USA Today explains Texans’ fascination with pickup trucks. It’s a cultural thing. That’s the explanation. Some facts to support this argument: More than 27% of vehicles registered in Texas are pickups, compared with 20% for the rest of the nation.
The article goes on to explain that the State Fair of Texas, an event attended by more than 3 million people, is ground zero in the pickup wars.
This year, for the first time, GM held the world debut of a vehicle at a state fair, showing off the heavy-duty versions of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. Ford unveiled its super-duty pickup in a flashy display that involved hoisting an F-350 carrying Mark Fields, the automaker’s president of the Americas, 75 feet in the air with a crane and then softly depositing him in front of a crowd of journalists, Ford dealers and pickup owners.
“This is ground zero for the pickup market,” Fields said.
Country star Toby Keith, who doubles as Ford’s spokesman, says buying a truck is an act of patriotism. “It’s our country. Anything that will help the progress of our country, you should do it. Anything you can.”
If we’re to believe Keith “the cultural thing” goes far beyond the Texas line.
