CARPENTER CHRISTENS BIG TRUCK II

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (February 24, 2004) -- When a new boat is launched, tradition says that it should be christened with champagne for good luck. Charles Carpenter, driver of “The World’s Fastest ‘55” thought that the same premise should hold true for motor coaches as well.

The Carpenter family prepares to christen Big Truck II. Shown left to right is Michael, Terry, Charles and Katie

When he brought “Big Truck II” home from Country Motors Trailer Sales, one of the first things he did was gather his family together for the official christening. Carpenter popped the cork and sprayed champagne over the hood and fenders, hoping good luck for the upcoming season would flow with the bubbly. But then he had an idea.

“I was thinking that when they christen boats, they break the bottle on the bow,” explained Carpenter. “So I looked at the new truck and saw this big, ol’ bumper. I thought that if I whacked the bumper it would break the bottle and that would be kind of fun.”

Though he was vehemently told not to do so by his family, Carpenter bent down close to the bumper, swung the champagne bottle back and smacked the bumper.

Despite a great clunk, the bottle didn’t break as Carpenter had thought it would. Instead it left a noticeable dent where it had struck the bumper, and scraped the white paint off down to the metal.

“Dad, you just dented the new truck. I can’t believe you did that,” exclaimed Michael,

Michael Carpenter (right) points to the dent made by his father

Carpenter’s son and one of his crew members.

“The front bumper is going to get dents and chipped anyway just driving down the highway,” Carpenter said. “At least this way we have the first scratch out of the way and it has a good story behind it.”

When Michael was just five years old, his father bought their first toter home. Michael didn’t know any better, so he called it the “Big Truck,” a name that has stuck since 1988. Naturally, when Carpenter decided to replace the truck with the new Freightliner, it was inevitable that it would be nicknamed “Big Truck II.”

Carpenter will start the 2004 racing season with the March 6-7 Quick 8 race at Carolina Dragway, then begin the IHRA campaign with the Amalie Oil Texas Nationals in San Antonio, Texas on March 26-28. He plans to compete in an extensive campaign of both IHRA national events as well as the regional Quick 8 races throughout the Carolinas.

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