If it’s June and you happen to find yourself in Las Vegas, you’re either crazy or a certified truck nut (is there a difference?) braving the heat to check out the latest and greatest trucking has to offer at the International Trucking Show. Held June 26-28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, this annual show, in its 42nd year, not only featured the best that the trucking industry had to offer but also the best collection of show trucks, many of which had undergone some major transformations. But trucks weren’t the only thing being transformed - some major changes to the truck show itself were also announced (sort of).

After 42 years, the ITS Management team that has been producing the show since its inception, is parting ways with the California Trucking Association (CTA) and forming their own show. The CTA owns the name to the International Trucking Show and has decided to move it back to Anaheim next year. ITS Management, who first started as employees of the CTA back in 1961 and then later became an independent contractor that produced the show each year, did not want to move back. ITS Manager Roger Sherrard noted that none of the problems prompting the show to move out of Anaheim back in 1995 had been resolved. So, next year, ITS Management will be hosting “The Truck Show” in Las Vegas on June 10-12, 2004, while the CTA will be producing the “International Trucking Show” in Anaheim on September 23-25, 2004. Would-be attendees will have to make a choice as to which show to attend, or do like us - go to both!

Featured in our fun booth this year was Jerry & Gayle Jeffries’ 1929 Fageol (as seen on our December 2002 cover) and our resident caricature artist Greg Dohlen. Greg dazzled the crowds this year by drawing all the caricatures on his computer. Displayed for all to see on a huge LCD monitor, Greg was able to colorize the drawings and then print them in full color - now that’s a great free souvenir! We also passed out thousands of free magazines, posters and centerfolds, featuring some of the best rigs that have ever graced our cover. People just love free stuff (and we love to give it). We also had a special visitor from Denver, Colorado. Eleven-year-old Troy Miller has been corresponding with us via e-mail for many months and was excited to come to the show and meet everyone at the magazine. Troy will be helping us start a new section in the magazine for kids and we are looking forward to working with this “genius” kid. Special thanks go out to Troy and his father Joe for all their help.

Even though there was a lot of confusion and many “whispered” conversations occurring about the break-up of ITS Management and the CTA, the show was still a great success. Some 45 of the finest show trucks (and a bunch of fantastic antiques) took advantage of the air-conditioned accommodations as the Stars & Stripes Show Truck Event was held inside, to beat the heat, for the second year. To our surprise (and many others), many of the popular trucks, seen at most of the big shows, had undergone some cool transformations - and most were awarded amply for them.

Rick Walker brought out Western Distributing’s neat 1953 Pete (our January 2001 cover truck) and debuted its brand new “simulated water” paint job. When you look at the blu-ish green paint, covering the entire tractor, it looks like you’re staring into a pool of water. It’s very unique, and, in our opinion, got more attention than any other truck at the show (it also earned Rick a 1st place award in the Classic Combination class, as he was hooked to a beautiful 2001 polished stainless Utility reefer trailer).

Not to be outdone by anyone, Leo Monteon brought out Western States’ bright yellow, hot rod Pete 359 (another former cover truck from August 2000) with a new look. Leaving the trailer at home and competing in the bobtail class, the truck featured new blue stripes and a host of other cool stuff. The judges must have liked the changes because Leo took 1st place in the Non-Working Bobtail class. Chuck Prigge of Sandvik Trucking made some improvements to his white and purple Pete “Kaotic” (our May 2001 cover truck) which included stretching the frame, among other things. Chuck earned 1st place awards in the 1992-1996 Bobtail class, Interior (OEM Sleeper) class, and was deemed “Best Peterbilt in Show” by Peterbilt.

Not necessarily “transformed” but also making a good showing was Dean Pliaconis with his wildly-painted KW truck and Kentucky trailer combo, taking four 1st place trophies. Of course, no truck show would be complete without Rhett Butler Trucking’s muraled KW (our July 2002 cover truck) taking Best of Show Combo, as well as several other awards. Tony King and his 1986 Pete 359 did very well too, taking two first place wins and Best of Show Bobtail. Now if he could just keep a good hold on those trophies (he dropped two of them and had everyone worried sick when he went up to collect his Waterford Crystal vase for his Best of Show win). With all these past cover feature trucks winning so many classes, we just might have to start calling Vegas the “10-4 Magazine Cover Truck Reunion” show.

So, next year, whether you decide to choose Vegas in June or Anaheim in September (or both), were sure you’ll have a good time and see lots of fabulous rigs and useful stuff. We’d like to congratulate all of the winners at the 2003 International Trucking Show and give a big “high five” to ITS Management for putting on another great show! I’m sure next year will be interesting, but we at 10-4 are excited to be a part of it all. Following is a list of all the 1st place winners (we wish we could list the 2nd and 3rd place finishers too, but space just won’t allow it).

NON-WORKING COMBO: Plycon Van Lines/Dean Pliaconis, 2000 Multicolored KW W900L & 2000 Kentucky Van
NON-WORKING BOBTAIL: Western States Wholesale/Leo Monteon, Yellow 1980 Pete 359
NON-WORKING INTERIOR (CAB ONLY): Plycon Van Lines/Dean Pliaconis, 2000 Multicolored KW W900L & 2000 Kentucky Van
NON-WORKING ENGINE: Plycon Van Lines/Dean Pliaconis, 2000 Multicolored KW W900L & 2000 Kentucky Van
NON-WORKING PAINT (TRACTOR ONLY): Plycon Van Lines/Dean Pliaconis, 2000 Multicolored KW W900L & 2000 Kentucky Van
2003 BOBTAIL: Jake Eilen Trucking/Jake Eilen, 2003 Black and Orange flamed Peterbilt 379
2002 BOBTAIL: Donald & Susan Pardue, Blue 2002 Pete 379
1997-2000 BOBTAIL: Garza Trucking/Victor Garza, 1997 Pete 379
1992-1996 BOBTAIL: Sandvik Trucking/Chuck Prigge, 1996 White and Purple Pete 379
CLASSIC BOBTAIL (1989 & OLDER): Trees Forever/Tony King, 1986 Maroon and Beige Pete 359
2001 & NEWER COMBO: Rhett Butler/Rhett Butler Trucking, 2001 White Muralled KW T2000 & 2002 Utility Van
1996-1997 COMBO: T.L. Job Trucking/Tod Job, 1996 Burgundy Pete 379 & 1997 Great Dane Reefer
CLASSIC COMBO: Western Distributors/Rick Walker, 1953 Blu-ish Green Muralled Pete 411 & 2001 Stainless Utility Reefer
SPECIALIZED COMBO: Tom Eilen & Sons/Brad Caton, 2003 White and Yellow Pete 379 & 2003 Mac End Dump
INTERIOR (CAB ONLY): Jake Eilen Trucking/Jake Eilen, 2003 Black and Orange flamed Pete 379
INTERIOR (OEM SLPR): Sandvik Trucking/Chuck Prigge, 1996 White and Purple Pete 379
INTERIOR (CUSTOM SLPR): Sandvick Trucking/Carl Lux, 1992 Maroon and Pink Pete 379
ENGINE: Trees Forever/Tony King, 1986 Maroon and Beige Pete 359
PAINT - COMBO: Western Distributors/Rick Walker, 1953 Blu-ish Green Muralled Pete 411 & 2001 Stainless Utility Reefer
PAINT - BOBTAIL: Jake Eilen Trucking/Jake Eilen, 2003 Black and Orange flamed Pete 379
BEST OF SHOW - COMBO: Rhett Butler/Rhett Butler Trucking, 2001 White Muralled KW T2000 & 2002 Utility Van
BEST OF SHOW - BOBTAIL: Trees Forever/Tony King, 1986 Maroon and Beige Pete 359

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