Modern car culture has several trends, some of which being better than others. One of these common occurrences is how car enthusiast divide themselves into groups; segmenting each other and holding minor resentment towards those who differ in opinion.
A great example of this is how enthusiasts see trucks. Some view them as ugly, useless, or not fast enough, while others thing they are the perfect platform. To help bridge this gap, observe categories like Pro-Touring Trucks: Trucks that defy the odds with great power outputs, amazing looks, and a competitive track presence.
To delve a bit further into this segment of the automotive community, here are ten interesting facts you may not have known about Pro-Touring Trucks...
10 10. Began In The '80s
Back in the 1980's, series and vehicles like Pro-Touring didn't exist yet. Instead, it was mostly rat rods and drag-specific cars. This would all change, though, when the idea of a highly modified, incredibly fast, sports vehicle became appealing to more and more.
At first, most of these cars were just that: cars. Muscle cars were a big part of Pro-Touring, which later extended to trucks. A lot of people began to see the potential in modified trucks for racing, drag, and so on. Eventually, trucks became a cornerstone of the Pro-Touring class.
9 9. Vehicles From All Eras
In other parts of motor sports, and vehicle classifications more generally, the vehicles in them are usually all from a similar year, follow similar rules and regulations, and have reoccurring models. This, however, is not the case for Pro-Touring.
Since the whole purpose of Pro-Touring is to have a car that is both fast and street legal, not everyone ends up using their cars for competition. As such, some may have trucks from as late as the 1950's, with others fresh out of the factory.
8 8. Highly Modified Vehicles
At first glance, some of the Pro-Touring trucks may not look that impressive. After all, they are trucks, not supercars or world-renowned racers. That may be true to some extent, but, nevertheless, just about every Pro Touring truck (That's worth your time) packs a serious punch.
A good portion of the Pro Touring trucks can be described as "Sleepers:" That is, cars that appear to be slow, yet are actually very quick. In fact, what really makes a Pro Touring truck a Pro Touring truck is its modifications. The car must be highly modified, fast, and capable of much more than just lugging hay.
7 7. Great On Track
As mentioned previously, these Pro Touring cars are, typically, very quick and agile due to their extensive mods and tuning. As a result, they've become a great starting point for motor sports.
Often, you'll see Pro Touring trucks most frequently in series like Autocross or Time Attack. Not every vehicle is tuned to meet the strict qualifications of certain race series, leading more Pro-Tourer's towards the less authoritative avenue.
6 6. Mainly American Made
With Pro Touring's inception in the states and profound love of American muscle, Pro Touring cars are typically American made, even the trucks. There are, however, some exceptions to this (i.e. De Tomaso Pantera), but most tend to follow the trend.
The most popular among the standard Pro Touring cars are the standard muscle cars, such as Mustangs and Challengers. The trucks, on the other hand, aren't always built from the factory with performance in mind. You may see vehicles like a C10, F-series Ford, and a '50s classic. Either way, odds are they'll be a Chevy, Ford, Dodge, or some other G.M. subsidiary.
5 5. Successful In Autocross
Because Pro Touring trucks are highly modified, excellent on track, and very fast, countless drivers have realized just how fantastic of a combo this would be for competition. More specifically, Autocross.
Since there are usually a lot of touch rules and regulations around a majority of wheel-to-wheel racing series, highly modded Pro Touring trucks are better served fighting against the clock. With this freedom, they've found an excellent home in Autocross and many sports like it.
4 4. Could Be Considered "Muscle"
Although these vehicles are trucks, not sedans, coupes, or regular cars, a strong case could be made for these particular trucks being in the "muscle" segment. Ultimately, these Pro Tourers share many of the same traits.
First, though, what makes a car a 'muscle car?' Well, it would seem that the answer would be surrounding where it was made, the engine size, who made it, and the characteristics of the car. With this in mind, nearly all of the Pro Touring trucks easily fall into this category, as so many share those same qualities with their muscle car siblings.
3 3. Relatively Affordable
Believe it or not, Pro Touring cars don't have to be expensive. Yes, there will always be those showcased on the covers of magazines or front pages of articles that will be worth a ton; however, a budget version is not out of the realm of possibility.
Often times, the perfect beginning Pro Touring truck can be found on the pages of Craigslist or AutoTrader. They may not be in as great of condition as those on the showroom floor at S.E.M.A., but they'll certainly do the job and be a good entry point.
2 2. They're Great Daily Drivers
The Pro Touring class has several characteristics that make it unique: The extreme power, handling, and overall performance are of course big ones, but none as impactful as remaining street-legal.
Above all else, the most important factor of a Pro Touring vehicle is the fact that it can be used on normal roads. Without this, you've just got a racing truck. With this, though, it's made daily driving and reliability a centerpiece when deciding how to design, use, and further mod the truck.
1 1. Perfect Mix Of Utility & Speed
Even though these trucks have been stripped of their stock component and barely resembled what they once were, they are still trucks, after all. As such, they retain the utility and usefulness that comes with owning a truck.
As long as you don't remove the bed, you've still got all the extra space to transport goods, along with the power from a modded engine. Now, you can have the best of both worlds: A horsepower-hungry beast and a competent work vehicle (If need be).