TEN FOUR MAGAZINE - TRUCKING ON-LINE MAGAZINE FOR TRUCKERS

JUNE 2003 TRUCKER TALK

BIG RIGS
BOMBARD BEAN-TOWN
By Truckers & Roving Reporters Bob & Suzanne Stempinski

The Bayside Expo Center in Boston was the place to be May 8-10, 2003 for the 31st Annual North American Truck Show (NATS). With more than 600 exhibitors and a collection of beautiful show trucks competing for cash and prizes, there was plenty of excitement for the steady stream of visitors.

One of the major highlights of this year’s show was the 2nd of the Stars & Stripes Show Truck Events scheduled for the 2003 season. This fierce but friendly competition of outstanding big rigs was sponsored by Peterbilt, Chevron DELO, Long Haul Truck Appearance Products, PPG Industries, Belmor Heavy Truck Products, Newport’s RoadStar Magazine, Truck-Lite, Howes Lubricator Products, Bridgestone/Firestone Tires, Rockwood, Valley Chrome Plating, Alcoa Wheel Products, BF Goodrich, 3D USFlag.com, 75 Chrome Shop, Double Eagle Sleepers and NATS.

Newcomers and visitors from prior years thronged the Stars & Stripes competition area, checking out the incredible iron gleaming on the show floor and taking the opportunity to vote for their personal favorites. At NATS, the People’s Choice Award for both Bobtail and Combo is one of the most hotly contested races, with owners encouraging awestruck attendees to cast their ballots for their truck. This year, Plycon Transportation Group’s “Five-O” topped the Combo charts - their display included a child-sized version of the rig as well as scale-model trucks, gas cans and water bottles, all labeled to match!

And on the Bobtail side, Marcel St. Germain of JRC Leasing swept both People’s Choice and Best of Show with his immaculately appointed and amazingly painted truck “Clown.”
Once again, Best of Show Combo belonged to Rhett Butler Trucking’s “Miss Scarlett.” This extraordinary truck and trailer is not only a crowd-pleaser but, on judging day, Rhett Butler, his wife Lynn, driver Larry Weaver and office worker Missy Grisset dressed in antebellum costumes to complement the truck’s theme displaying scenes from “Gone With the Wind.”

But you don’t have to drive an “extreme” truck, to enter a show truck competition and bring home a trophy or two (along with great memories and new friends). Just ask Gordon Sullivan - his 1979 Peterbilt 359 was a delight to fans of classic trucks - sparkling clean and neat and still going back and forth to work almost every day!

The show season is heating up - you can find one somewhere just about every weekend from now until September. Look for the next Stars & Stripes Show Truck Event inside the Las Vegas Convention Center at the International Trucking Show (along with the 10-4 Magazine booth), June 26-28. Here are all the first-place finishers at NATS 2003:

COMBO: Larry Weaver/Rhett Butler Trucking, 2001 White KW T2000 & 2002 Utility Van - “Miss Scarlett”
BOBTAIL: Marcel St. Germain/JRC Leasing, 2003 Blue KW W900L - “Clown”
WORKING: Dean Mitchell/Rhett Butler Trucking, 2003 Gold KW W900L
INTERIOR (CAB ONLY): Gil Wilson/JRC Leasing, 2000 Blue KW W900L - “Flag”
INTERIOR (OEM SLPR): Larry Weaver/Rhett Butler Trucking, 2001 White KW T2000 & 2002 Utility Van - “Miss Scarlett”
INTERIOR (CUSTOM SLPR): Marcel St. Germain/JRC Leasing, 2003 Blue KW W900L - “Clown”
ENGINE: Larry Weaver/Rhett Butler Trucking, 2001 White KW T2000 & 2002 Utility Van - “Miss Scarlett”
PAINT COMBO: Larry Weaver/Rhett Butler Trucking, 2001 White KW T2000 & 2002 Utility Van - “Miss Scarlett”
PAINT BOBTAIL: Marcel St. Germain/JRC Leasing, 2003 Blue KW W900L - “Clown”
PEOPLE’S CHOICE COMBO: Ricky Neidhart/Plycon Transportation Group, 2000 White KW W900L & 2000 Kentucky Climate Van - “Five-0”
PEOPLE’S CHOICE BOBTAIL: Marcel St. Germain/JRC Leasing, 2003 Blue KW W900L - “Clown”
BEST OF SHOW COMBO: Larry Weaver/Rhett Butler Trucking, 2001 White KW T2000 & 2002 Utility Van - “Miss Scarlett”
BEST OF SHOW BOBTAIL: Marcel St. Germain/JRC Leasing, 2003 Blue KW W900L - “Clown”