Modesto’s new baseball team name is a celebration of car culture
Updated story: Modesto’s baseball club reveals new name, again tied to car culture
Original story:
Following a monthlong contest, fans have helped decide what to call the team ushering in a new era of baseball in Stanislaus County: the Modesto Glow Riders.
After fielding over 1,000 entries, the submissions were narrowed down to six names, which people could vote on. The results of the election were contentious, according to team owner Dave Heller.
The top two vote-getters were Graffiti and Harvesters, each receiving 469 votes. However, Glow Riders received more votes from different people, according to an official team press release that said the other names had “partisans who repeatedly voted.” The six names voters could choose from were: Graffiti, Bombers, Harvesters, Monster Trucks, 99ers and Glow Riders.
“There was no clear consensus, to put it mildly, from the community, and so we decided to go with Glow Riders for those reasons,” said Heller. “When I had done a name-the-team contest with my club in Quad Cities, we gave the community six choices and 82% voted for River Bandits. That was clearly what the community wanted. The community was much more divided here, and so we made a decision.”
The announcement was made at a press conference in Ceres at Cost Less Foods, which sponsored the contest. Heller said the sponsorship and location of the conference were appropriate because he aimed to make baseball at John Thurman Field affordable.
“We are going to cost less next year. We are going to have lower ticket prices, lower prices on food and beverage, lower prices on merchandise,” he said.
Heller also reiterated his commitment to keeping the team in Stanislaus County with a dramatic promise to its residents. “I promise you that as long as God has put breath in my body, this team will never, never leave Stanislaus County,” Heller said. “We will be here as long as I’m living. We are not going anywhere.”
Displayed in the store were proposed logos for the team, including a kit fox driving a classic car and a skeleton, also driving a classic car. Heller said the kit fox, named “Cruiser,” will be the team’s mascot. Kit foxes are native to the region.
Cruisers was, by far, the most frequently submitted name, according to the release. However, a team in the National Premier Soccer League — the Modesto Cruizers — already has the rights to that name despite the spelling difference. Other names Main Street Baseball ruled out because of conflicts with other teams and potential trademarking issues are: “Aggies,” “Heat,” “Mavericks,” “Low Riders,” “Reapers” and “Crushers.”
Both the Cruisers and Glow Riders names are nods to Modesto’s long history of car culture, which was immortalized in hometown hero George Lucas’ 1973 movie, “American Graffiti.” While the movie was filmed in Petaluma, the plot takes place in 1962 Modesto — making several references to the locations and themes of Lucas’ upbringing in the city.
The movie was a success and helped finance “Star Wars.” While art imitated the hot-rod culture of Modesto during Lucas’ teen years, life in the city has imitated and upheld the legacy of the film.
Car culture remains strong in Modesto. Annually, the Graffiti Festival celebrates this culture with a parade of classic and souped-up vehicles. In September, The City Council proclaimed the fourth Saturday of September as Lowrider History Day, a new annual observance following a nearly three-decade ban on cruising — a tradition that served as one of the movie’s main themes.
Those in attendance included Ceres Mayor Javier Lopez, Modesto City Councilmembers Jeremiah Williams, Chris Ricci and Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen.
Heller stated that a manager for the team would be announced at a press conference on Thursday at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Modesto. The season’s schedule has not been released, but will begin in May.
This story was originally published November 10, 2025 at 11:15 AM.
