- Big Red -

1966 Ford C-Series Race Car Hauler
Bobby Allison - Geoff Bodine - Ray Hendrick - Red Farmer - Junie Donlavey

Ownership Time Line

????	Original Fabricator	????
1969-1971	Bob Adams, Richmond VA	Drivers Ray Hendrick, Red Farmer
??	Sleeper Cab Upgrade	All Roads Lead to Junie Donlavey
1973-1975	Al McClure Ford, Troy PA	Drivers Geoff Bodine
1975-1977	Stans Exxon, Milroy PA	Drivers Paul Wagner, Clate Husted
1977-2004	Hagerstown Speedway, MD	Drivers Bobby Allison, Tom Peck
2004-2024	Ramble'n Randy, PA

As of January of 2024, I Ramblin Randy ( the current owner ) am still actively searching for who fabricated this hauler when it was showroom new. If you have photos of this hauler I sure would like to see them..!

Send me an email if you have info...!

At some time in it's history the truck was given the nickname Big Red..!

UPDATE: 11/14/2023... The missing link photo discovered..!!!

1969 thru 1971 - Bob Adams of Richmond Virginia owned the hauler and it's a good bet to say he was the original owner. In this wonderful photo we see racing legend (700+ wins) Rapid Ray Hendrick's #11 Chevelle being transported during the years 1969 and 1970. Notice how the eye catching "FLAMING 11" door graphic matches the upper tire deck metal fabrication. Coincidence...? I think we're looking at the handywork raining down from a team of master craftsmen.

1971 thru 1973 - Sometime during this time frame the hauler underwent major upgrades: as wheels, chassis, and cab were swapped including the addition of the rare sleeper cab. The upper tire deck was extended to 3 rows capacity and another set of cabinets added under the tires. The rear side guards "fins" on the bed were removed to allow wider tires. The bed today shows all the "scars" where metal was removed and new welds are evident showing us where storage was expanded. Still nailing down the ownership time line for Bob Adams. We have documented photos of the Adams truck in service in 1969 thru 1971. ( Red Farmer drove the #11 in 1971 placing 4th at the Martinsville Cardinal 500 )

1973 thru 1975 - Pictured above is Big Red in Troy Pennsylvania. Al McClure of the McClure Ford Dealership raced with the truck for several years. The race team (we believe to be the 1975 season) drove the hauler to Shangri-La Speedway where they joined with Geoff Bodine who lived 20 minutes from the track. Geoff Bodine has corresponded with me and confirmed how during the winter months Al McClure and himself built the Ford Mustang he raced at local tracks.

1975 thru 1977. Pictured is Paul Wagner's #68 on the back of Big Red. Racers Clate Hausted and Paul Wagner raced on small tracks in the Mid-Atlantic region. The truck was owned by Stan Berich and based in Milroy Pennsyvaina. Big Red visited the Hagerstown Speedway in 1976 hauling Clate Hausted's car to the Hub-City 150.

1977 - Hagerstown Speedway purchases Big Red. The purchase date on the title was 1977 so we can confirm that date in history. In this 1979 photo local favorite Tom Peck's #40 sits on the truck. Note the original "light gray swoosh" trim was in use from the mid 70's thru the early 80's.

1983 - Pictured is Big Red at the Franklin County Speedway in Virginia. Bobby Allison's #22 is sitting on the truck. The super speedway car could not compete with the locals in their short track cars and Allison did not win this night. This is the first photo I have with the new paint scheme on the hauler. No names or numbers for the drivers were applied to the hauler bed according to former crew mates.

1984 Charlotte Motor Speedway. Pictured is Bobby Allsions #22 car on Big Red... Allison won the big race this day. The hauler was repainted sometime in this era adding gold trim to the white swoosh. Allison's team colors were red/white/gold and I have to assume the truck was freshened up with new paint to compliment Allison's use. Speedway owner Frank Plessinger shares a long lasting friendship with Bobby Allsion and had sponsored Allison over the decades. Plessinger was Allison's main NASCAR sponsor in 1983 and 1984.

Roughly 1990s. Pictured is Frankie Plessinger's #9 car sitting on the back of Big Red. The paint scheme is the same and has not changed up thru 2023 today.

Roughly 1990s. I have always enjoyed the angle of the photo seeing the driver heading to the truck with garment bag slung over his shoulder... ready to roll. Frankie Plessinger's #9 car.

February 2004 . Pictured is Big Red as I found it as I was driving the back roads thru Pennsylvania. I said to Frankie Jr I'll buy the truck if you'll give me a 30 minute lesson on how to drive the beast. I had never driven a truck with air brakes and the 10 speed rear was foreign to me. Quickly I learned to LOVE driving the big rig..!!! I asked my landlord at the time, local racer Bucky Rees if he'd take it for a test drive and make sure everything was working as it should and he gladly climbed into the drivers seat. Rolling down the pike Bucky says: "This baby is geared high and really rolls down the road mighty fine...!" ( truck does 70mph with ease )

March 2004. Pictured sitting outside my residence near the C&O Canal the week I bought the truck.

2004 Spring Carlisle Swap Meet. The sole reason I bought the truck was to transform it into a "internet cafe on wheels" and promote my parts business. The plan was install 6 laptop stations in the many cabinets of the hauler bed and power the wifi cafe via a satellite uplink. But before I could iron out the logistics of my little traveling internet cafe... someone went and invented the smart phone and now everyone has the internet at their finger tips. One thing is for sure I had a royal blast with this truck ( and my silly mannequins ) everytime we hit the road..! Before I obtained the big truck my vending gimmick was a stuffed groundhog sitting on a stack of used tires.... maybe you've seen me vending at Hershey or Carlisle..?

2023 December. The truck starts and runs great..! Recently discovered shop logs document the 391ci engine has been driven less than 5,000 miles, as a new engine was installed by the local Bedford Ford dealership. The air brakes are fully functional but the compressor will be needing replaced/repaired soon due to a pinhole casting leak. At this moment there are no air leaks in the brake system. All tires hold air but they are aged. In November I replaced all hydraulics on the clutch line and this truck shifts and drives as it should. I should have decided to sell this truck years ago ( it has sat in the same spot since 2006 ) and anyway if you'd like a huge piece of racing history and you have the means to give it the attention it needs... get in touch with me. Phone or Text 301-842-2121 and leave a message..! Email or text is my preference. The truck will be available for purchase at the end of January.

Send me an email if you'd like more info...!

I am working on several videos that will provide the full story on our "57 years old" truck's physical condition, including a inventory of the many NOS parts and the 20 pounds of factory literature that accompanies the truck. This truck has been repaired over and over but never restored.

"Enjoy Life... It's Later Than We Think..!"