Mile Marker 57 – Mike Morgan on Mackvader, Big Rig Racing, and Life on the Track

We sit down with Mike Morgan, also known as “88 Mike,” a Mack Trucks elite technician and the driver of Mackvader, a Class 8 race truck competing in the American Big Rig Racing series. Mike has spent nearly three decades turning wrenches at McMahon Truck Group, and he has spent the last 12 years proving what Mack power can do when you put it on a dirt oval and let it eat.

 

Mike shares how motorsports was basically baked into his upbringing, how he learned to build and fix what he broke, and why racing still gives him that perfect “apex moment” feeling when everything hooks up. Then we get into the wild story of how truck racing went from a “cheap” idea at a truck show to building a near-1,000 horsepower Mack Vader, winning early, and eventually helping grow a racing series that packs stands and brings new fans and future technicians into the industry.

 

Mike discusses:

 

-His path to becoming a diesel technician, his long career at McMahon Truck Group, and how he shifted from back-breaking work to using experience and problem-solving to stay effective after decades in the shop

 

-How Mack Vader came to life, why it was built from two halves, and what it takes to turn a Class 8 into a race truck that can survive hard racing at nearly 1,000 horsepower

 

-The safety and setup side of big rig racing, including roll cage requirements, weight rules, solid cab mounting, brake cooling strategies, suspension choices, and how tuning caster can create usable camber on a straight axle

 

-What American Big Rig Racing is trying to build, how the co-op ownership mindset keeps the series fair and accessible, and why the fan interaction, autograph sessions, and family atmosphere are a core part of the experience

 

If you have ever wondered what it takes to race a semi, or why the people who build and maintain trucks love this industry so much, this episode is a front-row seat to the passion, ingenuity, and community behind big rig racing.

 

What’s next?

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