Diesel Trucks are Trending Up
Diesel Trucks are Trending Up
The phrase “destination pull” is one that has been coined and utilized frequently in the past few years of pulling. These usually come in one of two varieties: The massive pull that draws in all the pullers and fans due to its purse, prestige, or history. Bowling Green, Ohio and the National Farm Machinery Show would be two excellent examples of this. The other classification is the stand alone event, that allows pullers and fans an extended opportunity to indulge in the horsepower driven sport they love. The calendar and geography play to the advantage of this type of pull. They tend to exist late, or early in the year, in southern or western climates, that allow a pull to occur at a non-traditional time. Examples of these may include Lufkin, Texas; the Golden State Invitational; or Diesels in Dark Corners.
It is the final one listed that draws the attention of today’s write-up. I distinctly remember mid last November returning to my home late on a Friday night looking forward to watching that evening’s replay of Diesels in Dark Corners. This is a destination pull in Georgia that emphasizes diesel truck pulling. I was away from my streaming services on various other functions and made it to my recliner at approximately 10:30 that night. Knowing this would have been 11:30 Georgia time, I resigned myself to the fact that I would surely be watching a replay, and would just have to start the live action the next day. I brought up the website, pushed play, and was shocked to hear a live announcer. This next bit of dialogue is paraphrasing Alright folks, that puts us half way through the 2.6 class, with 22 trucks left to go. We will have 3.0 trucks and semis up next! At 11:30 at night, they weren’t done. Not even close. Had there been a rain delay? Did I misread the start time? But hearing the words, “half-way” and “22 to go” I immediately knew none of those were the case. This pull was huge! It would go on to conclude well in the wee hours of the morning.
I watched the whole show live, the next day. Six classes. Five of them with their roots in diesel truck pulling. Classes with 40, 50, or even 60 competitors. Every diesel truck puller in the country seemed to be here! This also made something else wildly apparent: diesel truck classes have become insanely popular. Popular to watch, yes, but also popular to build. Seven hours worth of pulling, almost exclusively on a single type of class. Are diesel trucks the new most popular class in pulling, and if so, how did we get to this point. I know we talk about truck and tractor pulling, but this sport started as tractor pulling. When did diesel trucks, a class that didn’t jump on the scene until just barely twenty years ago, take over the sport?
I interviewed one such puller not long ago, and I believe this young man hit the nail on the head. He described how relatable a diesel truck feels. How relevant and apparent it is to his lifestyle. Much more so, he claimed, than most typical agricultural equipment or tractors. This simply made sense. More and more youths are going into trade schools and skill based labor. Jobs that require hauling, and towing, and driving. Racking up the miles. Fifty years ago, every young man in the midwest had a tractor sitting in the shed. Some small planters. Maybe a Gleaner combine. Now, every young man has a boss, or a dad, or himself owns a Powerstroke, or Duramax, or Cummins. These are the new blue collar vehicles of the trade. When the youngsters discuss their preferred methods of horsepower they aren’t typically discussing GTO’s or 4430’s. Now instead they discuss 6.7’s, 7.3’s, lb7’s, chips, and delete kits. The diesel truck is the new common factor. It’s apparent in the jobs. It’s embedded in the culture. It is what has become cool and relevant and relatable.
This is reflected in the multitude of classes offered in the diesel truck pulling world. Pro street, limited pro stock, pro stock, and super stock diesel trucks all offer a variety of options for fans and pullers alike. And while, I admit, I was slow to the party, and held on a long time with my preference to the tractors, even I must say, these diesel truck folks are putting on a heck of a show at all classes. They allow something new. It is relevant to the youth. It makes a lot of noise, blows a lot of smoke, and has fun doing it. And hey, at the end of the day, isn’t that what pulling is all about?
Green Flags and Tight Chains
Pullin’ is fun.
Mike Eitel
Beer Money Pulling Team Engagement Specialist
michael.eitel.bevier@gmail.com
660.342.0206
