CAN THE SANDERS’ TEAM REPEAT IN 2010?

 CAN THE SANDERS’ TEAM REPEAT IN 2010?  

Fred Sanders from Ravenna in Portage County, Ohio has put together a very strong business plan for his Sanders Excavating trucking operation.  Fred owns a large string of trucks and has many drivers and others who work for his company.  Sanders Excavating is involved in the business of hauling water to and from well drilling operations along the Ohio/Pennsylvania line.  This company has grown steadily over the years and has become quite successful.  Fred knows how to run his business.

But Fred Sanders has also put together an awesome pulling team that has become highly successful.    This team knows how to win!!  They arrive at the events with first class equipment and an ancillary group of dedicated workers with one goal in mind and that is to take home a victory at that pull.  The Sanders Pulling Team consists of three integral parts: 

Fred as the team owner and driver of “Silver Bullet II”	Joe Giulitto was the driver of “Smokin’ Gun” and now is the owner and driver of his own truck “Sneeky Pete”	Richard Scott as the crew chief and driver of “Silver Bullet I”

In 2008 the Sanders Team captured its first-ever Big Rigs Series Championship as Richard Scott piloted the “Silver Bullet I” to that season’s crown. “SB I” is powerd by a traditional V-8 Mack engine with three turbos.  Scott is the crew chief for the Sanders’ Team and handles much of the mechanical work that goes into the maintaining of these two ultra-powerful Mack machines. 

Last season it was Fred Sanders turn to take the laurels in the Big Rigs Series as his “Silver Bullet II” eaked out a win over his aforementioned team mate, Richard Scott.   Sanders’ “Silver Bullett II” Mack Superliner is powered by a Cummins QXK-19 engine with triple turbo-chargers.  The motor was built by Francis Engineering in Leroy, Ohio and is very similar to the motor that is found in Don Snyder’s “Mr. Nasty” Peterbilt.  At Bloomsburg during the pull-off for the Big Rigs ‘FINALS’ the engine split apart at the camshaft line as Sanders crossed the 310 foot line in the pull-off.  But it was just enough for Fred to get a firm grip on the championship.  Now it is reported that a new engine has been built and has been set in the truck and is nearly ready to go.  So it would appear that Fred Sanders is definitely planning to defend his hard fought championship with the Big Rigs in 2010.

For nearly twelve years the Sanders’ Team also campaigned a singlecharger Mack semi that was named, “Smokin’ Gun” and was driven by Joe Giulitto from Ravenna, Ohio.  That truck made its last trip down the track to end the last season at Bloomsburg and has been retired.  Giulitto has recently introduced his own new truck, “Sneaky Pete”, a Peterbilt with a 3406 Caterpillar under the hood.  It is yet to be seen as to what level of competition this new machine will achieve, but the truck is registered  to run the entire Big Rigs Series in 2010.

The Sanders’ Pulling Team has joined USA-EAST and Big Rigs Pulling Series and has precommitted to participate in all of the Big Rigs Series pulls this season.  The Big Rigs Series will be seen at nine different point events in the states of Pennsylvania and Ohio starting with the ‘All-American Spring Nationals’ at Mercer Raceway Park on Saturday, May 29th at 6:30pm.  The Big Rigs Series will conclude on September 25th at the Bloomsburg Fair in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania during the annual “Big Rigs FINALS”.

Now it remains to be seen if Fred Sanders and his team from Ravenna, Ohio can do what has not been done in 10 years in the Big Rigs Series  -  win back-to-back Championships.