Baja, California: In January 2003, ATS Diesel Performance Founders, Clint Cannon and Ranee Elder fitted the Dodge Ram Desert Tank with their biggest, baddest and most reliable automatic transmission on the market. The plan was to rage through the bellows of the some of the harshest terrain in the North America, the Baja Pensinsula, and that's what ORC did.

For the entire year we've put the Dodge Ram Cummins Diesel powered truck through the most insane testing possible. From Cabo San Lucas to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the flatlands of Nebraska and the deserts of Texas, we have done it all. And many of these road miles we've towed either our 30' Weekend Warrior fifth wheel or the latest addition to our fleet, a huge triple-axle 40' Millinium Race Hauler. When we weren't towing, we were chasing SCORE-International and BFGoodrichs teams all over the Baja Peninsula. From deep sand washes and pearly white beaches to thick mud and paint scratching brush, we've raged an off-road war with the dirt demons this past year. And after 58,000 miles ATS Diesel Performance won the battle and the war of the off-road and on-road automatic tranny abuse! ATS Diesel Performance Rocks!!!

BLAZIN' TRAILS: Traveling extensively on the back roads of the some of the most remote places on the Baja Peninsula, the Dodge Ram 2500 ATS Diesel tranny was no worries as we chased our adventures.

Baja, California: Just prior to the famed 2003 SCORE-International Baja 1000 off-road race, we made a visit to Clint and Ranee's shop in Wheatridge, Colorado as we prepared for over 3000 miles of knarly off-road travel throughout the Baja Peninsula. We had again been selected by the SCORE/BFGoodrich Baja 1000 team to participate in the "making of the course." Using sophisticated GPS plotting software and providing radio communications from each relay station, the Baja 1000 race course just doesn't appear on the map one day. And of course, supported by ATS Diesel Performance, the Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 is a regular participant in these adventures. You don't want to be on the side of a mountain on the Baja Peninsula and have automatic tranny problems. Well, no doubt Clint Cannon has solved that problem for us!

Rolling into the ATS Diesel Performance shop on the first icy cold day of the winter, we had just arrived from the top of the Vail Pass where the snow was deep and the roads icy. We drove directly into the shop and soon enough, the ORC Desert Tank was up on the rack dripping ice and road grime into their clean shop.

This visit was for one thing and one thing only, we were there to check out the ATS Stage IV Auto Transmission after some serious off-roading and toting of heavy trailers throughout North America. ATS Diesel Performance top technician - also known in the halls as "Hunky Jim" was the man put to the task. While he got to ripping out the tranny from the Dodge, Clint Cannon and Mike Meineke met with me and discussed some upgrades to the high-performing Dodge Ram. Soon enough, it was a work in progress. In about 30 minutes, the ATS Diesel transmission was out of the Dodge Ram Desert Tank and on the way to "Woody," aka Fred, for some serious disection. By the time I got upstairs Woody had the insides of that tranny coming out of the case like he was performing open heart surgery. Knowing first hand where ORC had been all year long and how hard we pushed that transmission I was more than interested to see what the transmission looked like. And I wasn't surprised as Woody pulled it apart and it was clean as a whistle. The clutch plates were stunning, the input shaft barely had a look of use and the heart of the transmission was in fantastic shape. Wow...after all those miles of punishing abuse, you'd never think that transmission could withstand that extreme heart and load that we placed on it all year long. After going through the entire transmission Woody got to cleaning and putting the pieces back together. Mike Meineke already had the shop boys blazing a trail on the Dodge Ram Desert Tank as they pushed onward to transforming the Dodge Ram Desert Tank into a hearty monster. On the ATS Diesel Performance Agenda were a few things to accomplish on that cold icy day as they worked their excellence on the Dodge Ram Desert Tank.

OKAY....so we didn't go from the DODGE Ram to this 800 horsepower Trophy Truck of Scott Steinberger, but no doubt we are pushing the limits of 500 horsepower and fire breathing power that is ready to blast the dirt of the Baja Peninsula!!! Visit www.PCIRacing.com for more details about the #7 Race Truck.

ATS DIESEL PERFORMANCE: But we did convert many Dodge nay-sayers as we blasted by them at speeds we cannot publish. They merely said, "You have got to be kidding me!!!"

2003 BAJA 1000 CHAMPIONS DP RACING BACKED BY ATS DIESEL PERFORMANCE: DP Racing won the SCORE Baja 500 in June 2003 and backed it up with capturing the 2003 Baja 1000 Championship in the PRO-250cc Class 22. ATS Diesel Performance lended their support as they "loaded" our Dodge Ram for maximum horsepower and performance allowing us to run the Baja Peninsula in support of our race team. At one point we were stuck in slower traffic on Mexico's Highway 1 and ATS put the heart into the Dodge Ram allowing us to push the limits of extreme performance. We arrived over 250 miles away with only moments to spare. We conducted a full pit service on the race bike for the final 400 miles of the race. With new rubber on the wheels and fitted High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting, clean filters and full of fuel our rider was off and just hours later he crossed the finish line to capture the Baja 1000 checkered flag for the race championship as well as the season championship!!!

ATS DIESEL PERFORMANCE CHAMPIONS

ATS BILLET INPUT SHAFT ON THE LEFT, AND THE HARDENED INPUT SHAFT ON THE RIGHT AFTER 50K+ BLISTERING MILES. Visit ATS Diesel at www.ATSDiesel.com for the latest in transmission performance and technology.

GENERAL MANAGER- MIKE MEINEKE & HIS PUPPY

The ATS Diesel Staff put in over a 12-hour day working on the Dodge Ram as we were headed back towards the Baja Peninsula for the SCORE/BFGoodrich Baja 1000 Pre-Run. The tremendous effort and hard work by the ATS Diesel Performance staff is second to none.

So with the upgrades installed we were about to embark on our own little adventure in the snowy mountains of Colorado. After a quick top off of fuel at the Flying J truck stop, we were about to blast up and over the Vail Pass. With the icy roads and snow falling, it was necessary to hold back all the power that ATS Diesel Performance had just fitted the Dodge Ram with. However, we had to test this beast! With the power level set to the highest level (9), we mashed the pedal to the floor and let her rip straight up the hill. Exactly what you would expect!!! PURE POWER put to the rear wheels, as developed by Clint and Ranee, ATS Founders. With the exhaust temperatures within reality, the Dodge Ram Desert Tank performed flawlessly.

The remainder of the 1200-mile trip was testing as I pushed the Dodge Ram Desert Tank to the extreme as I had never before. On the open highways of America, ATS Diesel Performance powered the Dodge Ram Desert Tank with high-performance efficient and reliable power. If you want to pass that big rig tractor trailer now or later as he travels on Interstate 70 at 85 mph, you merely put the power to the floor and take control.

A variety of companies offer performance upgrades, however not many stand behind their products as Clint and Ranee do. With ORC's extensive off-road travel to the remote places of North America, we have chosen to partner up with ATS Diesel Performance as we believe they manufacture the highest quality aftermarket diesel products on the market. We were off to Baja Mexico for work!

TRIPLELOK LEADS THE WAY FOR OFF-ROAD.COM

Baja Peninsula's Mexico Highway 1 is not a good road when compared to the roads of the United States as seen above. At times there are massive pot holes and rough areas that will test any vehicle. And once your enter Baja California, you leave the security of your local dealer or repair center behind.

As the primary chase vehicle on the Pacific Coast for the DP Racing Team, we encountered roads of each variety. From wide-open single lane asphalt to driving cross country across fields with no roads, we had to provide fuel, parts and support to this championship race team. Running the back roads of the Baja Peninsula eating the dust of the Terrible Herbst Chase Truck, ATS Diesel Performance led the way as we "hammered down" to pass their chase truck in support of the DP Racing Team.

By the end of that 40-hour long day, we were told via Satellite phone that our DP Race Team had accomplished what we came to the Baja Peninsula for, a Baja 1000 Championship!!! And we could not have done it without the support of ATS Diesel Performance. Raging on the dirt roads and trails of one of the toughest off-road races in the world, the Dodge Ram Desert Tank conquered them all bringing ATS Diesel Performance to the top with DP Racing at the Baja 1000.

ATS DIESEL PERFORMANCE HYBRID 40 TURBO: If you are looking for the maximum performance combined with outstanding reliablity the ATS Hybrid 40 Turbo is the only way to go. ORC took it to the Baja Peninsula and rocked the dirt!!

ATS 360 HP INJECTORS INSTALLED BY THE PROS

Visit ATS Diesel Performance for your high-performance transmission needs at www.ATSDiesel.com

Stay tuned throughout the year as ORC provides you with complete performance testing on all the latest diesel technology and upgrades made possible by ATS Diesel Performance.