TEN FOUR MAGAZINE - TRUCKING ON-LINE MAGAZINE FOR TRUCKERS

SEPTEMBER 2004 SHOW & TELL
NOW PRESENTING...
By Roving Reporter Suzanne Stempinski

Now that you’ve cleaned, scrubbed, polished and painted, your truck looks awesome – even more so than usual. But what about you, the driver? Did all the grease and dirt that came off the truck end up on you? Probably. Are the judges showing up in about 30 or 45 minutes? Probably. What kind of an impression will you make on them? You matter – the way that you present yourself and your truck could be the difference between bringing home a trophy and wishing you had something to dust besides your truck!

When the judge arrives at your truck, be prepared to greet him/her. Even at shows where significant interaction with the judges is not encouraged, acknowledge the judge’s presence, introduce yourself and indicate that you’ll be available to answer any questions the judge may have. At shows where you’re expected to “present” your truck, be positive and enthusiastic. Keep it relatively brief – talk about what you’ve done to customize your truck.

When "presenting" your truck to the judges at a show, don’t tell them about every bolt and nut cover you’ve purchased. Explain the bigger picture to them – that you’re a huge fan of Elvis, and that everything on your truck has been done with a Blue Suede Shoes theme in mind. Talk about the fact that you/your mom/wife/girlfriend made the comforter and curtains for the interior. Explain that you’re big on repeating patterns and that there’s a scheme in mind for your stainless and lights as you walk around the truck and point to the relevant items.

Here's another useful tip: do not confide in the judge how much you hate the DOT and that you’ve designed a super-secret compartment to hide stuff you don’t want anyone to find. That nice judge in his T-shirt and jeans could be a DEA agent, and he would be required to bring in the dogs to check out your truck (this actually happened with a show participant last year).

Some truck show score sheets have a category for Driver Appearance and Presentation. Even at shows where you’re not actively encouraged to talk with the judges, your appearance makes a difference. Just ask Darian Stephens. For several years, when Stephens brought his award-winning truck, Keystone JR, to a competition, he dressed in a tuxedo. Rain or shine. His truck was immaculate, his attention to detail extraordinary, his paint work spectacular. But the way he looked was the icing on the cake.

If wearing a tux is not for you, try dressing to match your truck’s theme. The Gone With The Wind truck owned by Rhett Butler Trucking always included Rhett, his wife, Lynn, driver Larry Weaver and whoever else came to work on the truck, dressed in antebellum costumes on judging day. Donald Goulet, who drives a Denver Broncos-inspired ride, also dresses in “uniform.” Neal & Barbara Holsomback (pictured) wear purple shirts to present their truck, “Plum Classy.” Even if you don’t go all out having outfits made to match your truck, at the very least you should be almost as clean as your truck! If you’re dirty and stinky, the judges will turn up their noses at you and your truck.

If your truck has an injury, there are several approaches you can take. About two weeks before we were scheduled to compete at a show, a fork lift driver ran his forks through the side of our trailer. There wasn’t time to get the damage fixed before the show – so we patched the best we could and we asked an artist friend to make a giant band aid sticker to put over the hole. We made light of it, and brought home a big trophy. If you have a fender that’s dinged and dented or looks like you’ve dropped a trailer on it, consider draping a blanket in a way that suggests it is a part of your display. Haven’t finished polishing your deck plate? Set some attractive plants on display. Trying to mask a mess at the back side of your bumper? Prop your sign board so that it obstructs the view just a little.

Speaking of sign boards, consider having one made. It normally includes info about your truck – year, make, model, engine, transmission, rear ends, etc. It also can serve as a “thank you” to the people who helped bring your dream closer to reality – family, friends, sponsors (if any), etc. Your pinstriper is usually a great source for getting a sign board made – done in a style that complements the existing work on your truck. The sign board actually presents your truck to the public – just one more indication of how proud you are of your equipment and your industry!

This "you matter" philosophy also applies out on the road. Your truck may be spotless, but how do you look? Does your appearance present a positive, clean image for the trucking industry? The road is a continuous truck show and the general public are the judges – so try to ALWAYS look your best – not just at the shows.

Tune in next time for another fun edition of Show-N-Tell. If you have a suggestion for a topic you’d like to see more about, just drop me an e-mail to Wheelz624@aol.com or contact me at the magazine at 1-888-440-4104.