This year we have wrapped the rig with really nice Currie Enterprises graphics. The designers at Currie did a great job of incorporating flames, checkerboard fade and images of my car. Since Currie has a rich heritage of providing parts and rear ends for classic hot rods and jeeps there is also one of each of them in the graphic as well. It looks really cool and makes the whole rig look much more professional than just a white sided trailer.
However, the downside is that I now need to deal with the scales and be treated as a commercial driver. No chance of sneaking past the scales anymore. So last year, I went to school and got my Commercial Drivers License. Then, I started going through the truck and making sure the tires and everything passed inspection. I was having some trouble with the trailer tires not lasting and after weighing my trailer it turns out my trailer was too heavy for the 16-inch tires. So I stepped up and got the 17.5 tires and rims rated to handle another 1800 pounds per wheel. But it goes on and on. I have already been keeping a log book, but now I need to get a DOT number and a set of IFTA tags. The IFTA tags show where you buy the fuel and the DOT number is so you can get the IFTA tags. Then, I have a bunch of other paperwork and permits I have to get and it all costs money. Is it worth it? That is a personal decision, I guess. Lots of racers keep all sponsor names off the rig and try to just “stay below the radar” and that is certainly a valid way to go. But I wanted to know how to do it the right way, and so I have started the journey of permits and money.
Hopefully, when I roll across the scales I will be fine. You know I will be nervous the first time a state trooper asks to see my paperwork, but if I do my homework and try to do everything they ask, I should be fine. If this kind of stuff is something you are interested in, keep reading my Blog right here at DragIllustrated.com and I will let you know how it goes. I will be rolling this rig across the country several times this year, so I hope to get through the year without any issues. I will be writing about how it works out.
Scott “Lucky” Hudson
This story was originally published on March 18, 2015. 
