Tow & Go—A Gear Guide for Upgrading a Chevy Silverado for Your Racing Road Trips
Written by the FSC staff
Photography courtesy of the manufacturers
Just like the racers, our event team delivers a wide range of gear on a race weekend. From safety equipment and golf carts to registration materials and PowerMall swag, two United Trailers bring everything needed to host a national event to the track. They don’t get there without being moved by a pair of Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD trucks.
“Our long-term relationship with Chevrolet is very valuable to NMCA from their deeply engrained performance division and now their lineup of new trucks and tow vehicles. We’re thrilled to showcase these trucks across the country, displaying their capabilities to our racing community and relying on them as key components to fire/safety response in our high-speed sport,” said Rollie Miller, General Manager, and National Event Director of ProMedia Events & Publishing, the parent company to the Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals, Holley NMRA Ford Nationals, and ProMedia Productions.
Crucial to running the second-largest sanctioning body in drag racing, the Official Truck & Tow Vehicle of NMCA, these trucks are also ideal for serving as a daily hauler or a tow vehicle for a race car trailer. Of course, as nice as they are from the factory, including several upgrades that we detailed in our previous issue (“Official Improvements,” October 2023, p. 08) that doesn’t mean you might not want to add even more functionality.
Fortunately, Chevrolet offers hundreds of upgrades from its accessories lineup that can accessorize, enhance, and protect your Silverado 3500HD. We are highlighting a few of the options here, but be sure to check online for the full rundown of official upgrades for your pickup.
As the Official Tow Vehicle of the Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals series, two Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD trucks tow the series’ event trailers to each track on the schedule, while also serving as safety-response vehicles on the track. If you own one of these trucks for personal duty or as a race car hauler, Chevrolet offers several accessories to improve your ride.
The NMCA’s Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HDs make use of the 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft torque underhood to haul United Trailers loaded with event necessities and PowerMall swag. They are also equipped with safety equipment to serve as rescue vehicles during the event.
Racetracks aren’t exactly known as a place for keeping your ride clean, so protecting the interior of your truck is important. If you plan to own it for a long time, you want it to stay in good shape. To that end, Chevrolet offers these First-Row Interlocking Premium All-Weather Floor Liners. Featuring deep grooves to direct moisture and dirt away from the carpet, they are 3D-designed just for these trucks. Featuring a high-friction backing that keeps them in place, they benefit from a two-piece interlocking design that allows for easy installation and removal.
Traveling to races means your truck is loaded up with valuables of all kinds, and keeping them safe while your truck is parked will give you peace of mind. Offering that security is this Under-Rear Seat Lockbox with Three-Digit Combination Lock by Tuffy Security Products. It fits under the rear seat to keep your valuables away from prying eyes this secure box features a three-digit combination lock to secure its contents. With room for a wide range of gear — from tools and hunting gear to electronics and clothing — it includes two adjustable and removable dividers to allow for easy organization of the box’s contents.
There is no quicker way to revamp the visual personality of your truck than to swap out the wheels. Chevrolet can help with these 20x8.5-inch Multi-Spoke Wheels in Gloss Black with Machined Accents. These wheels will add a modern attitude to your hauler, but you will need to purchase the tires, center caps, wheel locks, lug nuts, and tire pressure monitors to round out the installation. Likewise, you’ll need to pick up an 18-inch spare tire and wheel.
As far as the gear in the bed of your truck, it needs protection from the elements and unsavory characters. One option Chevrolet offers is this 48-inch Under Tonneau Secure Lock Aluminum Chest Box in Matte Black by UWS. Designed to tuck under a tonneau cover, the box is equipped with a foam-filled lid and a rust-resistant, stainless steel lock to keep things secure. Its lid opens with dual-locking twist handles, swings 90 degrees, and stays up thanks to two gas struts.
Speaking of protecting the contents of your truck’s bed, it is often helpful to cover and secure all the contents of the bed. This Standard Bed Embark Power Max Retractable Tonneau Cover by Advantage will do just that and make it easy to access your gear with the touch of a button. Reinforced with tempered aluminum support beams, the cover will hold up to 400 pounds, while leaving the stake pockets exposed. Its spiral-track system keeps the cover from binding and reduces wear, while its flush-mounted lock handle allows for easy access. With the included key fob, users can latch or unlock the cover at any position.
Before you load up the bed, you might want to protect its finish from the gear you need at the racetrack. One option from Chevrolet is this Bed Mat in Black with a Bowtie Logo for Standard Bed Models. Easy to clean, the grippy mat keeps cargo from sliding around. This mat was designed specifically to fit these trucks and it is emblazoned with the Bowtie logo.
A more comprehensive solution for protecting your truck‘s bed is this Bed Liner with Bowtie Logo Integrated Storage Pockets. Shaped to precisely fit the lines of the bed, this liner includes storage pockets in the rear and four cargo nets to keep your gear in place. The liner drops in without tools and still allows easy access to the factory cargo tiedowns and accessories. It makes the bed easy to clean while ensuring the factory surface remains in good shape no matter what you are hauling.
Enhancing your truck can also add a little pep and personality if that addition is a performance exhaust like this 6.6L Gas Cat-Back Exhaust Upgrade System with a Single Black Chrome Tip for Short Wheel Base Models by Borla. Crafted from T304 stainless steel, this durable system reduces restriction and improves the sound of your truck while retaining both 50-state emissions legality and your factory warranty. The system includes a black chrome exhaust tip, a rear muffler, an intermediate pipe, clamps, and the necessary installation hardware.
Besides hauling plenty of gear and your whole race team, a truck is a racing requirement because of its trailer-hauling utility. If you need to attach a serious trailer, this 32.5k Gooseneck Hitch with Under Brackets and Hardware by CURT can handle 32,500 pounds of gross trailer weight and 8,125 pounds of vertical load. Its central locator doesn’t require measuring for the ball hole location, and the hitch can be installed without welding or bed removal. It includes a 2-5/16 inch ball.
If a traditional hitch is what your trailer requires, Chevrolet offers this 20,000-lb Capacity Trailer Hitch by CURT Group can handle a heavy load. It features hollow shanks that accept an anti-rattle kit and it is treated to a durable powdercoat finish. To round out the hitch, you can install the 2 5/16-Inch 20,000-lb Capacity Trailer Hitch Ball by CURT Group. Hewn from hot-forged steel and treated to a durable chrome finish, the ball attaches via a zinc-plated hex nut and helical lock washer.
SOURCES
Chevrolet Accessories
(844) 847-1118
accessories.chevrolet.com
Written by the FSC staff
Photography courtesy of the manufacturers
Just like the racers, our event team delivers a wide range of gear on a race weekend. From safety equipment and golf carts to registration materials and PowerMall swag, two United Trailers bring everything needed to host a national event to the track. They don’t get there without being moved by a pair of Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD trucks.
“Our long-term relationship with Chevrolet is very valuable to NMCA from their deeply engrained performance division and now their lineup of new trucks and tow vehicles. We’re thrilled to showcase these trucks across the country, displaying their capabilities to our racing community and relying on them as key components to fire/safety response in our high-speed sport,” said Rollie Miller, General Manager, and National Event Director of ProMedia Events & Publishing, the parent company to the Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals, Holley NMRA Ford Nationals, and ProMedia Productions.
Crucial to running the second-largest sanctioning body in drag racing, the Official Truck & Tow Vehicle of NMCA, these trucks are also ideal for serving as a daily hauler or a tow vehicle for a race car trailer. Of course, as nice as they are from the factory, including several upgrades that we detailed in our previous issue (“Official Improvements,” October 2023, p. 08) that doesn’t mean you might not want to add even more functionality.
Fortunately, Chevrolet offers hundreds of upgrades from its accessories lineup that can accessorize, enhance, and protect your Silverado 3500HD. We are highlighting a few of the options here, but be sure to check online for the full rundown of official upgrades for your pickup.
As the Official Tow Vehicle of the Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals series, two Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD trucks tow the series’ event trailers to each track on the schedule, while also serving as safety-response vehicles on the track. If you own one of these trucks for personal duty or as a race car hauler, Chevrolet offers several accessories to improve your ride.
The NMCA’s Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HDs make use of the 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft torque underhood to haul United Trailers loaded with event necessities and PowerMall swag. They are also equipped with safety equipment to serve as rescue vehicles during the event.
Racetracks aren’t exactly known as a place for keeping your ride clean, so protecting the interior of your truck is important. If you plan to own it for a long time, you want it to stay in good shape. To that end, Chevrolet offers these First-Row Interlocking Premium All-Weather Floor Liners. Featuring deep grooves to direct moisture and dirt away from the carpet, they are 3D-designed just for these trucks. Featuring a high-friction backing that keeps them in place, they benefit from a two-piece interlocking design that allows for easy installation and removal.
Traveling to races means your truck is loaded up with valuables of all kinds, and keeping them safe while your truck is parked will give you peace of mind. Offering that security is this Under-Rear Seat Lockbox with Three-Digit Combination Lock by Tuffy Security Products. It fits under the rear seat to keep your valuables away from prying eyes this secure box features a three-digit combination lock to secure its contents. With room for a wide range of gear — from tools and hunting gear to electronics and clothing — it includes two adjustable and removable dividers to allow for easy organization of the box’s contents.
There is no quicker way to revamp the visual personality of your truck than to swap out the wheels. Chevrolet can help with these 20x8.5-inch Multi-Spoke Wheels in Gloss Black with Machined Accents. These wheels will add a modern attitude to your hauler, but you will need to purchase the tires, center caps, wheel locks, lug nuts, and tire pressure monitors to round out the installation. Likewise, you’ll need to pick up an 18-inch spare tire and wheel.
As far as the gear in the bed of your truck, it needs protection from the elements and unsavory characters. One option Chevrolet offers is this 48-inch Under Tonneau Secure Lock Aluminum Chest Box in Matte Black by UWS. Designed to tuck under a tonneau cover, the box is equipped with a foam-filled lid and a rust-resistant, stainless steel lock to keep things secure. Its lid opens with dual-locking twist handles, swings 90 degrees, and stays up thanks to two gas struts.
Speaking of protecting the contents of your truck’s bed, it is often helpful to cover and secure all the contents of the bed. This Standard Bed Embark Power Max Retractable Tonneau Cover by Advantage will do just that and make it easy to access your gear with the touch of a button. Reinforced with tempered aluminum support beams, the cover will hold up to 400 pounds, while leaving the stake pockets exposed. Its spiral-track system keeps the cover from binding and reduces wear, while its flush-mounted lock handle allows for easy access. With the included key fob, users can latch or unlock the cover at any position.
Before you load up the bed, you might want to protect its finish from the gear you need at the racetrack. One option from Chevrolet is this Bed Mat in Black with a Bowtie Logo for Standard Bed Models. Easy to clean, the grippy mat keeps cargo from sliding around. This mat was designed specifically to fit these trucks and it is emblazoned with the Bowtie logo.
A more comprehensive solution for protecting your truck‘s bed is this Bed Liner with Bowtie Logo Integrated Storage Pockets. Shaped to precisely fit the lines of the bed, this liner includes storage pockets in the rear and four cargo nets to keep your gear in place. The liner drops in without tools and still allows easy access to the factory cargo tiedowns and accessories. It makes the bed easy to clean while ensuring the factory surface remains in good shape no matter what you are hauling.
Enhancing your truck can also add a little pep and personality if that addition is a performance exhaust like this 6.6L Gas Cat-Back Exhaust Upgrade System with a Single Black Chrome Tip for Short Wheel Base Models by Borla. Crafted from T304 stainless steel, this durable system reduces restriction and improves the sound of your truck while retaining both 50-state emissions legality and your factory warranty. The system includes a black chrome exhaust tip, a rear muffler, an intermediate pipe, clamps, and the necessary installation hardware.
Besides hauling plenty of gear and your whole race team, a truck is a racing requirement because of its trailer-hauling utility. If you need to attach a serious trailer, this 32.5k Gooseneck Hitch with Under Brackets and Hardware by CURT can handle 32,500 pounds of gross trailer weight and 8,125 pounds of vertical load. Its central locator doesn’t require measuring for the ball hole location, and the hitch can be installed without welding or bed removal. It includes a 2-5/16 inch ball.
If a traditional hitch is what your trailer requires, Chevrolet offers this 20,000-lb Capacity Trailer Hitch by CURT Group can handle a heavy load. It features hollow shanks that accept an anti-rattle kit and it is treated to a durable powdercoat finish. To round out the hitch, you can install the 2 5/16-Inch 20,000-lb Capacity Trailer Hitch Ball by CURT Group. Hewn from hot-forged steel and treated to a durable chrome finish, the ball attaches via a zinc-plated hex nut and helical lock washer.
SOURCES
Chevrolet Accessories
(844) 847-1118
accessories.chevrolet.com