Back-To-Back Champ Is Back For More | Justin Zeigler AMSOIL UCC 2026
About this episode
Justin Zeigler talks through his diesel competition path, from sled-pull roots to a triple-turbo “king of the street” build. The crew gets into dyno strategy—braking to land in a targeted boost window—plus the safety drama of a viral roller tire incident and violent negative-G forces. They also cover major changes for 2026: a billet CX 400 powerplant, turbo spool/EGT tuning, and fixing a water-to-air intercooler issue. “Winning” is defined as consistency across all three UCC events and beating personal bests.
He's back! The back-to-back two-time AMSOiL UCC champion is returning to reclaim the title he last won four years ago. Justin has been racing Pro Street and racking up wins in the race circuit since his last time competing at the AMSOIL UCC. Has the competition changed drascitaclly since 2022? Will he be able to get the truck ready for the sled pull portion? Justin talked to us about a ton of things and how he sees his experience going at the 2026 event. Get ready, we are stoked to see what Justin Zeigler accomkplishes this go round!
UCC 2026 competitor
"Today we have a special interview. We have another Amsoil UCC 2026 competitor. A repeat winner, I guess you can say back to to MIA for years to making a comeback."
UCC is a diesel truck competition. “UCC 2026 competitor” means the truck owner is entered in that year’s event.
The UCC (Ultimate Call Out Challenge) is a diesel competition where trucks are judged on performance in specific drag/track-style formats. When the host says “UCC 2026 competitor,” they’re referring to a specific season/event lineup rather than a generic “diesel race.”
sled pull truck
"And then that turned into now, your your old your old four door truck, what was that originally like a sled pull truck that you then kind of migrated into racing?"
A sled pull is where a truck drags a heavy sled. The truck needs lots of pulling power and good traction to move it.
A “sled pull” truck is built to pull a weighted sled across a track, typically requiring strong low-end torque and traction. Diesel sled-pull setups often emphasize drivetrain durability and torque delivery rather than top-end speed.
triple turbo street truck
"So I found the quad cab, drove to Wisconsin, bought a bag, cut it up, made it a king of the street at that time, like it was just a triple turbo street truck that made you know, 2500 horse on fuel."
“Triple turbo” means the engine has three turbochargers to make more boost and power. A “street truck” is built to run that setup in a way that’s meant to be used outside a pure race-only environment.
A “triple turbo” setup uses three turbochargers to increase airflow and boost engine power. On a “street truck,” the goal is to make that power usable on the road (or at least in street-legal-style competition rules), which adds complexity for tuning, cooling, and drivability.
torque
"And some rough stats on that you you took first place. You know, just dust the shoulder a little bit there, but 2440 horsepower, 3200 foot pounds of torque, you pulled around 390 foot pounds."
Torque is the engine’s twisting force. More torque usually helps the truck pull and launch better, especially under heavy load.
Torque is the twisting force the engine produces, and it strongly affects how quickly a truck can get moving—especially in heavy diesel applications. Diesel builds often chase high torque because it helps with towing, sled pulling, and launching from low speeds.
drag strip
"And some rough stats on that you you took first place. You know, just dust the shoulder a little bit there, but 2440 horsepower, 3200 foot pounds of torque, you pulled around 390 foot pounds. And for the drag strip, you you you ran a 53 in the crew cab sound about right?"
A drag strip is a straight track where cars race side-by-side for a short distance. The focus is on getting up to speed fast and staying hooked up.
A drag strip is a straight race track designed for timed acceleration runs over a short distance. Diesel drag racing typically focuses on traction, turbo spool, and drivetrain strength to survive repeated hard launches.
roller
"So in 2022, that was the year that like the tire imploded on the on the rollers, right? And everything went viral if I'm not mistaken."
On a dyno, the truck’s tires sit on big rollers. The rollers apply resistance so the dyno can measure power, and if something goes wrong (like tire damage), it can get dramatic fast.
Rollers are the cylindrical drums inside a chassis dyno that the vehicle’s tires roll on while the dyno applies resistance. Because the tires are on a controlled load surface, roller traction and tire condition strongly affect how smoothly the run goes and whether components overheat or fail.
brakes just absolutely on fire
"So we actually were lucky. We didn't blow a tire up. We did. I mean, we had the brakes just absolutely on fire."
They’re describing the dyno’s braking system getting extremely hot during the run. On a dyno, you can end up loading the drivetrain and brakes hard enough that they overheat.
When a dyno run uses heavy braking or the dyno’s load control relies on brake systems, the brakes can overheat under sustained high load. That’s why dyno sessions often require careful thermal management—brake fade or failure can end a run and create safety risks.
dyno
"But the way I dino is kind of a little bit different... we're spending time with the Von and the things I've learned, you know, doing, you know, spending time on the dino is the way I drive it."
A dyno is a machine that tests a car or truck’s engine while it’s strapped down. It helps you measure power and tune the setup so the engine hits the boost and power you want.
A dyno (dynamometer) is a test setup that measures how much power and torque an engine makes while the vehicle is restrained and driven against a load. In diesel performance, dyno runs are often used to map fueling and boost targets and to compare changes from tuning or hardware.
boost window
"Like I take a thing to the moon and then start bringing it back with the brakes just so I can kind of set it right in my boost window where I want it. So when I tell the dino operator hit it..."
“Boost window” is the sweet spot where the turbo is pushing the right amount of pressure. The goal is to keep the engine in that range so it makes strong power without stressing things.
A boost window is the specific range of boost pressure (and often the RPM band) where the engine is tuned to make power efficiently and safely. Drivers and tuners try to time the run so the turbo stays in that target region rather than spiking too high or falling off too early.
RPM
"And you know, it kind of got a little crazy. And I lifted about 7,800 RPM early. The dyno graph was still going up..."
RPM tells you how fast the engine is spinning. On a dyno, power and boost behavior change with RPM, so drivers watch it closely and may back off if things get too intense.
RPM (revolutions per minute) is how fast the engine’s crankshaft spins. On a dyno, RPM is crucial because boost, fueling, and power delivery are tuned to specific RPM ranges, and the driver may lift early to protect the engine or drivetrain.
plenum-esque
"being up on like a stage, you know, plenum-esque, you"
They’re comparing the setup to a plenum, which is like an air “buffer” chamber. That kind of design can affect how consistently the turbo feeds air to the engine.
“Plenum-esque” refers to intake or airflow behavior that resembles a plenum—an air chamber that smooths out pressure and flow before it reaches the engine. In turbo diesel setups, intake tract geometry and volume can affect how quickly boost builds and how stable the air supply is during the pull.
negative G's
"When I lifted, it was 1.1 negative G's trying to pull the straps back. ... So yeah, sitting in one spot and then have 1.1 negative G's, you can be backwards trying to keep you on the bend all the way."
“G-forces” describe how hard a vehicle accelerates compared to gravity. “Negative G’s” means the forces flip direction, which can feel like you’re being pulled the wrong way in your seat.
“G” is a unit for acceleration relative to gravity. Negative G’s mean the forces on the driver are in the opposite direction of normal gravity loading—so the car/driver is effectively being pulled “up” or backward relative to the seat/straps during the run.
UCC scene
"So a four year hiatus, right? So you 22, I'm going to say you went MIA... but you've been outside of the UCC scene."
The “UCC scene” is basically the group of racers and events tied to UCC. He’s saying he stepped away from that circuit for a while.
The “UCC scene” refers to the organized competition environment around UCC events. In this context, it’s used to contrast time away from that specific racing circuit versus focusing on other racing goals.
pro street
"Yeah. Concentrated on, just wanted to concentrate on, you know, racing pro street, you know, what we built the truck for."
Pro Street is a type of drag racing class. Teams build cars to run hard while still fitting within that class’s rules, and they tune the car to launch and handle well.
Pro Street is a drag-racing class where cars are built for high performance but are typically allowed more street-like components and styling than purpose-built drag cars. The rules and setup goals often emphasize traction, stability, and repeatable launches.
drag racing at UCC
"That's a lot of things. Um, I mean, uh, to be completely honest with you, when we drag racing at UCC, it was an un-drivable pile of shit."
This refers to drag-racing competition within the UCC events. The speaker is describing how the truck behaved in that specific racing context and why they changed the setup.
chassis setup
"So, uh, spent a, you know, spent a lot of time myself just kind of revamping the chassis setup. That helped a ton. You know, me and my crew got that figured out."
Your chassis setup is basically how the car’s suspension and handling are adjusted. It’s what helps the car stay stable and put power down instead of feeling out of control.
“Chassis setup” refers to how the car’s suspension, mounting points, alignment, and related geometry are tuned to control traction and stability. In drag/pro street, small changes can dramatically affect how the car launches, stays planted, and behaves under power and lift-off.
four wheel drive diesel pickup truck
"Well, I'm actually questioning that myself as I'm turning a truck that I thought that I finally have perfect, like we are now knocking on the door for the fastest four wheel drive diesel pickup truck on the planet."
It’s a diesel pickup that drives all four wheels. That helps it grip and transfer power better when you’re racing or pulling something heavy.
This refers to a diesel pickup built to put power down through all four wheels (four-wheel drive). In drag racing and sled pulling, drivetrain traction and torque delivery matter as much as engine output because the truck has to accelerate or pull under heavy load.
drag race form
"…make sure it's happy. And then we're put it back in drag race form and throw my trailer around our local track and just let off the button."
“Drag race form” means the truck is set up to race down a straight track. It’s usually tuned differently than for sled pulling so it can launch and accelerate effectively.
“Drag race form” means the truck is reconfigured back into a drag-racing setup for straight-line acceleration. That typically involves changes to traction management, gearing, and how the truck launches and shifts compared with a sled-pulling configuration.
12 shift
"…just let off the button. If it goes through the 12 shift, we know it's going to go off the, you know, the rest of the track and then we're ready to go."
In drag racing, “12 shift” is basically a target time goal—aiming for runs in the 12-second range. They’re saying if it can hit that, it should keep going through the rest of the track.
In drag racing, “12 shift” is shorthand for achieving a specific performance milestone in the 12-second range (often referring to elapsed time). The speaker’s plan is to verify the truck can run that kind of time before committing to the rest of the track run.
slip
"…after we got Rudy's this year, and the truck goes off the trailer and goes personal best after personal best of the personal best on every mark on the slip."
A “slip” is the race results sheet for a run. When they say it was a personal best on every mark, they mean the timing numbers on that sheet were all their best.
In racing, a “slip” is the printed or recorded run result sheet that shows timing and performance for each pass. When the speaker says the truck went “personal best… on every mark on the slip,” they mean every recorded metric improved on that run documentation.
full billet
"So last year, we switched to a full billet wagon competition products, 67 engine or 67 base engine. It's their CX 400."
“Billet” means the engine parts are cut from a solid chunk of metal instead of poured into a mold. That can make the parts stronger and more consistent when you’re pushing the engine hard.
A “billet” engine is machined from a solid block of metal rather than cast. A “full billet” approach typically means more critical internal components are billet-machined, which can improve strength and consistency for extreme power builds.
D and J motors
"Because prior you had D and J motors in the truck, if I'm not mistaken? Yep. So always had a danger enforcer in the truck."
D and J Motors is a company that builds engines for race teams. Here, they’re mentioned because they couldn’t deliver billet engines quickly enough, so the team looked elsewhere.
D and J Motors is referenced as a shop that had been doing billet engine work for the team, but was backlogged. In this segment, the company name matters because it explains why they switched to a different billet source.
horsepower
"The thing was phenomenal. I mean, it lived a very, very long time of north of 3000 horsepower, way longer than it ever should have."
Horsepower is a number that describes how much power the engine can make. Higher horsepower usually means the vehicle can accelerate harder—especially in racing.
Horsepower is a measure of engine power output—how much work the engine can do over time. In racing contexts, it’s used to compare builds and to describe how hard an engine is being pushed.
Wagler
"So I started kind of looking around talking to Jeremy Wagler, previous customer of his had one that he wasn't using. So I bought it, you know, we got with Jeremy did a full refresh on it"
Wagler is the specialist they worked with to get the new billet engine sorted for their race truck. The host is praising how responsive and helpful he was during the build.
Wagler is mentioned as the person/partner they worked with to refresh and adapt the billet engine for their specific diesel racing setup. The context emphasizes hands-on support and customization for their fuel system and other requirements.
fuel system
"So I bought it, you know, we got with Jeremy did a full refresh on it, changed a bunch of things that we needed to do for our setup, you know, with with our fuel system, everything we run, you know, all extra G"
The fuel system is how the engine gets fuel—pump, lines, and delivery components. If you change the engine build, you usually have to tune the fuel system so the engine gets the right amount of fuel.
A fuel system is the hardware that stores, pumps, and delivers fuel to the engine under the right pressure and flow. When teams change engine hardware (like moving to billet), they often must rework the fuel system to match the new engine’s needs and support the target power.
G-forces
"with with our fuel system, everything we run, you know, all extra G everything, get all that dialed in."
“G-forces” are how hard the vehicle is accelerating or being pulled, compared to gravity. Racing can create big G-loads, and that can shake or stress parts—so teams plan for it.
“G-forces” (often shortened to “G”) describe acceleration forces measured relative to gravity. In sled pulling and other motorsports, high G-loads can stress engine mounts, driveline components, and fuel delivery, so teams account for them when dialing in a setup.
Firepunk
"he's right up there with, you know, D and J, Firepunk, and, you know, all these shops that are very race oriented"
Firepunk is another performance shop name dropped in the same breath as other race-focused builders. It’s not explained in detail here, but it signals the kind of specialized companies involved.
Firepunk is listed alongside other race-oriented engine shops, implying it’s part of the same performance diesel ecosystem. It’s mentioned as a comparison point for how long-running and race-focused the referenced builders are.
billet block
"What are some of the learning curves that you had going to a billet block, I guess is, you"
A “billet block” is an engine block made from a solid metal piece, then machined into shape. Race teams use it because it can be stronger for very high-stress power levels.
A “billet block” is an engine block machined from billet metal. In high-power diesel racing, switching to a billet block is often done to handle higher cylinder pressures and reduce weak points from casting.
spool
"I mean, everything is different down to the way you spool it, you know, how fast you bring it up, like there [824.1s] everything plays a factor..."
“Spool” means how fast the turbo spins up when you step on the gas. If it spools quickly, the car responds faster and feels smoother.
In turbocharging, “spool” is how quickly the turbocharger spins up to usable boost after you apply throttle. How fast it spools affects throttle response and how smoothly the engine transitions into boost.
EGT
"Like there's a very, very, very fine line to find the right like EGT fuel input to like get it to come up smooth, fire [843.3s] the, you know, the spool jets and bring it up without crackling it."
EGT means exhaust gas temperature—how hot the exhaust gets. Builders watch it to keep the engine from getting too hot and to help the turbo come on smoothly.
EGT (exhaust gas temperature) is a measure of how hot the exhaust is, usually used to protect turbo and engine components. Tuning fuel input to manage EGT helps the engine come up to boost smoothly without damaging conditions like excessive heat or misfires.
water-to-air intercooler
"As well as we had, we switched the water to air intercooler at the same time, but a brand new [858.1s] precision, 4,000 intercooler."
A water-to-air intercooler uses coolant to cool the turbo’s intake air. It’s strong at heat control, but because it has water lines, problems like water getting into the intake can happen if something isn’t right.
A water-to-air intercooler uses a water (or coolant) circuit to carry heat away from the intake-air side to a separate radiator-like heat exchanger. This setup can be very effective for controlling intake temperatures under heavy boost, but it adds plumbing where leaks or water carryover can become a problem.
chasing an intercooler water intrusion problem
"Like I said, we tore everything apart, everything would be bone dry inside, like there [914.4s] was no signs of water anywhere. But we knew how it was behaving that had to be. [925.1s] So multiple revisions in the cylinder head and everything else later..."
They’re working through a mystery where the truck seemed like it was ingesting water after an intercooler change. They keep testing, tearing things apart, and modifying parts until the intake stays dry.
This segment is about diagnosing a drivability issue that behaved like hydrolocking after switching to a water-to-air intercooler. The hosts describe repeated teardown checks, revisions, and ultimately improving the intercooler so it “doesn’t see any water in the intake.”
precision, 4,000 intercooler
"but a brand new [858.1s] precision, 4,000 intercooler. And after the first pass, like the truck kept acting like it was hydrolocking,"
They’re talking about a specific intercooler setup from Precision with a “4,000” size/capacity. Bigger/stronger intercoolers can handle more heat, which matters when the engine is making a lot of boost.
This refers to a specific intercooler unit (brand/model) with a stated size/capacity (“4,000”). In high-boost diesel builds, intercooler capacity and heat-exchanger design matter because intake temperatures and moisture management can affect drivability and component safety.
hydrolocking
"after the first pass, like the truck kept acting like it was hydrolocking, [871.8s] like you would go down, let the button, it would take off like bad out of hell and start acting like it was [871.8s] trying to hydrolock."
Hydrolocking is when liquid gets into the engine’s cylinders. Since liquid can’t compress like air/fuel, it can cause major internal damage.
Hydrolocking happens when liquid (often water) enters the combustion chamber and can’t be compressed, potentially bending rods or causing severe engine damage. In this context, the truck’s behavior suggested water was getting into the intake system or cylinders even though inspections showed “bone dry” results.
cylinder head
"So multiple revisions in the cylinder head and everything else later, we Nathaniel from Rudy's actually [932.2s] come over to me at Crossville..."
The cylinder head is the engine’s top part where the combustion happens and where coolant passages run. If they revise it, they’re changing how the engine’s internals and cooling/flow behave.
The cylinder head is the top casting of the engine that houses combustion chambers, valves, and passages for coolant and oil. When they mention “multiple revisions in the cylinder head,” it implies they changed internal geometry or flow paths to address the water/combustion behavior they were seeing.
AMSOIL
"Podcast: Diesel Performance Podcast Episode: Back-To-Back Champ Is Back For More | Justin Zeigler AMSOIL UCC 2026"
AMSOIL is a company that makes engine oils and other lubricants. They’re also a sponsor for this racing event, which is why their name is attached to the UCC.
AMSOIL is an oil and lubricant brand that sponsors motorsports events and teams. In this episode title context (“Justin Zeigler AMSOIL UCC 2026”), it indicates AMSOIL’s involvement with the Ultimate Call Out Challenge.
UCC (Ultimate Call Out Challenge)
"So going into the 2026, you know, UCC, what's, what's the goal? Like what's a win for you? His first place a win, making it through all three events, beating a personal best at the track?"
UCC is a competition for diesel trucks where drivers race multiple times over the event. Here, the host is saying a “win” is improving their own results and finishing the whole challenge strong.
The Ultimate Call Out Challenge (UCC) is a recurring drag-racing-style competition where diesel trucks are judged by how fast they can run and how consistently they perform across multiple events. In this segment, the speaker frames “winning” as both improving personal performance and making it through all the events, not just taking first place.
tap loss truck
"I don't take anybody lightly. I honestly, you know, you can show up with a tap loss truck and I'm not going to take you lightly because I don't want to get surprised."
A “tap loss truck” is basically a truck that can win by a small amount. The point is that you shouldn’t assume someone is easy to beat.
A “tap loss truck” refers to a diesel drag truck that can beat others by a small margin (“tap”/“tap out”)—essentially a close, hard-to-predict competitor. The speaker uses it to emphasize that even trucks that might seem beatable can still surprise you.
going bottom fives
"But the technology that has advanced the industry and in push the envelope, like it's not no longer just a truck making 3000 horsepower, it's not a truck that's, you know, going bottom fives."
In drag racing, “bottom fives” means the truck is running very fast—around the 5-second range. The host is pointing out that today’s trucks can hit those kinds of times.
“Bottom fives” is drag-racing shorthand for running in the low 5-second range for the quarter-mile (or a similar elapsed-time metric). The speaker is saying that modern diesel trucks aren’t just making big power—they’re achieving very fast time slips too.
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