King Triad

GMC Sierra and the Perfect Fusion of Parts

- Frank Stroud

Cognito Motorsports is based in Bakersfield, at the southern end of California’s San Joaquin Valley, an area that benefits from both the ag industry and petroleum wells lurking beneath the surrounding golden hills. To say Cognito was forged in the furnace of ag and oil field work is to say it like it is, and chances are good if you see a diesel pickup in Bakersfield, it’s involved in one or both industries. Chances are also good its driver runs some kind of Cognito hardware or knows someone who does. Cognito represents the first point in the Triad that produced this cover truck.

Paul Baker is not from Bakersfield. He’s from Boise, Idaho, another time zone and geographic location entirely, but one with a strong truck scene to rival anywhere else in the country. And one where, as in Bakerfield, the trucks are built to work, and to look good doing it.

Baker’s Field

Baker works for Dennis Dillon, a Chrysler/ Jeep/Dodge/GMC dealer and automotive accessories broker in Boise, so he is essentially a truck builder by trade and was well positioned to take this particular bull by the horns. “Our dealership is capable of being the ‘one stop shop,’” Baker says. “You can buy a truck, have it lifted with wheels, tires, tinted windows, custom paint… and have it all done before you take delivery.”

Dennis Dillon is also the official Cognito dealer for the region, so the stars were, so to speak, in perfect alignment to start on this build. Dillon is the Triad’s second point. The 2016 GMC Sierra 2500 was Baker’s chosen launching pad for the project. Probably 90 percent of the work on this truck would take place on the Dennis Dillon premises, executed by Baker and his team.