10-4 Magazine - For Today's Trucker

JANUARY 2006 SHOW & TELL
PLANNING FOR A SHOW
By Roving Reporter Suzanne Stempinski

It’s never too early to start thinking about the next truck show. In fact, for some truck show addicts, preparing for the next show is a never-ending event. Even before we leave town at the end of one show, we’re hard at work, planning for the next one – and the one after that! And right now, all roads lead to the Paul K. Young Memorial Truck Beauty Championships at the Mid America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, KY on March 23-25, 2006. It is also the first Stars & Stripes Truck Beauty Show of the season.

For longtime show participants, or if you’ve never competed at a truck show before and want to make the next one your first one, there’s a lot to consider. Have you ordered a new truck or trailer and scheduled it to be delivered just in time to debut it at MATS? Have you taken an older truck and put it into a restoration process that should be completed in time for MATS? Are you dreaming of taking the truck show world by storm and making your mark at the biggest, most prestigious show of the year at... you guessed it... MATS? Even if you’re not going to MATS, chances are you’re going to want to think about where you want to display your truck and do a little homework about what to expect when you get there. Every truck show venue has something different and special to offer. Bigger isn’t always better, and small local or regional shows may suit you fine. From March through October, on almost any given weekend, you can find a truck show somewhere in the country – sometimes more than one. Looking ahead and laying out your plans in advance may help you maximize your time on the road and minimize your time off to prep for that next event.

There’s a tremendous amount of planning that goes on before your truck gets to the show grounds, and it starts with your vision of what you want your truck to look like. If your truck isn’t brand new, after a rough winter on the road, you may want to repaint your frame and strip the signs of salt, sand and all the varieties of chlorides off your truck. Timing really is everything – get it done too soon and you may end up back in the snow and evil elements – wait too long and you won’t be able to schedule shop time so close to the big event. That’s also the time you’ll want to add that last-minute chrome and stainless, paint and other accessories that make your truck appear as its best and shiniest self. If participating in more than one show is on your agenda, keeping your truck almost show-ready in between can be easier if you know in advance how long your polish job may last; if you can letter your tires regularly while you’re waiting to load or unload at a customer’s dock; and if you can schedule those last minute touch-ups that require shop time in advance.

How much time do you need to take off before, during and after the show? Downtime is expensive all by itself. Combine it with the outlay you’ll be making during the “dress up” process and the hand you put in your pocket may be working its way down to your ankle searching for money. Don’t forget, you may need to book a motel, figure in the cost of meals and last minute “have-to-haves” and add in a little extra for the unexpected. Can you combine your trip with a planned vacation? If your wife, kids, parents, cousins, polisher or best friend can go with you to be your pit crew, your on-site life will be easier and you may have more time for fun. If the location is close to a vacation destination (like the 75 Chrome Shop’s show in Wildwood, FL in May), you can plan to do the show and then head off to Disney World or one of the other nearby theme parks in Orlando. Your pit crew will thank you and probably be willing to help you clean and polish again at a future date!

Can you get a load that brings you within a reasonable distance of the show? Many companies or brokers, with some advance notice, can get you close to or even right to the city of your choice. Bringing a load in, and having one scheduled out, will make a big difference in your bottom line. It will also force you to consolidate your cleaning supplies, ladder, buckets, extra parts, tools, etc. into an organized bundle – maybe you’ll load and shrink wrap a pallet to tie into your load instead of dealing with those essentials spread out haphazardly across your trailer. Be sure to bring some extra shrink wrap with you so you can wrap it back up again at the end of the show.

And speaking of extra parts and tools, make sure you have plenty of them. Items that should be in your collection of essentials include wrenches in a variety of sizes, nut covers, clear silicone, spare mud flaps and weights, clean rags and garbage bags. You are almost guaranteed to need all of them – and if you don’t bring extras, you will most definitely need to beg, borrow or buy ‘em.

One important piece of advice – REGISTER EARLY. Whether you’re planning a trip to MATS, Vegas, Walcott, Waupun, Reno, GATS or anywhere, it is important to get registered with show management sooner rather than later. Even at outdoor locations, there is a limited amount of space, and a lack of advance planning on your part may leave you with a truck all dressed up and no room at the show. I know, I can hear you saying, “but I don’t know if I can get a load/have my truck ready/take the time off,” etc. Remember, you can always cancel your reserved spot if it looks like your truck and the show dates are not going to coincide after all. In most cases, show management will refund any entry fees paid in advance. But if you’re not pre-registered, and there’s not enough room to accommodate you along with all the trucks that made advance commitments, you may find yourself on a waiting list, on the curb – or back on the road.

So, if you haven’t already started planning your show schedule for 2006, now is a great time to get started. Take a look at our 2006 Calendar of Events, grab your pencil and some paper, and start planning for a fun-filled, shiny new year. We’ll see you in Louisville – or somewhere down the road.