Mack Trucks Brings ‘Big Red’ to Big Time Racing at Texas Motor Speedway

11-05-2015 
GREENSBORO, NC (Nov. 4, 2015) – As racing fans gather this weekend to quench their need for speed, they’ll also have the chance to experience the original daredevil, Evel Knievel. With the help of a Mack® Pinnacle™ 70-inch high-rise sleeper model, Knievel’s 1974 Mack FS786LST model show truck will be on display throughout the upcoming NASCAR triple header, which runs Nov. 6-8 at Texas Motor Speedway. 
The fully restored show truck, affectionately known as “Big Red,” will be located on the Texas Motor Speedway Midway, giving fans a chance to get up close and personal with the rig.

Big Red gained fame as the support vehicle for some of the wildest and most-watched stunts ever attempted. Big Red began as a standard Mack FS model cabover truck. Recognized as one of the best on-highway tractors of its day, the FS model combined Mack’s innovative high torque rise Maxidyne® diesel engine with legendary Mack durability. A completely customized rig, Big Red was best known for Knievel’s custom-built dressing room and a cab finished in his signature red, white and blue theme.

The truck is the centerpiece of a permanent Evel Knievel exhibit that will be housed at Topeka, Kansas-based Historic Harley-Davison. The exhibit features several pieces of Knievel memorabilia, including motorcycles, leathers, helmets, medical X-rays, casts and other one-of-a-kind items. As part of a partnership between Mack Trucks, Evel Knievel Enterprises and Historic Harley-Davison, Mack provided two Mack Pinnacle models to help transport the truck while its permanent home is awaiting completion.

“The Chase drivers are down to crunch time as they race toward a championship, and nobody knew the pressure of performing under tough circumstances better than Evel Knievel,” said John Walsh, Mack vice president of marketing. “We build our Mack models to perform under pressure as well, which is why we’re honored to have our trucks bring Big Red to this weekend’s races at Texas Motor Speedway.”

Built to handle the challenges of the open road, the Mack Pinnacle includes several innovative features that improve fuel efficiency and boost driver productivity and comfort. Pinnacle models come standard with the game-changing Mack mDRIVE® automated manual transmission. Engineered to be fully integrated with Mack MP® series engines, mDRIVE can improve fuel efficiency by up to 1.5 percent when compared to a standard transmission.

Pinnacle models are also available with the innovative Mack Twin Y™ Air Suspension. Thanks to a unique design that features two Y-shaped high-strength steel blades, Twin Y not only delivers a smoother, more stable ride, it also weighs up to 400 pounds less than other air suspensions.

Mack’s GuardDog® Connect telematics solution also comes standard on Pinnacle models. It proactively monitors fault codes that could potentially shut down a truck or lead to an unplanned visit to the dealer. This enables a quick diagnosis of issues, proactive scheduling for repairs and confirmation that needed parts are in stock and ready to install, all while the truck is still on the job. GuardDog Connect also offers proactive communication of critical information through Mack ASIST and the Mack OneCall™ customer support network, maximizing customer uptime.


Evel Knievel_TX Motor Speedway

With help from Mack Trucks, Evel Knievel’s “Big Red” (left) will be on display throughout the upcoming NASCAR triple header, which runs Nov. 6-8 at Texas Motor Speedway. Mack provided two Mack Pinnacle models (right) to haul Big Red to stops across the country.



Dedicated to durability, reliability and meeting the needs of customers, Mack Trucks has provided purpose-built transportation solutions for more than a century. Today, Mack is one of North America’s largest producers of heavy-duty trucks, and Mack® trucks are sold and serviced through an extensive distribution network in more than 45 countries. Mack trucks, diesel engines and transmissions sold in North America are assembled in the United States. Mack manufacturing locations are certified to the internationally recognized ISO 9001 standard for quality, ISO 14001 standard for environmental management systems and OHSAS 18001 standard for health and safety management systems. Mack is also a proud sponsor of Share the Road, an American Trucking Associations public information campaign aimed at enhancing the safety of our nation's roadways.

Mack Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, which is driving prosperity through transport and infrastructure solutions, offering trucks, buses, construction equipment, power solutions for marine and industrial applications, financing and services that increase customer uptime and productivity. Founded in 1927, the Volvo Group is committed to shaping the future landscape of sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions. The Volvo Group is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, employs almost 100,000 people and serves customers in more than 190 markets. In 2022, net sales amounted to about $47 billion. For more information, please visit www.volvogroup.com.