The F-150 may not have dual rear wheels and a big diesel engine like the Sierra, but that doesn’t stop it from pulling hard.
Ford trucks are made for pulling. It doesn’t matter what that happens to be. It could be a pair of jet skis, a horse trailer, or a massive parade float. If it’s on or in a trailer, a Ford pickup is willing and able to move it from one place to another. In this video from the YouTube channel Powersports Central, an F-150 that’s seen better days yanks a GMC Sierra to defeat.
That sounds normal enough, right? A tug of war is bound to happen sooner or later when guys with two different brands of truck are around each other long enough. It does, but this isn’t exactly an even match. The 2000 F-150 is a beater of a rig that only cost $500. It’s easy to see why. Over the years, it’s lost its front grille and turn signals, but picked up an aftermarket tube bumper, some front fender dents, and a few rust spots. That’s all cosmetic, though. All that really matters is it has a Triton V8 and four-wheel drive.
The GMC Sierra is a colossus in comparison. It’s a 3500 heavy duty with a Duramax diesel under the hood and dual rear wheels, giving it a total of six contact patches it can use to yank the F-150 wherever it wants to. When video host and camera man Steve Fass presents the Sierra’s owner, a man named Andy, with the possibility of a tug-of-war with the F-150, Andy confidently says, “I’ll drag that F-150.” We can’t say he’s cocky for making that statement. After all, his truck seems to have several advantages. But Fass isn’t deterred. Neither is the F-150. “This F-150 is scared of absolutely nothing.”
Andy is not only sure he’ll win, but feeling generous, too. He tells Fass, “I’ll even give you the advantage to let you go downhill.”
One thing this video doesn’t show that’s in another video of this contest on YouTube is that Andy decides to compete in two-wheel drive while Fass uses 4LO. Even with that in mind, the results are surprising. The neglected F-150‘s tired V8 has enough power to spin not only all four of its tires, but the back four tires of the Sierra, too.
The GMC turns them into smoke trying to beat its Ford rival. It ends up getting pulled through a cloud of its own vaporized rubber – and straight into a shocking loss.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
