Ah, Salt Lake City - the land of strange weather. From hot to cold, wet to dry, cloudy to clear - and that was just the first day! The “E” Center’s parking lot was the site of the 14th Annual Great Salt Lake Truck Show, a benefit for the National Kidney Foundation of Utah, held on August 22-23. Despite a few snags in the schedule and sporadic weather, the show, which featured about 100 trucks and many fun special events, was a truly good time.

Friday morning kicked off at 10:00 AM with an official presentation of the colors and some patriotic songs sung by the fabulous (really) Utah Highway Patrol Chorus. After that, as many of the show participants scrambled to finish preparing their trucks before “rags down” at noon, a local classic rock radio station staged a weird (but fun) event in which an old truck was supposed to jump over a few motorcycles! While broadcasting live, disc jockeys from 99.5 KURR did a play-by-play as the flamed Ford truck crashed through the make-shift ramp and plowed over the three motorcycles - it was pretty funny to watch.

Having started out as a beautiful day, at about 4:00 PM the wind kicked up, the clouds rolled in and a downpour of rain began to fall. It only fell for about an hour, then the sky cleared and the rain was gone. It is amazing how much rain can fall and then how fast it can dry up out there in the land of the Great Salt Lake. The tent of vendor booths closed up around 5:00 PM so everyone either took a rest, ate some dinner or both. At around 9:30 PM, the light show began - wow! The spectacle of lights that night was probably the highlight of the entire show.

Saturday started with the ever-popular cab races. With amusing commentary from the show’s announcer and host Jim Hellstrom of Lake City International, a cut-up truck cab with casters on the bottom was pushed and pulled by teams of five people, through a maze of cones, as one of the team-members sat behind the wheel and made “truck” sounds. The crowd participated by scoring how well the sounds were made and that, combined with the time of their run through the course, determined the winning team. It was a very unique event that everyone enjoyed. A team of drivers from C.R. England were the cab race winners.

With more people in attendance, Saturday was a busy day (Friday was kind of slow). After the cab races and a short downpour, the donated raffle prizes, which people had put “silent” bids in for, were announced and given out in the huge, air-conditioned vendor’s tent. Tons of great stuff was purchased - all in the name of charity. After that, the trophies for the Stars & Stripes Show Truck event and the hot rods were handed out. Bud, Diana and Suzanne from Stars & Stripes did a super job - and so did the 15 judges.

Although they won many trophies, Bill and Marie Sandvik left a few for some other folks to win. Karl Majors, Stan Hogan and Richard Clark of Garrison Transport, were a few who got to take home some impressive awards. The happiest and most surprised of them all was a young driver for Pride Transport named Steve Ostroff. Being Steve’s first show ever, he was thrilled to take 1st Place in the Company Combo class with his 2003 Freightliner Century and Utility reefer. Thomas J. Peck & Sons’ black Kenworth, in regards to paint, stole the show. The truck featured a realistic flame job - not your typical flames, but more like actual fire (in fact it was considered a mural, not graphics). He also had a matching Harley Davidson on-hand to attract even more attention. Other notable rigs were Ron Romero’s neat ‘68 Pete, Associated Food Store’s ‘53 International and Jeff England’s awesome 2002 Pete (see cover).

The only bummer of the whole show was the canceling of the Gear Jam Concert on Saturday night - we were really looking forward to seeing Loverboy, Foghat, Eddie Money and a few other blasts-from-the-past. Apparently, the locals want to see country music bands - not 80’s pop rock groups. The show, which is usually a great success and money-maker for the charity, was cancelled due to poor ticket sales.

Put on every year as a benefit for the National Kidney Foundation of Utah, this event raises money (and awareness) about kidney disease and helps send kids to “Kidney Kamp” in the mountains. Last year, over 240 transplant and dialysis patients and their family members were able to attend the special weekend. For more information about the foundation or ways to check for and/or prevent kidney disease, visit their website at www.kidneyut.org or call them at (800) 869-5277.

Jeff England, owner of Pride Transport and one of the founders of this show, should get a big pat on the back for all he does. He, along with many helpers (including his assistant Natalie), did a great job. We can’t wait until next year - strange weather and all! Following is a list of all the 1st Place finishers at this year’s show - our congratulations go out to all of them.

NEW COMBO: Miller Bros./Dee Wilson - 2003 Volvo/2002 Utility.
COMBO 2001 & NEWER: Jeff England/Jay England - 2002 Gray & Black Peterbilt 379/2001 Utility Stainless Reefer.
COMBO 1991-1998: Sandvik Trucking/Bill Sandvik - 1998 White & Blue Peterbilt 379/1993 Ravens Flatbed.
COMBO 1979-1990: Gary Amoth Trucking/Eldon Easterday - 1980 Amoth Red Kenworth W900A/2004 Western Roll-Top Trailer.
COMPANY COMBO: Pride Transport/Steve Ostroff - 2003 Gray Freightliner Century/2003 Utility Reefer.
NEW BOBTAIL: Karl Majors - 2004 Blue Peterbilt 379.
BOBTAIL 2001 & NEWER: C.R. England/Marc McElroy - 2001 Red Freightliner Classic.
BOBTAIL 1991-1998: T&J Transportation/Charles Pharley - 1996 Peterbilt 379.
BOBTAIL 1979-1990: Sutherland Trucking/Mark & Rhonda Sutherland - 1984 Black Peterbilt 359.
BOBTAIL 1978 & OLDER: Stan Hogan - 1959 Palomino & Cream Kenworth conventional.
COMPANY BOBTAIL: Johnson Feed, Inc./Mike Johnson - 2003 White & Purple Peterbilt 379.
LONG COMBINATION: Robinson Transport/Kevin Williams - 2002 Green Kenworth W900B/2003 Beall Belly Dumps.
NON-WORKING ANTIQUE BOBTAIL (1978 & OLDER): Ron Romero - 1968 Maroon & Yellow Peterbilt 359.
NON-WORKING ANTIQUE COMBO (1978 & OLDER): Associated Food Stores/Chuck Ivester - 1953 International R195/1957 Utility Van.
LIGHT/MEDIUM DUTY: Lance Whitaker - 1993 GMC TopKick.
SPECIALIZED/WRECKER/VOCATIONAL: Lutrans Mgmt/Robert Lunak - 2003 Red & Purple Peterbilt 379/2003 Cottrell.
ENGINE: Sandvik Trucking/Bill Sandvik - 1998 White & Blue Peterbilt 379/1993 Ravens Flatbed.
INTERIOR (CAB ONLY): Robinson Transport/Les Noffsinger - 1974 Maroon Peterbilt Wrecker.
INTERIOR (OEM SLEEPER): Sandvik Trucking/Bill Sandvik - 1998 White & Blue Peterbilt 379/1993 Ravens Flatbed.
PAINT/GRAPHICS COMBO: Sandvik Trucking/Bill Sandvik - 1998 White & Blue Peterbilt 379/1993 Ravens Flatbed.
PAINT/GRAPHICS BOBTAIL: Prizm Express/Mike Miller - 2004 Blue Peterbilt 379.
MURAL BOBTAIL: Thomas J Peck & Sons/Dan Jackson - 2003 Black Flamed Kenworth W900L.
LIGHTS COMBO: Sandvik Trucking/Bill Sandvik - 1998 White & Blue Peterbilt 379/1993 Ravens Flatbed.
LIGHTS BOBTAIL: Stan Hogan - 1959 Palomino & Cream Kenworth.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: Garrison Transport/Richard Clark - 2003 Purple Peterbilt 379/2003 Utility Stainless Reefer.
PARTICIPANT’S CHOICE: Jeff England - 2002 Gray & Black Peterbilt 379/2001 Utility Stainless Reefer.
BEST OF SHOW COMBO: Sandvik Trucking/Bill Sandvik - 1998 White & Blue Peterbilt 379/1993 Ravens Flatbed.
BEST OF SHOW BOBTAIL: Karl Majors - 2004 Blue Peterbilt 379

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