Open Haulers/Open Trailers

[scottnorwood]

I was raised on CNY dirt tracks and I remember everyone having sometype of "open" car hauler or trailer. I used to get excited seeing them go by my house Sat. afternoon. I grew up between Mexico, NY and Fulton, NY so I saw John Barker, John Phelps, LeRoy Hurlbut, and Steve Crouse all drive by on Sat's. I used to wait outside to watch them go by... I am wondering if anyone would like to share some classic open hauler pics from any era....because i am missing those days right now.

[fiend540]

One of my memories of going to LOL as a kid was of Mcreadies hauler, it's a little faint but I remember it being a angled flatbed that held one car, with a trailer behind it for the second car.

[District11Farms]

One of my memories of going to LOL as a kid was of Mcreadies hauler, it's a little faint but I remember it being a angled flatbed that held one car, with a trailer behind it for the second car.

I remember that for sure.

When we got into this racing thing we had to choose between a open hauler and a closed one. Personally because we are all about intereacting with fans I really would prefer a open trailer, in fact I have one for the just in case night where the car may be so wrecked we have to come home and get it instead of the closed hauler. The problem comes in that we haev so many extra parts and tools boxes and tires and generator and the list just on and on it's hard to fit it all in the back of a truck bed and then the what if it rains moment. Thats why we went to a closed trailer.

I agree though the good old days of seeing the open trailers with cars on them was a part of the overall dirt racing events. Maybe towards the end of the season we will swap over to the open hauler for a couple events and just go lighter.

Jon

[Gary]

Open haulers were great. Every time I saw one on the highway on Friday/Saturday nights, I'd beg my father to follow the hauler. It didn't work every time but the times it did work and we went to the races are forged in my memory. I miss FMP, Chemung, Shangri-la, Penn Can like crazy.

[dan dan]

my neighbor that used to live down the road had a old 60s chevy ramptruck that was painted black with yellow rims just like his mod. that was back in the 320 days i believe.

[yvan lacroix]

As per your request, the first on belongs to John Rock, a regular at Airborne Speedway with his classic cars(the pic was taken last Satuday)

This one is mine, a 1976 Chevy with a Hodges Body, all this truck has ever done from day 1 is haul a race car.

This one has been sitting in a barn for many years, still has the car on it, the owner refuses to sell it.

Visit this thread on the HAMB.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=174789

[fiend540]

That HAMB thread has occupied alo of my time over the past year, so much good stuff in their.

[Bicknell27h]

As a kid I was always a huge fan of Curt VanPelt's bus hauler. I thought that thing was the coolest in the world. No one can forget Bob McCreadie's roll back, it was so basic and classy and used by an all time great! Its amazing how this has changed to having full toters and Stackers at local tracks. I dont see the point of a guy who runs just a Saturday show to have a full blow rig. But to each their own, the trailer and truck dont make the car any faster!

[BobMiller]

But to each their own, the trailer and truck dont make the car any faster!

Something else to think about...

When you are on the track in your race car, you'll be lucky to have 2,000 to 2,500 people looking at it. When you drag it down the road in an enclosed trailer, NOBODY sees it. Put it on an open trailer, and 10,000 other people will see it. So honestly, is a guy with a brand new enclosed trailer doing his sponsors any justice?

I understand the reasoning behind enclosed trailers, trust me. But if you don't have a mural of your car on the outside, you aren't giving your sponsors their monies worth -- just my opinion.

[yvan lacroix]

Its amazing how this has changed to having full toters and Stackers at local tracks. I dont see the point of a guy who runs just a Saturday show to have a full blow rig. But to each their own, the trailer and truck dont make the car any faster!

So true, I brought some customers to the races from Morocco a few weeks ago, they likend the front pit row in Granby to a formula 1 pit. They were dumbfounded when they learned that 25% of the teams there run only Granby, and live within a 30 min drive of the track. Out of our 30 regular mods only 1 has an open trailer, for the sportsman class, again same car count and only 3 have open trailers, while others have stackers, the Prostocks also only have a few open trailers, and even a stacker in the por-stocks. Even our 4 cyl cars have enclosed trailers.

I enjoy the simplicity of my hauler, easy to drive, easy to park, and has everything I need may need in the pits for our racing. After a race from checkered flag to the time I can drive out of the pits is a 15 min affair, 10 if we rush it.

Here is looking in turn 1 at the pit in Granby, this was taken a few years ago, on a regular local race night

Same night turn 4

[dan dan]

As a kid I was always a huge fan of Curt VanPelt's bus hauler. I thought that thing was the coolest in the world. No one can forget Bob McCreadie's roll back, it was so basic and classy and used by an all time great! Its amazing how this has changed to having full toters and Stackers at local tracks. I dont see the point of a guy who runs just a Saturday show to have a full blow rig. But to each their own, the trailer and truck dont make the car any faster!

i remember curts bus hauler, im thinking it was red and white wasnt it? with a 13 on the side.

to further clarify my neighbors ramp truck, i dont know if it was home built or not, id have to ask my dad. the ramps went up over the top of cab if i remember right and it was open in the middle.

[Craig Revelle]

I have no problem with enclosed trailers, as I know it much more convenient to haul equipment with, and it is much nicer. I just wish people would add some color and design to it and make it more appealing. It doesnt make any sense to have an all white or all black hauler. It can be used as a billboard to promote the driver and sponsors of the race team. A nice wrap on the trailer with a photo of the car can be the next best thing to having an open hauler.

i remember curts bus hauler, im thinking it was red and white wasnt it? with a 13 on the side.

to further clarify my neighbors ramp truck, i dont know if it was home built or not, id have to ask my dad. the ramps went up over the top of cab if i remember right and it was open in the middle.

[hunter49]

One of my memories of going to LOL as a kid was of Mcreadies hauler, it's a little faint but I remember it being a angled flatbed that held one car, with a trailer behind it for the second car.

I remember being at a race,I think in Cornwall And they asked Bob about his trailer.All he said was ,trailers don,t win races,cars do.Man could he drive.

[Bicknell27h]

Bob was totally right in that statement. However I do agree the trailers we use now a days are very good moving billboards. We have logos on the side of our trailer for sponsors, but since we change up the design of the car so much, no car picture. To do a wrap on a trailer costs alot of money, a nice wrap on a 40ft enclosed trailer will run a couple grand. Hence why most teams leave them white or black or standard color.

[WheelsUpHammerDown10]

Bob was totally right in that statement. However I do agree the trailers we use now a days are very good moving billboards. We have logos on the side of our trailer for sponsors, but since we change up the design of the car so much, no car picture. To do a wrap on a trailer costs alot of money, a nice wrap on a 40ft enclosed trailer will run a couple grand. Hence why most teams leave them white or black or standard color.

Don't you think some might shy away from it too because of the troubles in Canada over the years with haulers being robbed or stolen?

[12A-alltheway]

Growing up in Whitehall, NY, it always was a big thrill whenever Devil's Bowl hosted a big show.

As a Jack Johnson fan, I was pumped when Run What Ya Brung was on the schedule because I knew Jack would be headed through town at some point.

I rode my bike to the Stewart's on Route 4 in town just to watch the cars, and especially the 12A, go through on their way to the Bowl.

This was one my first efforts with a camera and a roll of film, taken through the pit gate. I think it was 1983, 84 or 85 and I would have been somewhere between 8, 9 or 10 at the time.

Jack Johnson

http://s413.photobucket.com/albums/pp215/12A-alltheway/Super%20DIRT%20Week%20pics/CVRA%20pics/?action=view&current=bowl3.jpg

I took these the same day as they waited to check in.

Kenny Brightbill

http://s413.photobucket.com/albums/pp215/12A-alltheway/Super%20DIRT%20Week%20pics/CVRA%20pics/?action=view&current=bowl6.jpg

Will Cagle

http://s413.photobucket.com/albums/pp215/12A-alltheway/Super%20DIRT%20Week%20pics/CVRA%20pics/?action=view&current=bowl5.jpg

Andy, Mike or AJ Romano

http://s413.photobucket.com/albums/pp215/12A-alltheway/Super%20DIRT%20Week%20pics/CVRA%20pics/?action=view&current=bowl2.jpg

Sorry about the links, I couldn't get the photos up otherwise.

Of course on another note, pics like this are also why I hate it so much when folks like Bruce Richards say the track was hosting Run What Ya Brung for the first time in the late-90's early 2000s. These pics prove otherwise for sure.

[yvan lacroix]

Don't you think some might shy away from it too because of the troubles in Canada over the years with haulers being robbed or stolen?

Cheap Shot, haulers get stolen on both sides of the border.

[FightForTheRail]

This one has been sitting in a barn for many years, still has the car on it, the owner refuses to sell it.

Yvan, the Jacques Lalancette picture jogged my memory. I had not heard that name in several years. Is he still around? I can remember how shocked I was to see him come to Flemington's midweek SDS Syracuse Qualifier, then read that he suffered a paralyzing crash very shortly after that Flemington visit. Not to be overly morbid, but were you there for the race when Lalancette was paralyzed. What happened in that crash? Was that at Granby or Drummond?

[Greg Birosh]

Something else to think about...

When you are on the track in your race car, you'll be lucky to have 2,000 to 2,500 people looking at it. When you drag it down the road in an enclosed trailer, NOBODY sees it. Put it on an open trailer, and 10,000 other people will see it. So honestly, is a guy with a brand new enclosed trailer doing his sponsors any justice?

I understand the reasoning behind enclosed trailers, trust me. But if you don't have a mural of your car on the outside, you aren't giving your sponsors their monies worth -- just my opinion.

Exactly! Plus, and several other posts confirm it, the open trailers are great for promoting the races in general. Just look how many people on here used to go out and watch the haulers go by because they could see the cars. When I lived in North Carolina, I worked for a company that handled show cars for Busch Series teams. I hauled those cars all over the southeast, in closed trailers with and without graphics. Not one person ever said a word to me unless the car was out of the trailer and on display. Not at a gas station, not at a restaurant, not in a store parking lot. On the flipside, with my open trailer, whether it be with the modified or an enduro car, I get comments and questions every time I stop, and a few while moving down the road. I look forward to getting my car out again soon and hauling it to the track on my open trailer for years to come. I do confess though, I really wish I had a ramp truck, those are so cool!

[dingwallmotorsports]

You can find some decent used stackers with haulers for 65-100 grand. You buy a new Ford/Chev/Dodge 3/4 ton truck you are looking at 40-80 grand plus the cost for a trailer. Many teams find trucking companies as sponsors to haul the stacker to the track and all you have to do is buy the stacker trailer at a fraction of the price.

[yvan lacroix]

Yvan, the Jacques Lalancette picture jogged my memory. I had not heard that name in several years. Is he still around? I can remember how shocked I was to see him come to Flemington's midweek SDS Syracuse Qualifier, then read that he suffered a paralyzing crash very shortly after that Flemington visit. Not to be overly morbid, but were you there for the race when Lalancette was paralyzed. What happened in that crash? Was that at Granby or Drummond?

No I was not there, but having spoken with many who were, not that bad a crash, but loose(or not attached)seatbelts were to blame. Jacques still comes to teh races and is a familiar face in the pits, a great person to talk too. The accedent took plac in Drummond, here is an account for those who read french

Here is a pic of him last year

[banana cognac]

Yvan, thanks for posting that first link. I was about to but saw that you beat me to it

I'm so glad this thread started; I started one that's very similar on the Mustang Forum I am a regular member of down here in the Tri-State Area. I'll be sure to snatch some of these photos to post over there as well (HPMustangs.com)

My brother, father and I always talk about how we miss open trailers. Last season with the modified team we helped with at OCFS we were only 1/2 cars with an open trailer. I still love the car carrier like this guy at Ransomville

[badbanana18]

Hey Banana cognac, from one banana to another, thanks for linking the pic. Driver is Rick Hoctor from Buffalo, ny. I think Tom Stevens has a thing for our truck too. Built that truck in '85 and still gets the job done. We wouldn't travel any other way. Been to Sanair and Nazareth back in the pavement series days.

[banana cognac]

Hey Banana cognac, from one banana to another, thanks for linking the pic. Driver is Rick Hoctor from Buffalo, ny. I think Tom Stevens has a thing for our truck too. Built that truck in '85 and still gets the job done. We wouldn't travel any other way. Been to Sanair and Nazareth back in the pavement series days.

Here's a quick little off topic story: my dad and I went to visit the University of Buffalo last spring. The who way there, all we could think about was opening night at Ransomville after the tour we took during the day. Turned out I hated the school, and the best part of the trip was going to the track.

We were driving through what was the middle of nowhere to us, being totally unfamiliar with the area, and thought we were going the wrong way to the track until we saw that truck go peeling down the driveway. Right then, we knew we were in for a great night. It was the ultimate first impression of the place! And then the line was out the door lol Hot damn, I need to make my way back up there one of these days.

Danny Johnson had a great run that night starting dead last, and finishing second, while cooling his tires in the moat under caution laps. One of the best racing experiences I've ever had On top of that, everyone thought we were crazy when we said we were regulars at OCFS LOL

[skierpilot]

I also remember the story that McCreadie said something like "they don't race haulers on the track, do they? " I also do miss the open trailer days. Often I would see them out on the road when I was on my way to the track. How about the great old paint jobs - I have seen some real nice pickup truck,trailer and stock car paint schemes that were very well done. As others have said here, the enclosed trailers make it so much easier to transport your car (or cars) and equipment to the track. I do think the stacker rigs might be a bit of overkill,especially if you are more of a one or two night week local racer.