Goes without saying that without the Truck Haulers there won’t be any NASCAR races anywhere in the country, perhaps except for a few tracks in the mid-west. The thing is, Truck Haulers are more or less, the lifeline of the sport.
And the blood in that lifeline is the driver of those massive Truck Haulers that carry the Next Gen stock cars from track-to-track, across the states, almost every single week on the road.
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But before we get into the specifics of the job, let’s try to understand what exactly a Hauler truck is.
What are NASCAR haulers?
The Truck Haulers are simply big trucks with haulers that transport the racecars, the parts and components, and the other essential stuff from one race week to the next.
Along with the obvious, the Haulers also carry the food and other necessary stuff that a race team might need on any given weekend. In fact, it’s not unusual for a hauler driver to buy groceries or cook food for the pit crew on any given day.
The “Hauler Drivers” in NASCAR are far more than that. They play so many important roles on a team it’s ridiculous to call them just that. Truck driver, cook, mechanic, person who knows where EVERYTHING is, friend & babysitter. Work all day, drive all night. Thanks to all of you!
— Brian Murphy (@Brian_Murphy_) May 21, 2018
Put simply, they’re massive automobiles that make a small, fast racecar work as it should.
How to become a Hauler Driver?
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According to Career Trend, in order to become a NASCAR Hauler driver, the candidate must obtain a Commercial Driver’s License, which is a special license required by a number of states to drive a tractor-trailer.
Then one has to relocate to Charlotte, North Carolina, since the majority of the teams are based in that area. The interested candidate can then contact the teams for any vacancies and positions for the same bracket of jobs.
In honor of Truck Driver Appreciation Week, we’re taking a moment to highlight each of our #NASCAR Cup Series hauler drivers to thank them for their hard work and dedication. Tap the ❤️ to help us show appreciation for No. 4 drivers Rick Hodges and Stephen Mitchell.#NTDAW pic.twitter.com/1mhI9LFlly
— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) September 10, 2019
It is suggested that the interested person takes a different job on the race team to get his/her foot in the door.
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Then there’s the obvious of demonstrating a good work ethic and a team spirit.
How much does a NASCAR Truck Hauler driver make a year?
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Though the Truck Hauler drivers don’t necessarily make more money than the rest of the long-haul truck drivers, they do enjoy some perks and benefits as part of their job.
According to a survey from 2012, the median salary for such a job profile is somewhere around $38,200.
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Having said that, the Hauler drivers of racecar teams enjoy a little more time off than their average counterparts. Along with that, they also get to stay in team hotels, and naturally, celebrate with the team whenever there’s such an occasion.