Dedicated to Mom

By George L. Nitti 

Over the years, Payne’s Towing & Recovery of Ruckersville, Virginia, has dedicated their tow trucks to the memory of Amy Payne, who passed away in 2007 of breast cancer. She was only 32 years of age. Her two sons, Kevin and Mikey, were kids at the time of her passing, and grew up alongside their father in the towing industry, both becoming rotator operators. 

As homage to their mother, the graphics on the company tow trucks include multiple breast cancer ribbons dedicated to her memory, with the units standing out as a labor of love.  

“My father came up with the design in 06’/07’,” said Kevin Payne, who runs their 2021 W900B with a 1050 Century Rotator. His brother Mikey operates their 2021 Twin Steer W900B Kenworth with a 1075 Century Rotator. That truck was entered at the Wrecker Pageant at the American Towman Exposition in Baltimore in 2021 and won Best in the Rotator Class.   

Both rotators are recognized for their masterful detail and composition, almost identical in terms of the graphics. On the hood of each is a pink breast cancer ribbon that takes prominence with scripted words in yellow that state: “We Love You Mom,” with the names “Mikey and Kevin” laid squarely across the ribbon. 

Several contrasting graphic elements stand out on these rotators, working together against their black backgrounds to provide texture, contrast and dimensionality. One image is the silver metal plates that run up from the Kenworth chassis and extend onto the body of the rotators, guided by a thick orange, slanted line partially in the shape of a tribal flame, giving the design a contemporary/modern quality and providing just the perfect mix of contrast. 

In the center of the rotator, on both sides, adding dimension and interest, is Tow Mater from the movie Cars. 

“It was something that I liked when I was younger and we’ve just kind of stuck with it,” said Kevin. “My Dad decided to put it on the side of the truck.” 

On the boom of the rotator, the company name pops out, accentuated by a yellow stripe underneath it and excellent shadow work on the lettering, giving further pop. 

Kevin said, “We did all of the paint work on the whole truck right here in our shop.  Everything gets painted in house. We also do the stainless steel.”  

Leaving no stone unturned, the under lift of the unit includes exquisite detail, the Payne name in a bright orange against stainless steel with purple painted outriggers and extra large hooks. 

Helping to bring everything together is the hand painted colored pinstriping, in hues of orange and purple, around the unit and ribbons for mom representative of the kind of mastery that would make mom proud, especially of her two sons, Mikey and Kevin.