There’s something quite
spectacular about things that weren’t meant to go fast…that actually go
very, very fast. This is Shockwave. It breathes fire, it’s large, and it
holds the title as the world’s fastest jet-powered truck.
Originally built by Les Shockley in 1984, this souped-up Peterbilt Semi sports not one but three
Pratt & Whitney J34-48 jet engines, the same type used in the US
Navy’s T2 Buckeye training aircraft. Arranged in a triangular formation
at the rear of the truck, each jet puts out a staggering
12,000-horsepower for a total output of 36,000hp and 19,000 pounds of
static thrust.
So how fast does it go? Guinness
World Records clocked Shockwave at a screaming 376mph. Even more
shocking, it’ll cover a standing quarter mile in just six and a half
seconds. Not too shabby considering the truck weighs about 7,000 pounds.
Stopping power comes from
massive all-wheel disc brakes and a pair of military-grade parachutes
that produce an impact of negative 9G when deployed. Admittedly, fuel
consumption isn’t exactly light. Shockwave burns through 180 gallons of
diesel fuel per performance.
Current owner and driver Neal
Darnell, of Darnell Racing Enterprises, bought Shockwave in 2012 and
comprehensively rebuilt and updated the rig in 2012. Now, Darnell and
his son Chris have it back on the road, tearing up drag strips and air
shows across North America for its 30th year of performance.
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