As a town full of history and small-town country values, Perryville, MO is a city which deserves to be a stopping point to travelers going through the area. The completion of the I-55 corridor in 1972 gave easy access to this town, along with nationwide interstate transportation. Along with the many attributes of this town, including home to many nice looking large cars, individuals from the community came together to start the Laid Back on I-55 Truck Show, with this year being their second annual event, bringing trucks from all over the region and beyond to park on the square.
I had heard of this show from many of my friends, who said the inaugural show in 2018 was a fun time, with plenty of good-lookin’ trucks in attendance. Originally, the show was set to take place June 7-8, but due to the high percentage chance of rain and the Chester Bridge being closed, the show committee opted to reschedule the show for August 23-24, 2019.
As some of you may know, I enjoy attending charity truck shows and witnessing the trucking industry giving back. This show was no different, with proceeds going to the Down Syndrome Association. I took a trip to Perryville for the first time back in June and loved the charm this little town possessed, so I was really looking forward to this return visit to the area to attend the Laid Back on I-55 Truck Show.
The show kicked off on Friday, August 23rd, with trucks coming in to get parked starting around 1:00 PM, with all registrants receiving a goodie bag and a show t-shirt. This show worked hand-in-hand with the city for special arrangements with the parking of trucks, including closing down some of the streets from Friday around 1:00 PM to Saturday at 11:00 PM. Forecasted rain came on Friday afternoon, but live entertainment on Friday night still started at 7:00 PM by Jerod Yount & Friends, along with the Big Rig Light Show, which started at dusk.
Along with getting to visit with many of my friends from the area, there were also plenty of trucks to see. I also got to watch “Team Transformation” from Main Street Signs lay custom vinyl stripes on Brad Kirchner’s black Peterbilt on Saturday during the event, as well as a kiddie tractor pull, a special abilities talent show, and a cornhole tournament. Saturday evening at 6:00 PM the show took time to thank all the participants who attended, along with Trucker’s Choice recipient Gabe Kranawetter (white Pete with orange fenders), People’s Choice recipient Eric Dias (dark blue and white Pete), and Kid’s Choice recipient Randy Victory (black Peterbilt with orange flames).
After the awards ceremony ended, some of the participants started up their trucks and began “talking” to each other, which included loud pipes, black smoke and train horns. To close out the event, the JWR Band took to the stage and provided live entertainment for all the remaining show-goers. Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day with no rain, which allowed all the activities to take place and attendees to enjoy their time at this charity get-together.
Recognizable rigs in attendance included Terry and Kasey Aslinger’s patriotic car hauler and teal Pete with paisley stripes, John Huellinghoff and his black with red stripes W900, Dennis Stegall and his old red Autocar, Davis Farm Supplies, Steffensen Trucking out of Gowen, MI with their Peterbilt pulling a shined-up tanker along with their Western Star, and Hull Trucking with a handful of their trucks, including their white Peterbilt cabover on display. All told, 57 trucks were registered for the 2019 show, which was a slight increase from last year’s 49 trucks.
Special thanks from the show to their sponsors including Kranawetter Transport, Hull Trucking, Rollet Brother Trucking, CIT Trucking, Tag Truck Center, Buchheit Logistics, Last Dollar Trucking, CM Brown, Larry Schmidt Trucking, Stegall’s Truck Shop, Hotop Flooring, A-1 Glass and Perryville Elks Lodge. Through the commitment of their sponsors, along with the drivers who participated and the attendees, this year’s show was a success, but they are working to make 2020 even better!
Residing in Missouri at the time (plus having already visited Perryville previously), it was an easy decision for me to attend the show – and I am glad I did. There were plenty of beautiful trucks parked in the town square for everyone to enjoy, and you could see the pride in every truck that was there. Make sure to check out the Laid Back on I-55 Truck Show Facebook page for details on the 2020 show as they become available. Thanks to everyone there who made me feel so welcome. And, as always, to all the drivers out there doing the deal, truck safe.