it.
So I would hope Tuesday he has it out, but Chris is a little slow.
We can't make too much fun of him for it because he's a, he's a perfectionist.
He's got to look the best or he won't do anything with it.
And then yeah, we'll, we'll circle back once, once the competition's over.
And I'm sure Justin and I will be out there.
So we'll, we'll stop by and say hi, you know, during the weekend and we wish you the best.
Sounds good boss.
All right, man.
You take care.
Thank you, Cody.
Thanks.
No problem.
Have fun guys.
Bye bye.
Thanks for joining.
You're welcome.
Wow.
See, I'm having one of those days too.
We're fucking on technology.
I need to reset.
About this episode
Cody Hawk talks through his second-year diesel competition push, including last year’s drivetrain failure and how the Duramax recovered enough to keep running. The crew lays out the build evolution—moving from a factory LB7 controller to a Bosch standalone setup—plus turbo and cooling upgrades aimed at track-ready power. With dyno testing, drag-strip passes, and a 2026 goal of “anything over 3000 horse again,” the team is chasing hardware while lining up event targets like Poland’s “make the hook.”
Cody Hawk! If you are into Duramax trucks, you know the name. He's Setting records of over 3,000 horsepower in a Duramax. Cody has switched up the mods on the LB7 this time around. He's got a secret up his sleeve being announced in a video on his social channels coming soon. What exactly? We are patiently awaiting to see as well. We are ready to see what she does for you this year at the 2026 AMSOIL UCC, Cody!
