Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/668965
2 0 1 6 V 1 | B U L L D O G | 2 7 certainly are one of them. The big rigs are in a sweet spot. You look at the number of truck drivers on the road who are NASCAR fans calling into SiriusXM, and it's a very good marriage between both a brand standpoint and category standpoint with NASCAR." John Walsh, vice president of marketing for Mack, agreed. "Simply put, making Mack Trucks a partner of NASCAR is a great way to reach truck driv- ers who are passionate about being profes- sional drivers and about their lifestyle," Walsh says. "This partnership puts Mack, our trucks and our technology in front of millions of NASCAR fans, including the large number of fans who are part of the transportation indus- try. We couldn't be more excited to join forces and serve as the Official Hauler of NASCAR." The new Pinnacle axle forward and axle back models are proving to be popular with an important group of professional drivers — those who drive them for NASCAR to each race venue, hopscotching the country on a weekly basis, on tight schedules and no room for down time. "Our transportation team has been impressed with the performance and comfort of our Mack Pinnacle models," according to Buster Auton, NASCAR senior director, trans- portation. "Not only are the trucks riding and driving well, but our drivers are proud to pilot them. Mack went above and beyond in designing the best work trucks for our team, and we get compliments in the garage every week." The fleet is also armed with Mack GuardDog ® Connect, a telematics system that brings the right blend of technology and people together to maximize uptime. Acting as an onboard pit crew, GuardDog Connect proactively monitors critical fault codes that could shut a truck down. When a potential issue is detected, GuardDog Connect automatically notifies Mack OneCall™ agents at the 24/7 Mack Uptime Center, as well as the driver and des- ignated fleet contact. An action plan for repairs, a check for available parts at the nearest service center and detailed repair instructions are also completed, all while the truck is still on the road. "We knew going in that these are high-pro- file, high-visibility tractors and this is NASCAR — so of course they would expect performance and, naturally, uptime," said Stu Russoli, Mack highway marketing manager. "These trucks go out to a race every week and as soon as they get back they're getting ready to leave for the next race. So right away I knew they needed the MP8-505C+ 505 hp engines, mDRIVE transmissions and GuardDog Connect's live fault code monitoring." Support for the fleet of Pinnacle models will be led by Transource Truck & Trailer Center, a Mack dealer with seven locations across North Carolina. Mack partnered with Transource in providing the trucks. "Mack went above and beyond in designing the best work trucks for our team, and we get compliments in the garage every week." Buster Auton, NASCAR senior director, transportation Getty Images