Some land speed records are set by mixing science, engineering, and art together and others, like the one in this video are achieved by blunt force trauma. We’re not sure which way is better, but they both work! If you have been a reader of Diesel Power Magazine like I have, you’ve seen staff members mention their interest about trying to break the land speed record for a truck towing a trailer. They obviously have wanted to do it with a diesel truck and recently, they got their chance. Pacific Performance Engineering supplied the Duramax powered GMC, which had been beefed up with bolt on parts and a nitrous system and Carson trailers supplied the small camping trailer that would be used for the test. V-rated tires replaced the stock trailer rubber because it would have shredded at high speeds and caused a disaster.

One of the things that is mentioned a bunch of times in this video is the danger of attempting to tow a trailer over 140-mph. The truck wasn’t designed to go that fast, the trailer sure as hell was not designed with the intention of being towed at anymore more than 55-70mph and the aerodynamics situation caused by the combo is obviously ugly. Oh, did we mention that Sands was really risking it because there was no ‘cage in the truck.

All that talk aside, the attempt is damned impressive to watch and that truck went through hell (literally) pulling that trailer up to terminal velocity. It has been claimed that the EGTs reached a scorching 2,000-degrees at one point during the records run attempts. Since aluminum begins to melt a long way before then, we’re thinking that the motor may have some interesting looking parts inside of it!

Press play below to see what real DIESEL POWER looks and sounds like at 140mph!