Topic: Why Do We Name Our Rigs

[Rocksurfer]

In the past we've had some here question as to why we attach a name to our inanimate vehicles our 4x4's. I have also pondered why and came up with my best reasoning to do this ritual and basically was to give each it's own identity. Sometimes I get confused since I've owned several of the same year, make and model of the same vehicle so it also just makes it easier to identify which one I'm referring to. I at times have questioned this ritual myself but after reading this article and realizing my reasons will continue to name my rigs. Now that doesn't mean I'm going to give my Camry a name.  I believe that this article in NASCAR.com explains it pretty good.

http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/opinion/01/23/splash.go.rswan.name.that.car/index.html

From 'Betsy' to 'Sirloin,' names give life to machine
By Raygan Swan, NASCAR.COM
January 23, 2009
05:58 PM EST

Studies have shown Americans can spend more than 15 hours a week in their cars. That's more than 32 days a year.

That kind of time with your vehicle is enough to warrant a major relationship. No wonder we humanize our cars by giving them names!

NASCAR drivers do it all the time -- name their race cars, that is -- so I thought it best to name mine as well.
Most American drivers have a close connection to their cars and think of them as gender-specific. The most common names were "Betsy," "Nelly," "Blue" and "Baby."

She's a sporty, black compact four-door that smells of Bath and Body sun-ripened raspberry, coffee and dog slobber. It's an environment I'm most comfortable with.

I could rip a name once used by Dale Earnhardt Jr. but something tells me "Wild-Eyed Crazy Mary" doesn't quite capture my driving style.

Nevertheless, car names are essential and have been floating around since the days of racing on the beach at Daytona.

"You have to name your race car," Earnhardt said. "It has a personality already, so you've got to give it a name. That's only fair. Only fun, too. It's better than some number, you know? Everybody has got numbers stamped all over them."

Earnhardt has made a habit of naming his race cars just like his grandfather and legendary fabricator Robert Gee used to do.

"Yeah, just for fun. We used to name them all the time," Earnhardt said. "I had the 'Mach 5' and the car I raced at Myrtle Beach and the late models I built from the ground up, we called it 'Wild-Eyed Crazy Mary.'"

The name came from a song Pearl Jam sang called Crazy Mary, written by Victoria Williams, and more cars and names followed.

"The car that I burned down to the ground at Nashville in late models was called the 'General Lee,' because it was built in Richmond, Va. We had some Busch [Nationwide Series] cars called 'Red-Headed Stepchild' because the chassis was red. We had a lot of different names for some of our cars."

Earnhardt is just one in a long line of drivers who think up fitting nicknames for the machines they drive.

 "At the 5 team, one of them was 'Twisted Sister,'" said Kyle Busch, who drove the No. 5 Chevrolet at Hendrick Motorsports for four full seasons.

Another Busch recalled donned a skull and crossbones and was named something to the effect of "The Predator."

"It was some badass race car that we had," he added. "Then there was a third one that we called 'Cousin Itt.' It wasn't a sister of 'Twisted Sister,' but it was a cousin to her, so those were sort of the three cars that we had."

Seemingly the more sensitive of the two, older brother Kurt Busch gave a more endearing title to a race car he won with at Pocono in 2007. "PT" was the name given to honor his crew chief Pat Tryson, who joined the team only five races earlier.

The car name shared co-honors with one of Busch's favorite pubs near his hometown of Las Vegas, PT's Pubs -- a place where many of his fans gathered and enjoyed many Miller Lites.

The owners of the pub chain (Golden Gaming Inc.) were so impressed they signed the driver to a personal services contract.

Clint Bowyer is another driver who gave one of his race cars an affectionate tag: "Betsy." It was a speedway car with which the driver found tremendous success in 2007.

Bowyer said there's no real story as to why he named the car "Betsy" but just that she was reliable -- she always ran well and never had any issues.

Although according to a recent Associated Press auto poll, most American drivers have a close connection to their cars and think of them as gender-specific. The most common names were "Betsy," "Nelly," "Blue" and "Baby."

Also, 62 percent of drivers polled admitted to talking to their cars.

You can bet Rusty Wallace had many of conversations with his car "Midnight" -- his most famous car with which the driver won 12 races.

The car was named "Midnight" by crew chief Buddy Parrott after the team won at Richmond International Raceway in 1992. Wallace's car was sponsored by Miller and painted midnight black. The victory party began at midnight, hence the name.

In 1993, Wallace won again at Richmond and Parrott named the car "Midnight Rider."

More interesting than that was the name Alan Kulwicki chose for his Ford in 1986 when the driver was awarded rookie of the year honors.

Kulwicki was sponsored by Quincy's Steak House and had one car and two engines, but still defeated Michael Waltrip, who had six cars and 12 engines, for the rookie title.

Kulwicki's single race car was so tough during the course of the season the driver named the car "Sirloin" after what is thought to be one of the toughest cuts of steak from the cow.

His sponsor wasn't in favor of the nickname as the company didn't think it spoke too highly of its product, but Kulwicki's nickname generated so much buzz the restaurant chain eventually accepted the idea and put the "Alan Kulwicki Sirloin" on the menu.

The list goes on and on and dates back to the 1950s when Bob Flock drove an Oldsmobile called the "Gray Ghost." His brother Tim Flock drove "The Black Phantom" and a Lincoln on the beach at Daytona called "Miss Martha" after the wife of his car owner, Sam Knox.

One of these days something more inspiring than "P.O.S." or "Dog Car" should come to mind for my car's name.

Suggestions are welcomed.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

[brainlessfool]

never named a rig. butt I named my junk!  Titanic

[BLACKDOG]

nice! 

Mine generally gets its name(s) spouted of when I'm mad  

When you put some much time into a a vehicle, it tends to take part of you, and that creates a personality.  Every vehicle has its own quirks and oddities, and the more you mod them, the more they quirks and oddities stand out.  Those quirks and oddities render themselves into personalities, which make them unique. 

[abnormaltoy]

never named a rig. butt I named my junk!  Titanic

Maybe not the best name for Mr. Wiggly...if I'm not mistaken, and I rarely am, didn't the Titanic go down the first time it was used and never work again?

As for naming my trucks...never have. I do notice that I've not loved all of my trucks and have deep feelings for others. Even before I got the motor in and running on my new truck...I always turn back to have a look at it when I walk away from it, and I smile. The other day I just hunkered down on a rock and looked at it for about an hour. I don't have two nickels to rub together...but, already I'm planning mods for it. I loved my first 88, I still love my 85 and I love my new 87/85/88. Oddly enough they all have had the same motor and doors.

[brainlessfool]

Maybe not the best name for Mr. Wiggly...if I'm not mistaken, and I rarely am, didn't the Titanic go down the first time it was used and never work again?

First, its huge.  sec. it likes a wet environment. and it was made to "go down",  guys have offered me lots of money to be let off before it gets submerged  all the way. and last the Lady's cry when it's over.

[unclejpl4x4]

My trucks named  is Stephine   and my honda atv is named Lucile " cause a woman with curves like that's got be named lucile"   

[BikerTrash]

Well, My family gave my truck its name, the Batmobile(84 4runner, flat black everything). I don't like that name, I usually just refer to it as the heap, or the brick. About to camouflage it in hopes of killing the batmobile name forever.


Why we name them though, I know for me it is a case of having to many trucks. I would rather tell some one I am going to town in the Heap, or Red rather than just the model of the truck I am taking that day. Gives more of a since of attachment to the truck

[TURBO]

yeah it shows your creativeness as well as chariterize the vehicle in a way that suits you. i'm all for truck names

[germ]

Years ago, I owned a 72 blazer that a buddy of mine named "Hoss", 'cause it would take you anywhere you wanted to go, and no matter how hard I beat it, it would always get me home. somehow the name stuck, and when I reluctantly sold it many years later, the new owner adopted the name, and as far as I know it's still alive and kickin. I also had a 72 FJ40, that somehow got named "rhino". I think my wife is responsible for that one. It was dark toyota grey, and she said it grunted alot as we were making our first trip across the Rubicon in the 80's, so the name stuck. I eventually rolled it in '95, and sold it to a guy who wanted a project. She will occasionally tell me that she misses "rhino" and will get sentimental when she see's an old FJ. Now I've got a 85 4Runner, and still a name has not stuck. Couple of years ago it almost got the name "anchor", as I buried it to the frame rails in the mud. I'm sure something will come along eventually, and it will get named also.

Erik

[DTB]

Mines called the "Tree Hugger" for more than one reason!

[Yoat Goat]

I call my truck 80Lux. Cause its a 1980 and its a hilux, plain and simple.