TRUCKS , TRAILERS & PIT EQUIPMENT
GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR PIT AREA IN 2021
ust as drag racers have been pushing the envelope and introducing new technology on the dragstrip , they ’ ve been doing the same next to the dragstrip . From trucks and trailers to toolboxes and tow vehicles , racers have consistently grown and expanded the equipment they use to get to the races and to ensure they have everything they need ( and want ) when they ’ re there .
Take for example the trucks and trailers category . There was a time not long ago when the most well-funded drivers showed up in pickup trucks and open trailers , or even ramp trucks . Now , a look around the pits at just about any national or regional-level event offers up a sea of motorhomes , totorhomes , stacker trailers and full-size , 53-foot tractortrailers . They ’ re mini mansions on wheels , providing the comforts of home and the utilities of the race shop while at the races .
Even 10 years ago , most guys had crew cab duallies and a 28-foot bumper pull or a 40-foot gooseneck ,” says Alan Cape , who ’ s been in the motorsports truck and trailer business since 1988 , when he started Flying A Motorsports . “ Even your big-time Pro Mod players had pickup trucks and trailers . Then the toterhomes and motorhomes came along .”
As racers have looked for increasingly bigger and nicer options , manufacturers have consistently stepped up to fill that need .
“ The good trailers have gotten really , really , really good over the years ,” Cape says . “ Companies like T & E , those trailers are fabulous . There ’ s not a whole lot you can ’ t do in your trailer now . Awnings are much , much better . The LED lights have made a huge difference over the last few
December 2020 years . Working at night is unbelievably better now compared to how it used to be .
“ They ’ ve also made huge quality improvements in motorhomes and toterhomes ,” Cape continues . “ You used to walk into a toterhome and it was really basic . Now they look like a nice , plush motorhome with nice furniture , good fit and finish , high-quality appliances and so on . Everything has taken huge jumps as far as quality and fit and finish .”
Over the last few years , Cape has noticed a new trend emerging in the sportsman and semi-professional ranks , as racers have realized bigger isn ’ t always better when it comes to haulers .
“ A few years ago , the trend was get bigger , get bigger , get bigger . The last year or two , it ’ s been more about downsizing ,” Cape says . “ The tractortrailer setups are so expensive to license and insure , then you need a CDL driver . You still see people that use those setups , but the vast majority of guys are guys who own their own business and need something they can jump in on Thursday night with their family and their crew to take off for the races .”
In this first-ever DI Focus feature , Drag IllustrateD has sought out the very best offerings from industry-leading manufacturers , ranging from brand-new trailers to fire alarms for the trailer sitting in your shop . We ’ ve also spoken to the people behind these products , as well as the people who use them , to help readers learn more about how to maximize their pit equipment . Use this section as a wish list and a shopping guide this winter when you ’ re seeking out the items that will help you take your program to the next level in 2021 . – NATE VAN WAGNEN DI
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