Autoblog

For as clean and green and Earth-loving as the Europeans are, they sure do some dirty things... like throw a sooty-exhaust-belching racing semi around hairpin turns with loads of opposite lock – up an impossibly green mountain – just for a hillclimb. But hey, trucks and racing aren't illegal yet, so we say flog 'em while ya got 'em. Check out the video of Markus Boesiger, 2007's Truck Racing Champion, and his dashing diesel after the jump.

[Source: StreetFire]

Truckers are like motorcycle riders in the way that they invariably customize their rides. It's probably just as challenging to find a bone stock tractor as it is an unembellished Fat Boy. When you're plying the roads as much as the big rigs do, why not have some fun and stand apart from the rest of the crowd and their mudflaps decorated with conformist chrome silhouettes of questionable taste? International's new LoneStar truck will be factory trickable with a new line of Navistar accessories called DoubleSix Customs. While the Autoblog Garage isn't quite big enough to hold an 18-wheeler, we did dedicate the better part of an hour to International's website designing the perfect vehicle for hauling our tricked out fleet of Zastavas.

With International's online configurator, you can start with a basic truck and add a splash of color, a dollop of flames, lots of chrome, and nearly as many lights as Vegas. The DoubleSix name takes its inspiration from the mother road, Route 66, which International is hoping still resonates with those who keep our economy rolling. Our only problem? Lack of the proper license. Try it yourself, you can even upload logos and graphics to design your perfect LoneStar. Press release after the jump.

[Source: International]

Click above to view the video

When a 50-ton semi needs to be towed out of a snow bank, it's a good idea to call on a very big tow truck. If you're in the South during a snow storm, however, your best bet just may be the super 'necks. After the jump is video of a Jeep, Silverado and Ford Bronco working in tandem to pull a stranded 18-wheeler out of the snowy muck. We think the heroes of the video are a gaggle of youngins, but with all the camouflage, we couldn't tell you for sure. The video is fun to watch, but when the camera operator says, "This s#%t is going on YouTube," that's just icing on the cake. Kidding aside, it's nice to see a group of kids actually helping someone in need. Nice job guys. Hit the jump for one of the funnier videos we've seen lately, it'll be worth your two minutes.

[Source: Streetfire]

It could have been a horrible tragedy, but at the end of it all, no one was injured, and there were no hard feelings, either. Michigan State Police were skeptical when they started receiving calls saying that a big rig was pushing a wheelchair down the Red Arrow Highway in Paw Paw, Mich., but when the calls didn't abate, they headed out to investigate.

The rig was found in front of a local trucking company and to everyone's shock, there was a wheelchair attached to the front. With a man in it, no less. The occupant was unharmed, and the astonished truck driver had no idea he was even there. Apparently, the wheelchair was in the process of crossing the road in front of the truck. Too low for the driver to see, it was driven into. Miraculously, the chair was positioned in such a way that the handles lodged in the rig's grille and it wound up facing forward. Think about it -- it could have just as easily been knocked over and then run over -- a nightmare scenario for all parties involved.

Instead, the worst thing that happened was that the man in the wheelchair apparently spilled the soda pop he was drinking during his high-speed trip. Of the experience, he told authorities, "It was quite a ride."

Friends, that's today's candidate for understatement of the year.

[Source: South Bend Tribune]