He said, "We wanted to emphasize mild, cost-effective, and reliable power under the stress of the team trailer. We attend many events in the mountains, and it was becoming increasingly frustrating dealing with high EGTs year after year. We needed dependable power from our engine, and a super strong transmission to handle the 30,000 miles we drive each season." What came from that immediacy was a rebuild that would ultimately turn a lowly Dodge Ram into a powerhouse on the cycling circuit.

Naturally, ATS tackled the toughest job first, rebuilding the stock 48RE with the company's tow performance valve body and its deep transmission pan. Considered one of the best ways to lower transmission temperatures, the aluminum ATS Deep Pan is designed with a 1-inch magnetic drain plug, which makes servicing easier. The transmission build also included an ATS valve body to improve shift quality and exhaust brake performance. To deliver optimum torque while ensuring maximum lockup to prevent slippage on the steep mountain roads, Vestal gave a nod to the ATS Five-Star Vikus torque converter and Co-Pilot electronic lockup controller.

At this point in the build, everything revolved around lower engine and transmission temperatures, and so ATS looked at the stock turbo and declared it obsolete. In its place, ATS bolted on the Aurora 3000 with a Pulse-Flo exhaust manifold. ATS designed the Aurora 3000 for quicker response with maximum airflow to keep things cool under the hood. An AFE Stage 1 air intake and an ATS 4-inch single exhaust from the turbo-back complemented the new upgrades.

The Aurora 3000 is considered a factory replacement turbo system that fits in place of the stock unit. To get the Aurora to spool up sooner, Vestal saw the advantages of replacing the stock exhaust manifold with the ATS Pulse Flow. Among the many other things it does, it increases fuel efficiency and tolerates heat much better than stock.

To assume more control over performance output, Vestal went with an Edge EZ. It is a reliable performance upgrade for the driver who wants adjustable power bands, added towing capacity, and improved fuel economy. Installing the EZ took only 10 minutes and required no mechanic labor, drilling, or computer downloading. Simply plug the EZ into two stock connectors and you're ready to go.

While the Dodge quad cab is at stock ride height, Vestal added a Timbren Suspension Enhancement Kit over the rear axle and wrapped his Continental tires around 18-inch American Racing wheels. Together, the new suspension upgrade and better-than-stock wheel/tire package provided driver Dusty Labarr and Vestal with the bump-free, secure ride they needed for the long hauls.

JBL and Kustom Kar Audio of Boulder get the credit for a 1500-watt stereo system that includes JBL Gti series drivers, amps, and a 10-inch subwoofer. Driving the sound and providing iPod connectivity plus Sirius satellite radio is an Alpine 9883 CDA head unit. Navigation is aided by a Harman/Kardon GPS-810 system that includes a wireless controller.

The result? A daily-driven, workhorse Dodge Ram that has 110,000 miles on the odometer and zero mechanical failures and which has racked up 35,000 miles over seven months with 10,000 pounds in tow. Along the way, Trek-VW team athletes won three national championships along with 25 race victories.

After everything was said and done, it was time for the mechanic and manager to get some well-deserved R&R-but not before mapping out the fast-approaching 2009 cycling season and working with other aftermarket suppliers on another round of power-adders to get down the road even faster..