The first stop of 2015 for Overdrive’s Pride & Polish Championship show series was once again hosted by the 75 Chrome Shop on April 24-26 in Wildwood, Florida. Kicking off Pride & Polish’s 25th year, this event started the season off right with about 70 trucks competing for trophies, accolades, and a chance to qualify to compete for the national championship title later this year in Dallas. Wildwood is always a fun and relaxed event, and this year was no different.
Amidst warm and muggy temperatures, the competitors put their best side up in the extreme white-glove competition of the “Pride & Polish” part of the event, while the folks in the “Wash & Show” classes enjoyed a more relaxed but still competitive contest. Thousands of attendees were able to get an up-close look at these customized rides and visit with a variety of trucking industry vendors.
A 1999 Pete 379 called “Disorderly Conduct” and former Pride & Polish National Champ, won Best of Show in the Limited Mileage Bobtail category. The truck is now owned by longtime Pride & Polish competitor Todd Roccapriore, who also brought his award-winning “Widow Maker” to the annual Florida event. Roccapriore’s “Disorderly Conduct” also won the People’s Choice award. In addition to Roccapriore’s wild blue and black Peterbilt, three others won Best of Show honors.
In the Limited Mileage Combo class, Josh Reed of Lanita Specialized and their 2015 black Kenworth W900L with red stripes and 2015 MAC curtainside took the top honors. Proudly earning the top spot in the Working Bobtail class was our September 2014 cover truck – a mocha and green 1997 Peterbilt 379 owned and operated by Ken & Barb Fisher, while the winner of the Working Combo category went to newcomer Michael LeCrenier of Walpole Trucking and their green 2014 Kenworth T880 and 2008 Polar tanker.
All four of these “Best of Show” winners have now earned the opportunity to compete for the 2015 Pride & Polish National Championship title at the season finale, held at the Great American Trucking Show (GATS) in Dallas this August 27-29. With five different events being held in locations all across the country, the “Best of Show” winners from each of these events will converge at GATS this summer to compete for the lofty title of National Champion for the entire year.
Bob Harley and his purple 1972 Peterbilt 358A (our January 2015 cover truck) earned the coveted Participant’s Choice award, while Ryan Wichter and his green and gold 1982 Marmon cabover took 1st place in the Antique class – and turned a lot of heads! Some other notable winners in the competition included Eric Bilgo, Chad Betland and Doug Jameson of J & L Contracting.
Clint Dicks of CDT out of Lake City, Florida dominated the truck show scene for many years with his stunning orange and white trucks, but he has not competed much over the past several years. Making a comeback of sorts, Clint had several rigs at this show, all painted orange and white, that did very well, including a 2015 Kenworth T680 with a 2016 Utility reefer, a 2007 Kenworth T800 and 2016 Utility flatbed, and a really nice 1985 Peterbilt 359 hooked to a 2008 Utility stepdeck.
In the Wash & Show classes, Best of Show Bobtail went to Larry Diller and his striking red Kenworth W900L with white stripes, while Jeremy Robinson of Taylor Transport took the top honors in the Combo class with their 2013 black and white Kenworth W900 and polished stainless van.
Honoring driver’s creativity, excellence and dedication, Pride & Polish is the premier truck beauty championship series in North America. We hope they have a great 2015 season as they celebrate their 25th year. And if this show is any indication as to how the rest of the year will go for them, it’s gonna be a great one!
EDITOR’S NOTE: We would like to thank Pride & Polish and our friend and contributor Frank Strohmyer of Bedford, Ohio for providing us the pictures for this report, as we were unable to attend this show in person. And the winners were:
WASH & SHOW WINNERS
BOBTAIL (2000 & OLDER): 1st Jay Holsomback, Sugar Valley, GA – 1996 Blue & White Kenworth W900L; 2nd David Smith, Richmond, KY – 1984 White Peterbilt 359; 3rd Johnny Byers/LL Carter & Sons, Ruther Glen, VA – 1989 Black & Red Freightliner FLA Cabover.
BOBTAIL (2001-2008): 1st Jim Gadrell/CDT, Lake City, FL – 2007 White & Orange Kenworth T800; 2nd Antonio Smith, Gordon, GA – 2006 Red Freightliner Century; 3rd George Parker, Fairborn, OH – 2004 Black & Red Freightliner Coronado.
BOBTAIL (2009 & NEWER): 1st Larry Diller/Lanita Transportation, Myerstown, PA – 2015 Red & White Kenworth W900L; 2nd Mel Dawson/Fairway Transit, Pewaukee, WI – 2014 Blue Kenworth W900L; 3rd Darrell Ferguson/LB Trucking, Mulberry, IN – 2013 Black Mack Pinnacle.
COMBO (1999 & OLDER): 1st Scoobey Meltcher, Orlando, FL – 1991 Red & White Kenworth K100E & 2005 Wally Mo Car Carrier; 2nd Brody Lathrop, Fanning Springs, FL – 1998 Red & Grey Peterbilt 379 & 2002 Fontaine Flatbed; 3rd Mike Auker/CDT, Lake City, FL – 1985 White & Orange Peterbilt 359 & 2008 Utility Stepdeck.
COMBO (2000-2009): 1st Chad Betland, Big Lake MN – 2007 White & Blue Kenworth W900L & 2014 Reitnouer Lowmiser; 2nd Tom Conde/CDT, Lake City, FL – 2007 White & Orange Kenworth T800 & 2016 Utility Flatbed; 3rd Travis Eaton, New Market, VA – 2000 Light Blue Kenworth W900L & 2006 Great Dane Reefer.
COMBO (2010 & NEWER): 1st Jeremy Robinson/Taylor Transport, Cartersville, GA – 2013 Black & White Kenworth W900 & polished stainless van; 2nd Brett Cole, Weatherford, OK – 2013 Black Peterbilt 389 & 2015 XL Flatbed; 3rd Bubba Branch, Lakeland, FL – 2014 Silver Peterbilt 579 & 2009 Load King.
WASH & SHOW BEST OF SHOW (BOBTAIL): Larry Diller/Lanita Transportation, Myerstown, PA – 2015 Red & White Kenworth W900L.
WASH & SHOW BEST OF SHOW (COMBO): Jeremy Robinson/Taylor Transport, Cartersville, GA – 2013 Black & White Kenworth W900 & polished stainless van.
PRIDE & POLISH WINNERS
BOBTAIL (FIRST SHOW): 1st Daniel Van Dyke/Opel Logistics, Hudsonville, MI – 2015 Maroon Peterbilt 389; 2nd Andres Urgelles, Miami, FL – 2000 Midnight Blue Freightliner Classic; 3rd Armando Amador, Ocala, FL – 2001 Red & Gold Freightliner Classic XL.
BOBTAIL (SPECIALIZED): 1st Jeff Revis, Wildwood, FL – 2015 Viper Red Kenworth T370; 2nd Earl Millirons/New Image Towing & Recovery, Forest Park, GA – 2005 Red Peterbilt 379 Wrecker; 3rd Charles Church/Greg Sherlock, Orlando, FL – 2006 Black Peterbilt 357.
BOBTAIL (WORKING): 1st Kenneth & Barb Fisher, Muscoda, WI – 1997 Mocha & Green Peterbilt 379; 2nd David Foster, Joplin, MO – 2005 Red & Gray Kenworth W900L; 3rd Troy Huddleston, Yale, IL – 1991 Viper Red Freightliner Classic.
BOBTAIL (PAINT): 1st Kenneth & Barb Fisher, Muscoda, WI – 1997 Mocha & Green Peterbilt 379; 2nd Jeff Revis, Wildwood, FL – 2015 Viper Red Kenworth T370; 3rd (tie) David Foster, Joplin, MO – 2005 Red & Gray Kenworth W900L AND Joel Dawes, Waterford, WI – 2014 Red Kenworth T660.
BOBTAIL (LIGHTS): 1st Todd Roccapriore, Hebron, CT – 1999 Black & Blue Peterbilt; 2nd Butch Van Dyken/Stepps Towing, Tampa, FL – 2013 Brown & Blue Peterbilt 389; 3rd Johnny Byers/LL Carter & Son, Ruther Glen, VA – 1988 Black & Burgundy Freightliner Classic.
COMBO (1998 & OLDER): 1st Robert Opp, Pomona Park, FL – 1987 Green Ford CL9000 & 1989 Great Dane; 2nd Steve Blanchette, New Canada, ME – 1984 Blue Peterbilt 359 & 2005 Great Dane Reefer; 3rd Eric Bilgo, Jackson, WI – 1995 Black, Gold & Copper Peterbilt 379 & 2015 MAC Curtainside Flatbed.
COMBO (1999-2007): 1st Kevin Secotte, Thomaston, ME – 2007 Blue & Silver Western Star LowMax & 2006 Great Dane Reefer; 2nd John Jaikes III, Nanticoke, PA – 1999 Purple Kenworth W900L & 2006 Utility Reefer.
COMBO (2014 & NEWER): 1st Michael LeCrenier/Walpole Trucking, Okeechobee, FL – 2014 Green Kenworth T880 & 2008 Polar Tanker; 2nd Clint Dicks/CDT, Lake City, FL – 2015 White & Orange Kenworth T680 & 2016 Utility Reefer; 3rd Frank Lagana/Phillip Williams & Sons, Plant City, FL – 2014 White Kenworth T660 & 2015 Benson Flatbed.
COMBO (PAINT): 1st Eric Bilgo, Jackson, WI – 1995 Black, Gold & Copper Peterbilt 379 & 2015 MAC Curtainside Flatbed; 2nd Robert Opp, Pomona Park, FL – 1987 Green Ford CL9000 & 1989 Great Dane; 3rd Clint Dicks/CDT, Lake City, FL – 2015 White & Orange Kenworth T680 & 2016 Utility Reefer.
COMBO (LIGHTS): 1st Doug Jameson/J&L Contracting, Ozark, MO – 2015 Black, Red, Blue & White Peterbilt 389 & 2015 Trail King Advantage; 2nd (tie) Josh Reed/Lanita Specialized, Pioneer, OH – 2015 Black Kenworth W900L & 2015 MAC Curtainside Flatbed AND Tom Conde/CDT, Lake City, FL – 2007 White & Orange Kenworth T800 & 2016 Utility Flatbed; 3rd (tie) Clint Dicks/CDT, Lake City, FL – 2015 White & Orange Kenworth T680 & 2016 Utility Reefer AND Jeremy Robinson/Taylor Transport, Cartersville, GA – 2016 Red Kenworth T660 & 2015 Great Dane Van.
ANTIQUE: 1st Ryan Wichter, Eustis, FL – 1982 Green Marmon P110; 2nd Johnny Byers/LL Carter & Son, Ruther Glen, VA – 1988 Black & Burgundy Freightliner Classic; 3rd Orelyis Roque/Roque Brothers, Opalocka, FL – 1980 Green Peterbilt 359.
INTERIOR (CAB ONLY): 1st Clint Dicks/CDT, Lake City, FL – 2015 White & Orange Kenworth T680 & 2016 Utility Reefer; 2nd Troy Huddleston, Yale, IL – 1991 Viper Red Freightliner Classic; 3rd Joel Dawes, Waterford, WI – 2014 Red Kenworth T660.
INTERIOR (OEM SLEEPER): 1st Kenneth & Barb Fisher, Muscoda, WI – 1997 Mocha & Green Peterbilt 379; 2nd David Foster, Joplin, MO – 2005 Red & Gray Kenworth W900L; 3rd Eric Bilgo, Jackson, WI – 1995 Black, Gold & Copper Peterbilt 379 & 2015 MAC Curtainside Flatbed.
ENGINE: 1st Eric Bilgo, Jackson, WI – 1995 Black, Gold & Copper Peterbilt 379 & 2015 MAC Curtainside Flatbed; 2nd Kenneth & Barb Fisher, Muscoda, WI – 1997 Mocha & Green Peterbilt 379; 3rd Jeff Revis, Wildwood, FL – 2015 Viper Red Kenworth T370.
BEST INTERIOR (LIMITED MILEAGE): Todd Roccapriore, Hebron, CT – 1999 Black & Blue Peterbilt.
BEST PAINT (LIMITED MILEAGE BOBTAIL): Todd Roccapriore, Hebron, CT – 1999 Black & Blue Peterbilt.
BEST PAINT (LIMITED MILEAGE COMBO): Josh Reed/Lanita Specialized, Pioneer, OH – 2015 Black Kenworth W900L & 2015 MAC Curtainside Flatbed.
BEST ENGINE (LIMITED MILEAGE): (tie) Todd Roccapriore, Hebron, CT – 1999 Black & Blue Peterbilt AND Josh Reed/Lanita Specialized, Pioneer, OH – 2015 Black Kenworth W900L & 2015 MAC Curtainside Flatbed.
LIMITED MILEAGE BOBTAIL: 1st Todd Roccapriore, Hebron, CT – 1999 Black & Blue Peterbilt; 2nd Bob Harley, Burbank, OH – 1972 Purple Peterbilt 358; 3rd Eric Adams/Eric Hassevoort, Hamilton, MI – 2015 Black & Green Peterbilt 389.
LIMITED MILEAGE COMBO: 1st Josh Reed/Lanita Specialized, Pioneer, OH – 2015 Black Kenworth W900L & 2015 MAC Curtainside Flatbed; 2nd Doug Jameson/J&L Contracting, Ozark, MO – 2015 Black, Red, Blue & White Peterbilt 389 & 2015 Trail King Advantage; 3rd Jeremy Robinson/Taylor Transport, Cartersville, GA – 2016 Red Kenworth T660 & 2015 Great Dane Van.
BEST OF SHOW WORKING BOBTAIL: Kenneth & Barb Fisher, Muscoda, WI – 1997 Mocha & Green Peterbilt 379.
BEST OF SHOW WORKING COMBO: Michael LeCrenier/Walpole Trucking, Okeechobee, FL – 2014 Green Kenworth T880 & 2008 Polar Tanker.
PARTICIPANT’S CHOICE: Bob Harley, Burbank, OH – 1972 Purple Peterbilt 358 “Bad Attitude”
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: Todd Roccapriore, Hebron, CT – 1999 Black & Blue Peterbilt “Disorderly Conduct”
