It’s been a minute since I was last at a truck pull, and I have to admit that I miss the violence of each run. Screaming engines under full load struggling against the weight of the trailer make for a howl that can potentially rival your average dragstrip soundtrack…that’s heaven in my ears. It’s putting an engine to the ultimate test, it’s a great way to find any little fault in the powertrail, and it’s always a crowd pleaser. Certainly the fans in the crowd at the Richmond Coliseum got their money’s worth back in the day…what would you like to see? How about Art Arfons…yeah, Mr. “Green Monster” himself…rolling up in a tractor sporting two GE turbines? It’s somewhat common now, but in 1991, that had to be a jaw-dropping show. Same with the “Midnight Express” Ford Model T exhibition truck that looks like a Hot Wheels vehicle come to life, or the tractors that packed tank engines, aircraft V-12 engines. Hell, even the 4WD trucks with howling V8s are plenty enough to keep our attention. It’s amazing to think that three hundred-odd feet of packed dirt can have so much action on it, and it’s amazing to think that a Bonneville Salt Flats veteran can come out and show-out a bunch of farm boys at their own game!
(Thanks to Cale Smith for the tip!)
I was there. I was about 12 years old then and my dad took me to all of these at the coliseum. I learned of Arfons from this and the older I got I found out all the other stuff he had done over the years. I’m glad I was able to see it all live.