VEGAS BEGINS A COMEBACK
GREAT WEST TRUCK SHOW MAKES POSITIVE GAINS
Despite challenging economic times and soaring fuel prices, the Great West Truck Show (GWTS) in Las Vegas showed significant signs of growth and improvement this year. Held on June 26-28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the show saw gains in overall attendance, exhibitors, square footage and participation from trucking organizations and OEM’s. Of course, most of the gains came from the show’s new owner and their power and influence. Randall-Reilly Publishing, a large media and events company, purchased the show about a year ago and this was their first full-blown show in Las Vegas.
But as good as it sounds, the show was still a little slow. Randall-Reilly did all they could to put together a great event, which is why the show saw so many improvements, but the industry’s fragile state kept many from coming at all. Simply put, the foot traffic was down, as it has been at every show this year. It is no fault of the show producers, just a product of the times. But Las Vegas is, and always has been, a great venue for a truck show, and it is easy to have a lot of fun if you try just a little. And we did!
In our booth, as always, our resident artist and friend Greg Dohlen entertained the crowds by drawing funny caricatures of anyone willing to sit for him. Greg has been coming with us to Las Vegas for over ten years, and everybody always loves his drawings. And after the show ended every day, it was off to a different restaurant to spend quality time with our advertisers, readers and friends. But the real highlight of this show was the Pride & Polish truck beauty contest.
Bud and his crew at Pride & Polish hosted one heck of a good show. For the first time in a long time, a couple of last-minute truck entries actually had to be turned away because they ran out of space. Granted, there was not a huge amount of reserved space for them in the first place, but the space they had filled up very fast. About 40 trucks, both bobtails and combos, were on-hand to compete for trophies, prizes, cash and bragging rights. And these were 40 of the finest trucks to ever hit the show truck circuit! It really was a fantastic collection of show-only rigs, working trucks, antiques and toy haulers.
One of the coolest trucks at the show was an extravagant “toy hauler” built by John’s Truck Repair in California for Jeff & Jason Davidson. This wild custom Pete featured an eye-catching black and tangerine paint job, extenuated with blue flames, and a host of custom fabrication. And although the truck only earned a 4th place trophy in the Limited Mileage Combo class, it sure did turn a lot of heads and attract a crowd. Speaking with the judges after the show, they admitted that the trailer was dirty underneath and that was why the truck placed so low. However, they said, if the truck had competed as a bobtail, it would have cleaned house! The owners of this rig had it built to haul their collection of vintage dragsters to racing events across the country.
Many of the big winners were names that most of you probably already know pretty well - names like Bob & Shelley Brinker, Bill & Marie Sandvik, Brad Caton, Ryan Danylchuk and Michael Most. These folks and their trucks have been winning just about everything at the shows this year. Jeff Botelho brought out his latest flamed Peterbilt work truck and took home the Best of Show Bobtail award. After an error was discovered, Bob & Shelley Brinker were later recognized as having tied for Best of Show with Jeff, and they were given the 1st Place trophy in the OEM Sleeper class. Others worth mentioning included Jim Carello and his “Mayhem” ProStar (our cover truck this month), Cliff King and his Pete 386 with a pullout BBQ, Ron Kelsey and his recently re-done 1981 Peterbilt 359 and Mike Maggini. Mike’s infamous yellow & green Pete showed up with some new pieces including neat breather screens featuring tiny “spade” cutouts, custom mirrors and a newly painted visor.
The 2009 show is scheduled for June 25-27, and if things go as planned, Randall-Reilly says they will open up another hall and expand the show by 33%. Let’s hope that happens and next year’s show continues to grow and improve.
WORKING BOBTAIL (1981-1998): 1st Michael Most, Michael Most Trucking – 1998 Yellow Freightliner Classic; 2nd Isaac Aguilar, Sandvik Trucking – 1992 Burgundy Peterbilt 379; 3rd Ron Kelsey, Kelseys Trucking – 1981 Orange & Yellow Peterbilt 359.
WORKING BOBTAIL (1999-2002): 1st Bob & Shelley Brinker – 2000 Muralled Freightliner Classic XL; 2nd Boots Chivington, Chivington Trucking – 2000 Black & Orange Kenworth W900L; 3rd Colton Pounds, Central Valley Transport – 2001 Purple Flamed Freightliner XL.
WORKING BOBTAIL (2006-2009): 1st Jeff Botelho, Botelho Bros. Trucking – 2007 Blue Flamed Peterbilt 379; 2nd Mike Miller, Prizm Express – 2006 Golden Amber Peterbilt 379; 3rd (tie) Bruce & Sandra Malmgren – 2006 Blue & Silver Peterbilt 379 AND Jeremy Robinson, Taylor Transport – 2009 Orange & Gray Peterbilt 389.
LIMITED MILEAGE BOBTAIL: 1st Ryan Danylchuk, EBD Enterprises – 2001 Purple & Orange Peterbilt 379; 2nd Jim Carello, Regional International – 2007 Orange & Multi-Colored International ProStar; 3rd LeRoy McRoberts & Charlie Rogers, Bad Boys Customs of Nebraska – 2007 Pearl White Kenworth W900L.
WORKING COMBO (1992-1998): 1st Ryan Hooten, Ryan’s Feed & Trucking – 1995 Black Cherry and Red Peterbilt 379 with 1994 Custom Double Hay Trailers; 2nd Jeremy Smith, RAM Trucking – 1994 Lime Green Peterbilt 379 Extended Hood with 2007 Wilson; 3rd Kris Gaare, Kriss Trucking – 1998 Blue Peterbilt 379 with 2004 Great Dane Reefer.
WORKING COMBO (2007 & NEWER): 1st Brad Caton, Eilen & Sons Trucking – 2001 Blue & Silver Flamed Peterbilt 379 with 2001 Mac End Dump; 2nd Michael Salcido, Arrowhead Water/Nestles Water – 2007 Red Freightliner Columbia with 1991 Brenner Tanker; 3rd Cliff King, Castle Rock Transportation – 2007 Gold Peterbilt 386 with 2006 Wabash Dry Van.
LIMITED MILEAGE COMBO: 1st Bill Sandvik, Sandvik Trucking – 1998 White & Blue Peterbilt 379 with 1991 Ravens Flatbed; 2nd Mike Maggini, Maggini & Son Trucking – 1998 Yellow & Green Peterbilt 379 Daycab with 2002 Utility Flatbeds; 3rd Vinnie Diorio, Rollin Transport – 2005 Orange & Slate Peterbilt 379 with 2007 Mac Curtainside Van.
ANTIQUE: 1st Ruben Cendejas, Arrowhead Water/Nestles Water – 1931 Red Ford Model A; 2nd Dennis Houghtaling, Nestles Water NA – 1929 Green Ford Model A.
INTERIOR (CAB ONLY): 1st Brad Caton, Eilen & Sons Trucking – 2001 Blue & Silver Flamed Peterbilt 379 with 2001 Mac End Dump; 2nd Randy & Jona Rebillard – 2002 Dark Blue Peterbilt 379; 3rd Isaac Aguilar, Sandvik Trucking – 1992 Burgundy Peterbilt 379.
INTERIOR (OEM SLEEPER): 1st Bob & Shelley Brinker – 2000 Muralled Freightliner Classic XL; 2nd Jeff Botelho, Botelho Bros. Trucking – 2007 Blue Flamed Peterbilt 379; 3rd Ryan Hooten, Ryan’s Feed & Trucking – 1995 Black Cherry & Red Peterbilt 379 with 1994 Custom Double Hay Trailers.
INTERIOR (CUSTOM SLEEPER): 1st Cliff King, Castle Rock Transportation – 2007 Gold Peterbilt 386 with 2006 Wabash Dry Van.
BEST INTERIOR (LIMITED MILEAGE): (tie) Mike Maggini, Maggini & Son Trucking – 1998 Yellow & Green Peterbilt 379 Daycab with 2002 Utility Flatbed AND Jim Carello, Regional International – 2007 Orange & Multi-Colored International ProStar.
ENGINE (WORKING TRUCK): 1st Isaac Aguilar, Sandvik Trucking – 1992 Burgundy Peterbilt 379; 2nd Brad Caton, Eilen & Sons Trucking – 2001 Blue & Silver Flamed Peterbilt 379 with 2001 Mac End Dump; 3rd Bob & Shelley Brinker – 2000 Muralled Freightliner Classic XL.
BEST ENGINE (LIMITED MILEAGE): John’s Truck Repair/Scrappers Racing – 1997 Black, Blue & Orange Flamed Peterbilt 379 Extended Hood with 1997 Dynastar Race Hauler.
PAINT (WORKING BOBTAIL): 1st Bob & Shelley Brinker – 2000 Muralled Freightliner Classic XL; 2nd Michael Most, Michael Most Trucking – 1998 Yellow Freightliner Classic; 3rd (tie) Colton Pounds, Central Valley Transport – 2001 Purple Flamed Freightliner XL AND Randy & Jona Rebillard – 2002 Dark Blue Peterbilt 379.
PAINT (WORKING COMBO): 1st Brad Caton, Eilen & Sons Trucking – 2001 Blue & Silver Flamed Peterbilt 379 with 2001 Mac End Dump; 2nd Cliff King, Castle Rock Transportation – 2007 Gold Peterbilt 386 with 2006 Wabash Dry Van; 3rd Kris Gaare, Kriss Trucking – 1998 Blue Peterbilt 379 with 2004 Great Dane Reefer.
BEST PAINT (LIMITED MILEAGE BOBTAIL): Jim Carello, Regional International – 2007 Orange & Multi-Colored International ProStar.
BEST PAINT (LIMITED MILEAGE COMBO): (tie) Mike Maggini, Maggini & Son Trucking – 1998 Yellow & Green Peterbilt 379 Daycab with 2002 Utility Flatbeds AND Vinnie Diorio, Rollin Transport – 2005 Orange & Slate Peterbilt 379 with 2007 Mac Curtainside Van.
TRUK-RODZ BEST THEME: Doug & Kim Fisher, Transport N Service – 2007 Red & White Muralled Peterbilt 379 Legacy with 2008 Utility 4000DX.
ROADWORKS BEST USE OF STAINLESS STEEL OR CHROME: John’s Truck Repair/Scrappers Racing – 1997 Black, Blue & Orange Flamed Peterbilt 379 Extended Hood with 1997 Dynastar Race Hauler.
BEST OF SHOW BOBTAIL: (tie) Jeff Botelho, Botelho Bros. Trucking – 2007 Blue Flamed Peterbilt 379 AND Bob & Shelley Brinker – 2000 Muralled Freightliner Classic XL.
BEST OF SHOW COMBO: Brad Caton, Eilen & Sons Trucking – 2001 Blue & Silver Flamed Peterbilt 379 with 2001 Mac End Dump.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: Michael Most, Michael Most Trucking – 1998 Yellow Freightliner Classic.