HEADLINES: Truck And Tractor Pulling Comes To Lexington, Kentucky
Pro Street Semi’s climb the sand pile in Lexington, Ford earns the North America Truck Of The Year award, and Mattie Graves’ Duramax-powered dragster is headed for the big time.
Indoor dirt slinging came in the form of the Kentucky Invitational Truck & Tractor Pull over the weekend. The action, put on by folks at TNT Truck & Tractor Pull, commenced inside Lexington’s Alltech Arena, and Beer Money Pulling Team was on hand to cover every angle of the 230-foot track. The three-day affair would host 2.6 and 3.0 smooth bore diesel trucks, Hot Farm and Light Limited Super Stock tractors, and a Pro Street semi-truck class. Darrel Fannin’s “Green Hornet” would steal the show in the latter category, driving his Peterbilt up the sand pile. Next up: the Midwest Winter Nationals in Shipshewana, Indiana from January 11-13.
Drag Racing
A Diesel Competes At The Intercontinental Top Dragster Championship
Mattie Graves and the Hollyrock Customs team have been invited to compete at the first-ever Intercontinental Top Dragster Championship. The race will be held at the fifth edition of Drag Illustrated’s World Series of Pro Mod event the weekend of March 1-3 at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida. Mattie’s Duramax-powered rail will be part of a 32-car field that will feature the Top Dragster community’s most elite drivers, each competing for a shot at a winner-take-all payout of $50,000. We wish the fastest lady in diesel the best of luck on race day—and we can’t wait to watch her compete on this exceptional stage.
OEM News
Ford F-Series: America’s Best-Selling Truck For 47 Years
In a streak that has spanned four generations, Ford’s F-series continues to dominate full-size truck sales. For calendar year 2023, more than 700,000 Americans became new F-series Ford truck owners, figures that secured the series’ best-selling reign for the 47th consecutive year. Additionally, 2023 marks the 42nd year in a row that Ford’s F-series can lay claim to the title of best-selling overall vehicle in the United States. In total, 750,789 new trucks were sold, with combined truck and van figures topping 1,081,000. Across all product lines, Ford’s U.S. sales numbers rose 7.1-percent last year, with nearly 2 million vehicles leaving dealership lots.
Ford Super Duty Earns North America Truck Of The Year Honor
The North American Car, Utility and Truck awards committee has named the ’24 Super Duty the North America Truck of the Year. Industry-first technologies such as the Tailgate Down Camera and Pro Power Onboard—along with the automaker’s class-exclusive Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, Onboard Scales and Smart Hitch—helped Ford’s workhorse edge out the crosstown competition. Of course, the Super Duty’s best-in-class towing and payload capacities helped ensure the win, as did the high output 6.7L Powerstroke’s class-leading 500 hp and 1,200 lb-ft rating. Properly equipped, a ’24 Super Duty can tow up to 40,000 pounds or haul 8,000 pounds in the bed.
GM Posts Strong 2023 Sales Figures
Despite the UAW strike last fall, General Motors finished out the year strong in terms of sales. In fact, full-year sales totaled 2.6 million vehicles for GM in 2023, which is up a not-insignificant 14-percent, year-over-year. Impressively, the General increased its market share while maintaining strong pricing and offering few incentives. Combined full-size truck sales between Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra totaled 841,000 units. GM also recorded the highest average transaction prices (ATPs) for Silverado in company history, a result the automaker attributes to “fast-turning off-road capable trims and increased loyalty.”
