It’s often a popular thing to say among racing fans that “A hauler has never won a race” when the topic of how drivers and teams arrive at the track is discussed. And until someone comes up with a series that features big rigs, that statement will literally be true. However, there is an element to the statement that is often left out.
Teams with big haulers tend to also have big resources behind their efforts
What is typically omitted from the conversation is that the haulers in question may indeed not race on the track but they are indicative of something bigger. The resources so badly needed to succeed in the modern-day version of the sport of auto racing are in fact represented by those big rigs.
Yes, the talent level of an accomplished driver matters throughout the course of any race event. And of course, the skill of an experienced and innovative crew can and does make a difference in the performance of a race car. But at the same time, neither of those two entities can succeed in today’s highly technical and expensive world of racing without the proper equipment.
The truck itself is not the equipment needed to win any given race but teams that have the resources to afford such a hauler are likely to also have the other essential pieces of equipment that make race cars go fast in today’s world.
Those who choose to argue otherwise might need to read the recent story posted on DirtonDirt.com by Kevin Kovac in which driver Tim McCreadie outlines the struggles he and his team are going through. Further, the racer detailed how difficult it was to race without the instrument used to carry all of his equipment along with the race cars themselves.
Tim McCreadie did not have his familiar hauler last weekend at Eldora
While certainly there is more to the story than the fact that the New York driver’s team had to employ the use of a dually truck and box trailer in order to make it to the Dirt Late Model Dream this past weekend at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway. But at the heart of the matter is the issue of the team’s limited resources and the reality that the driver who finished second in last year’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series standings is having a difficult time just making it from race to race.
No, McCreadie’s hauler has never won a race, but the resources represented by that piece of machinery have absolutely contributed to the talented driver’s success. While it was certainly a contributing factor, the former World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion’s raw talent alone did not win him last year’s Silver Dollar Nationals or North-South 100. He had to have a capable car as well to compete with the other drivers who also have raw talent and capable cars. And that capable car comes from resources.
Open trailers have their place in racing
Of course, there will always be a place for open trailers and box trailers pulled by dually pickup trucks in racing. Drivers and teams who do not race very far from home on a regular basis or who compete in weekly classes on just one of two tracks most of the time can do just fine with such equipment. And those who arrive in such a way can certainly win races if their money has been spent more wisely elsewhere.
So again, it’s not the truck that pulls the car that wins the race. However, the truck that pulls the car to the track can indeed indicate there are considerable resources that went into said car which will give it a better chance to win if the driver and crew are also up to par.
