The seventh annual Color & Chrome Fantasy Truck Show is in the books, and it was a great time. Held on July 29-31, 2016, alongside the Keith County Fair in Ogallala, Nebraska, there were plenty of things for everyone to enjoy. In addition to the trucks, attendees could enjoy the fair fun, play games, or visit with the vendors, who came all the way from places like Colorado, Iowa and Missouri. There was even a mobile trucker’s chapel from New Jersey, for those who wanted to partake in a little worship. As usual, we all survived the heat and managed to have fun, too.
With 46 trucks from the 60’s to the present era, it was hard for the public to choose their favorites. Being an owner operator myself, as well as the producer of this event, I always try to make this show all about the working class trucks, truckers and their families. On Friday, we were all entertained by a 15-year-old girl from Iowa, Shelby Sargent, and boy does she have a set of pipes! And although the folks from the magazine could not be present this year, they left it in my hands to choose this year’s winners of the “10-4 Bucks” ($104 cash). Those winners were Juan Barron with his 1997 Peterbilt 379 and Jared Simon with his 1999 Peterbilt 379.
On Saturday, we had a random gift give-away, which was made possible by many of our generous sponsors, and then some folks enjoyed winning on the Plinko board. Come Saturday night, we got to see the Disher Racing team show us how to smoke a set of tires, then it was time for our family meal, which was sponsored by Elite Diesel, along with Double J Lambs, who provided the refreshments and dessert. And, last but certainly not least, the trucks got fired up, lit up, and went on a 20-mile cruise around the town. Everyone who watched it was very impressed with the beauty of all these amazing trucks.
The Color & Chrome Fantasy Truck Show wishes to take this time to thank all the sponsors and drivers who came out to the show this year and made it yet another success. There is no formal judging at this event, just a People’s Choice vote (the people vote for their 10 favorite trucks and then we tally a list of the top 20). Each winner receives a plaque and, this year, one lucky person got a neat wood truck trophy from a “Vendor’s Choice” vote. But my motto has always been, “Everyone is a winner at my show!” If you missed it this year, I hope to see you in 2017.
Here are the “Top 20” winners for 2016: #1 Russ Reichert (he also won the Vendor’s choice award); #2 Kyle Simon; #3 Juan Barron; #4 Cody Thiede; #5 Jared Simon; #6 Ernie Bates; #7 Kevin Way; #8 Kevin Schnug; #9 Larry Raasch; #10 Jack Collins; #11 Justin Mason; #12 Kevin Burr; #13 Shawn Carroll; #14 Mitch Cockrum; #15 Jeremy Reuter; #16 Gene Andrews; #17 Harold Hawkins; #18 Robert Peterson; #19 Dave Leber; and #20 Mason Fanning.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Special thanks go out to Leslie Peterson for providing the photos for this report.
