10-4 Magazine - For Today's Trucker

SUN & FUN IN FLORIDA
By Roving Reporter Suzanne Stempinski

A spectacular collection of bright, shiny trucks showed up to compete and party at 75 Chrome Shop’s 6th Annual Chrome Shop Truck Show Oct. 8-10. Work crews rebuilding storm-damaged bridges, roadways, homes and businesses were everywhere, along with the visible reminders of four hurricanes, which are keeping trucks busy hauling off debris and bringing in much-needed supplies. In fact, according to some jokes making their way around the Internet, Florida, commonly referred to as “The Sunshine State”, may be thinking about changing its name to “The Plywood State”!

The trucks came in all week, preparing for the weekend festivities, which included live entertainment from a local band, a DJ, a live remote broadcast from a country radio station, vendor booths, and good home cooking – 75 Chrome Shop style! Employees manned the barbecue grills and served up everything from chicken to hot dogs and hamburgers to a full-size pig, roasting on a spit with all the trimmings!

At night, the trucks lit up the sky with a blazing display of incandescent, LED and neon lights, complemented by full-size illuminated palm trees strategically placed around the building. The chrome shop’s service bays stay busy with a constant stream of truck accessories installations, oil changes, tire repairs and other maintenance. Inside, in addition to chrome, stainless, lights, seats, clothing, steering wheels, mud flaps, vinyl graphics or other parts which can be off-the-shelf or customized especially to your needs, you can grab a shower, do your laundry, watch a little television or play games in the arcade.

Old trucks and new ones, heavy haulers, dump trucks, day cabs and super-size sleepers, all came to show off, visit with old friends and make new ones, and compete for trophies and prizes. Jamie Hewitt drives for Severt Trucking out of Jacksonville, Florida. He brought a 1998 Peterbilt 379 – easily recognizable as a former top show truck known as “Marooned”. The truck’s original owner lost the truck through bankruptcy, and company owner Greg Severt picked it up about a year ago. He’s been using it to haul poultry from Florida to California, bringing produce back to the east coast. Severt has about 40 trucks – a mix of company trucks and owner/operators. Hewitt, a show truck veteran who went through some business reversals himself, is eager to put this truck back into tip top, show-ready condition. He didn’t do badly at all, bringing home three trophies for his efforts.

Mike McLane and Max Haertling brought their instantly recognizable 1997 red and white Kenworth W900L pulling a 1998 Great Dane reefer trailer. They scrubbed, polished, waxed and groomed their truck (with the help of family and friends) until it was hard to imagine this hard-working truck actually going down the road! No piece of dirt was overlooked; the aluminum and stainless gleamed with a mirror finish – inside and out. McLane’s tractor sports a stainless steel floor, and in the sunlight the glare was practically blinding! “I’m just tickled to have done so well,” McLane said. “This was a tough competition, and we couldn’t believe we actually won six trophies!” And that included Best of Show Combo, Best Interior and 1st Place in their class.

The happiest couple on the parking lot had to be Tom and MaryAnn Quick. Their truck, a red, white and blue celebration of their country and their faith, gleamed from bumper to bumper, inside and out. They were awarded a whopping seven trophies, including Best of Show Bobtail and the highly prized People’s Choice award, which was voted by members of the public attending the event. “I’ve always wanted to bring home a Best of Show trophy,” explained Tom, “but I didn’t know what the secret was. If I went to more shows, would that improve my chances? I don’t think so, but until now this has only been a dream.” It’s nice to see dreams come true. My congratulations go out to all the winners.

Here is the complete list of winners from the 6th Annual Chrome Shop Truck Show, held October 8-10, 2004 in Wildwood, Florida:

COMBO (1993 & NEWER): 1st Mike McLane & Max Haertling – 1997 red & white Kenworth W900L/1998 Great Dane Reefer; 2nd Ron Saris – 1999 purple Kenworth W900L/2000 Great Dane Reefer; 3rd (tie) Steven VanBlargan – 2002 blue Kenworth W900L/2005 Reitnour Curtainside Van AND Derrick Robinson – 2004 red Peterbilt 379/2004 Brenner.

BOBTAIL (1999 & NEWER): 1st Ron & Jan Huey – 2000 metallic silver International 9400; 2nd Tom & MaryAnn Quick – 2000 white, red & blue Kenworth W900L; 3rd Willie Goodmote – 2000 black Kenworth W900L.

BOBTAIL (1984-1992): 1st Lubrano – 1987 black Mack Superliner; 2nd Ty Jackson – 1988 blue Kenworth W900B.

COMPANY TRUCK BOBTAIL: 1st Clint Dicks/TDT Trucking – 2000 white & orange Peterbilt 379 Short Hood; 2nd (tie) William Kemper/NMT Trucking – 2000 white & blue Peterbilt 379 AND Jamie Hewitt/Severt Transportation – 1998 maroon muralled Peterbilt 379.

WORKING ANTIQUE: 1st Bob & Joyce Thrift/Southern Breeze – 1973 burgundy & black Peterbilt 288TA; 2nd Wayne Hollingsworth – 1979 blue Kenworth W900A.

SPECIALIZED: 1st Sonny Trapp – 2003 silver Peterbilt 379/2003 Talbert Lowboy; 2nd SCI – 2004 black Mack; 3rd Gary Lurie – 1999 white & blue Kenworth W900L/1999 Liddell M60.

FIRST TIME SHOW: 1st Dennis Wiggins – 2000 burgundy & black Peterbilt 379; 2nd Kervin & Son Trucking – 2000 gray & burgundy Peterbilt 379; 3rd Billy Utley – 1999 raspberry Freightliner Century.

DUMP TRUCK: 1st SCI – 2004 black Mack; 2nd Sonny Trapp/Trapp Trucking – 2002 silver Peterbilt 379; 3rd Graham Bros – 2004 red Kenworth T800.

MIXER: 1st SCI – 2004 black Mack/Advanced Mixer; 2nd Graham Bros – 2004 red Kenworth T800.
BEST INTERIOR (SPONSORED BY ROCKWOOD): Mike McLane & Max Haertling – 1997 red & white Kenworth W900L/1998 Great Dane Reefer.

INTERIOR (CAB ONLY): (tie) Clint Dicks/TDT Trucking – 2000 white & orange Peterbilt 379 Short Hood AND Ron Saris – 1999 purple Kenworth W900L/2000 Great Dane Reefer (they split a $100 gift certificate).

INTERIOR (OEM CAB & SLEEPER): 1st Mike McLane & Max Haertling – 1997 red & white Kenworth W900L/1998 Great Dane Reefer; 2nd Tom & MaryAnn Quick – 2000 white, red & blue Kenworth W900L; 3rd Willie Goodmote – 2000 black Kenworth W900L.

INTERIOR (CUSTOM CAB & SLEEPER): 1st Jamie Hewitt/Severt Transportation – 1998 maroon muralled Peterbilt 379.

CUSTOM PAINT (MURAL) BOBTAIL: 1st Jamie Hewitt/Severt Transportation – 1998 maroon muralled Peterbilt 379.

CUSTOM PAINT (GRAPHICS) BOBTAIL: 1st Clint Dicks/TDT Trucking – 2000 white & orange Peterbilt 379 Short Hood; 2nd Tom & MaryAnn Quick – 2000 white, red & blue Kenworth W900L; 3rd Willie Goodmote – 2000 black Kenworth W900L.

CUSTOM PAINT (GRAPHICS) COMBO: 1st Mike McLane & Max Haertling – 1997 red & white Kenworth W900L/1998 Great Dane Reefer.

MOTOR: 1st Ron & Jan Huey – 2000 metallic silver International 9400; 2nd Tom & MaryAnn Quick – 2000 white, red & blue Kenworth W900L; 3rd Willie Goodmote – 2000 black Kenworth W900L.

LIGHTS BOBTAIL: 1st Tom & MaryAnn Quick – 2000 white, red & blue Kenworth W900L; 2nd (tie) Willie Goodmote – 2000 black Kenworth W900L AND Lubrano – 1987 black Mack Superliner; 3rd Ron & Jan Huey – 2000 metallic silver International 9400.

LIGHTS COMBO: 1st Ron Saris – 1999 purple Kenworth W900L/2000 Great Dane Reefer; 2nd Mike McLane & Max Haertling – 1997 red & white Kenworth W900L/1998 Great Dane Reefer.

BEST OF SHOW BOBTAIL (SPONSORED BY ROCKWOOD): Tom & MaryAnn Quick – 2000 white, red & blue Kenworth W900L (Prize: $1000 cash, $500 gift certificate and a pair of steer tires provided by 75 Truck Service Center).

BEST OF SHOW COMBO (SPONSORED BY ROCKWOOD): Mike McLane & Max Haertling – 1997 red & white Kenworth W900L/1998 Great Dane Reefer (Prize: $1000 cash, $500 gift certificate and a pair of steer tires provided by 75 Truck Service Center).

PEOPLE’S CHOICE: Tom & MaryAnn Quick – 2000 white, red & blue Kenworth W900L (Prize: custom 18" Valley Chrome bumper of their choice, 75 Chrome Shop camouflage jacket and duffle bag).