Built in Blue: A Patriotic Wrecker Takes First Place in Baltimore

By George L. Nitti When Joe Furlong brought his custom-built wrecker to the 2025 American Towman Exposition in Baltimore this past November, he knew the truck would stand out. Finished in deep blue with sweeping American flag graphics, a bald eagle motif, and reflective patriotic elements, the build drew steady attention on the show floor, ultimately winning first place in the 2025-2026 light duty wrecker class for their 2025 International MV/Jerr-Dan MPL 60.

“Everybody loved it,” said Furlong, owner of Joe’s Garage in Binghamton, New York. “Right from the color scheme of the whole truck and then incorporating the eagle, the flag, and the stars on it.”

The wrecker was entered in the competition as a medium-duty truck but was ultimately placed in the light-duty class, something that briefly gave Furlong pause. “I actually got a little nervous when they moved the class,” he said. “When I submitted for it, it was medium duty. But they ended up kicking us to the light-duty class.” Despite the shift, the response from attendees reinforced why he brought the truck in the first place.

Furlong said the design philosophy behind the truck was intentional. For Joe’s Garage, fleet appearance plays a key role in branding and visibility. “We very much look at them like rolling billboards,” he said. “Every truck that we get we normally do a little more to on the wraps, and this one being the wrecker, it had a lot more space.”

Working with the wrap company, Furlong aimed to blend patriotic imagery with Joe’s Garage’s established branding. “We just wanted that American flag look and still have our company colors—the blues, black, silver and stuff like that,” he said.

One standout detail was the reflective lettering on the boom. “We did reflective for the ‘We the People’ on the boom,” he said. “Everybody loved it.”

Beyond the graphics, the wrecker features extensive custom stainless-steel work and LED lighting throughout, all designed to complement the truck’s presence while remaining functional. Furlong said the truck holds personal significance.

“That truck—we joke around, we call it the payment princess,” he said. “That’s my truck. When they came out with that body, I wanted it. I had that truck built for me.”

The wrecker has also proven itself in daily operations. “I had a 20-ton wrecker,” Furlong said. “The other truck was a lot bigger, but as far as steering with bigger vehicles on the back of it, I’m more comfortable hauling heavier stuff with that truck than the 20-ton.”

Its versatility is a key advantage. “You can tow anything from a box truck right down to a little Toyota Prius,” he said.

Joe’s Garage officially began in 2016, when Furlong bought his first truck. Growth came quickly. “It actually exploded very fast,” he said. “We went from having a rollback to nine trucks.” But in recent years, Furlong made the decision to scale back. “We’re back to six trucks right now,” he said. “You realize it’s better to do less for more than more for less.”

Looking back on the Baltimore show, and the competition surrounding it, Furlong remained grounded about the win.

“There were a lot of beautiful trucks in the show,” he said. “A lot of beautiful trucks!"