Slashing Records with the Fastest Diesel Ever!

Every once and a while, we get the opportunity to write about someone truly unique, and when it comes to folks who are truly unique, there are few in the diesel world who fit the bill quite like the one and only Michael Cordova. Known to many as “The Ninja,” Michael is a Bowling Green, Kentucky, native with a knack for speed. Piloting a Cummins powered diesel dragster, Cordova and his team not only have the drive to break records, but the pedigree to back up that claim.

In 2023, Cordova and his team would set out to break the world record at the Wagler Fall Nationals event. After a tough break in his earlier passes, Cordova would go on to lay down a 3.877-second pass, crossing the line at 191 miles per hour. This would be fast enough to break the previous world record, making Cordova the fastest diesel on earth. But much like many of us, he wasn’t content by raising the bar, he wanted to blow it out of the water. And kick it up a notch he did.

Fast forward to Ultimate Callout Challenge 2024 in beautiful Brownsburg, Indiana, where Cordova and team would do the unthinkable. Just as the world was finally starting to get a handle on the thought of a diesel-powered dragster going 3.877 seconds in the 1/8th mile, Cordova would turn it up to 10 and lay down an INCREDIBLE 3.836-second pass, shattering his own personal best and the world record. Additionally, he crossed the line at an equally incredible 203.19 miles per hour. This feat would redefine the world record and also secure the win for him at this year’s Ultimate Callout Challenge. But again, just like last time, Michael Cordova didn’t settle. He kept pushing. And guess what? He did it again.

At this year’s Scheid Diesel Extravaganza, Cordova would go on to again shatter his own personal best world record pass, laying down an INSANE 3.79-second pass at a whopping 209.33 miles per hour. This makes him, yet again, the fastest man in a diesel in the world—an incredible feat for Michael and his entire team.

This new record showcases just what diesel engines are capable of and makes us excited for the future of the diesel performance industry. With folks like Cordova behind the wheel, you can bet that you’re going to continue to see faster passes, higher trap speeds, and lower times to come!