Ford Wins “Truck of Texas” & More at the TAWA’s 2014 Truck Rodeo

By Derek Shiekhi - October 14, 2014

“This ain’t my first rodeo.” It’s a phrase most have us have heard at some point in our lives. A lot of us have said it, too. I know I have. However, at the Texas Auto Writers Association’s 2014 Truck Rodeo, I wasn’t able to utter the words without lying. I had never attended one.

Over the course of two days at the picturesque Knibbe Ranch in Spring Branch, Texas I had to drive as many pickups, SUVs, and CUVs out of more than 50 as I could, then vote to help determine which ones would take first place in a variety of categories. Those included “Mid-size Pickup of Texas” and “Compact Luxury SUV of Texas.” However, the Big Three automakers, in addition to Toyota and Nissan, were most interested in winning the biggest prize: “Truck of Texas.”

In order to evaluate that last class’s eligible machines, I had to become one myself and check them off of my drive list as efficiently as possible. The PR and marketing machines of various manufacturers were operating, too. Representatives from them, as well as engineers, drew my attention to features that they thought made their vehicles superior to others, all in an effort to extract my vote at the end of the world’s shortest campaign season.

The Blue Oval brought a variety of its new F-150s, such as a Platinum 4X4 SuperCrew and an XLT with the same body style and FX4 hardware. Body Integration Manager Mark Mikolaiczik took me on a tour around an off-road-ready King Ranch the first day of the rodeo. He proudly pointed out things he and his “guys” incorporated. It was as if he were a father doting on his sons.

He deployed one of the useful bed steps, which provided him a boost so he could easily reach into the cargo box. I received a demonstration of the simple 1-2-3 process of erecting/storing the tailgate step’s integrated grab handle. Mikolaiczik also called my attention to the handy LED bed lights. He even showed me how little give there was in the aluminum door panels by pressing the tips of his outstretched fingers against one of them. I did the same and was surprised at how firm the metal skin was.

With Mikolaiczik riding shotgun, I took off in the white King Ranch. I used it to splash through a stream; fly across a field; effortlessly climb a muddy, rutted hill; and scale a rocky incline that shook out chuckles of enjoyment from my passenger and me and revealed the suspension’s ability to articulate while keeping vital mechanical components out of nature’s reach. Not once did I hear a horrifying bang that made me fear Ford would write one of its trucks – and me – off.

The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 eagerly yet smoothly delivered its 365 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque whenever I requested it. On the winding roads beyond the front gate of the ranch, I did that frequently. The power was always there. I used it to charge into curves – from which I was able to emerge without flop sweat, thanks to the truck being (relatively) light on its feet.

Later in the day, I got behind the wheel of a 2015 Super Duty F-250 Platinum, which looked sexy and sinister in its black and chrome outfit. Its Power Stroke V8’s 440 horsepower and 860 pound-feet made it powerful on paper and in the real world. I could feel myself getting pushed back into my leather captain’s chair when I put my foot down. One particular competitor’s diesel offering didn’t give me the same sensation…

The last night of the rodeo, I was on the way back to my hotel for the awards dinner with one of my colleagues from the TAWA. He said, “If Ford doesn’t win, they are going to be CRUSHED.” I had a gut feeling that we didn’t have to worry about awkwardly saying “Hey, maybe next year” between bites of Cajun-style cocktail shrimp and sips of ice-cold Shiner beer. Ford’s newest F-150 is lighter than before, relatively nimble, well-powered, and thoughtfully engineered. It impressed me from the first moment I drove it; something told me my fellow writers were equally stunned and were going to cast their ballots accordingly.

In the fading light of sunset behind the Drury Plaza Hotel, I watched members of the Blue Oval team go up to accept trophies and pose for photos. Ultimately, they brought home awards for:

-Full-size Pickup Truck of Texas (2015 Ford F-150 King Ranch 4×4 SuperCrew)
-Luxury Pickup Truck of Texas (2015 Ford F-150 Platinum SuperCrew)

-Commercial Vehicle of Texas (2015 Ford Transit 250 MR)
-Best Technology (Ford F-150 Aluminum Alloy Body)

-Truck Line of Texas (Ford)

and, of course:

-Truck of Texas (2015 Ford F-150)

I then congratulated the company’s present employees, including Mikolaiczik. I told him that it’s rare to meet someone who actually has passion for their work and that I could hear his pride in his team and what he created with it in his voice. By that point, it was even darker outside. Despite that, I was able to see a change take place in Mikolaiczik’s face. His eyes started to shimmer.

The little light available was being reflected in his tears as they welled up. He placed his hand on my shoulder, looked me in the eyes, and nodded his head, speechless from the emotions that were about to overcome him. Then he walked away. He had put his talents, hard work, and more than two years of his life into a machine, but did not adopt any of the characteristics of one in the process. Mikolaiczik was still very much a human being – a sensitive one who gave me my fondest memory of my first Truck Rodeo.