BY MIKE MCGLOTHLIN
PHOTOS BY MIKE MCGLOTHLIN AND AMY GILBERT
The year was 1997, the place was Effingham, Illinois, and a 500hp truck was a big deal. That was how the Scheid Diesel Extravaganza—originally hosted as a Cumminsonly TDR Rally—first took root. Twenty-two years later, 3,000hp Super Stocks, 1,100hp street trucks, and 4-second drag races are commonplace. Yes, things have progressed a bit. But thankfully the folks at Scheid Diesel Service know how to plan ahead. Back in 2000, and foreseeing the potential evolvement of an emerging industry, owner Dan Scheid moved the show to the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds in Terre Haute, Indiana, and opened up the event to all makes of diesel trucks. The ensuing explosion in diesel performance led to exponential growth of the once small gathering, and by 2012, more than 15,000 attendees passed through the gates.