MINNESOTA RIGS RULE IN TEXAS
GATS IN DALLAS SHOWS SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT
The Great America Trucking Show (GATS) might have been held in Texas, but a couple of rigs from Minnesota stole the show. Held at the Dallas Convention Center on August 24-27, this event showed some signs of a slight rebound. Spread out over 422,000 square feet, nearly 450 exhibitors, representing all aspects of the trucking industry, welcomed the more than 45,000 visitors to the show. Show management reported a slight increase in overall attendance and a 20% growth in floor space over 2009, but it seemed about the same to us.
As we arrived in Dallas on Wednesday, we were greeted with rain showers. And even though the temperatures were much cooler than usual for this time of year in Texas, it was still nice to be inside once we got to the convention center. After the exhibitors setup their booths, the trucks participating in the Pride & Polish Truck Beauty Contest were brought in and parked. Once parked, their owners began the final cleaning process, which for many lasted until “lights out” at midnight. The large amounts of cleaning supplies and ladders that were scattered all over the floor showed just how serious these truckers took the competition.
Walking the show floor on Thursday, we found many of our friends and advertisers in attendance or on display. We were also happy to see some exhibiting OEMs including PACCAR (Peterbilt & Kenworth), Freightliner, Volvo, Mack, Hyundai and Utility, to name a few. Over the last few years, during the economic downturn, OEMs have been scarce or non-existent at many of the truck shows. Some of our advertisers on display included Axle Surgeons, Valley Chrome, United Pacific, Pittsburgh Power, Grant Products, WTI Fenders, Texas Chrome Shop, 4 State Trucks, Western Truck Insurance and Lincoln Chrome. We also bumped into our old friend and past cover truck owner (June 2001) Vince Jenkins, which is always nice.
Over at the Women in Trucking (WIT) booth, the organization’s CEO and President, Ellen Voie, was making good on a promise she made a few years back. When Ellen founded the association, she said that she would be so thrilled when (or if) their membership reached 1,000 that she’d get the WIT logo tattooed on her shoulder. With a membership base of 1,500 now, she decided to follow through with her boast. Local tattoo artist Mike Berstein “inked up” Ellen and four other women right there at the show. For those that didn’t want a permanent tattoo, temporary ones were available.
Also, out on the show floor, RJ Taylor of Ol’ Blue, USA, along with three Texas Highway Patrol troopers and one retired trooper, did several logbook seminars and answered many questions about current laws and regulations. RJ said they were all busy most of the time and never got a break, which is a good thing. And what truck show would be complete without an appearance by the original ice road trucker Alex Debogorski. Alex was in the Bridgestone Bandag booth all three days of the show signing autographs, taking pictures with fans and answering questions. Alex is always a crowd favorite!
Most shows start somewhat slow and then gain momentum, but GATS was buzzing right from the start. With seminars going all afternoon, various contests and giveaways, celebrities, and plenty of other fun things to see and do, the day went by pretty quick. After the show closed, the exhibitors were invited to a special happy hour party with good food, drinks for all, and live performances by some up-and-coming stars. The event, which was hosted by the Midnight Trucking Radio Network, was emceed by Eric Harley. We saw a lot of old friends at this party and had a great time.
Of the 53 trucks entered in the competition, once again, like last year, we noticed a lot of Texas license plates. Upon further inspection, we saw a few California truckers in town, trying to wrestle some of that hardware from Texas. Our friends and past cover truckers Bill and Marie Sandvik from Valley Center, CA had two beautiful Peterbilts in the competition, as did Lil’ Ray’s Transport out of Salinas, CA. Ray’s two flashy flattop Peterbilt 379s with matching flatbed trailers were a long way from home, as this was their first time at GATS. There was also a sharp flamed-up hay-hauler from LeGrand, CA that made quite an impression on the Texas locals, too.
The guys from Triple R Diesel had a bunch of their trucks at the show, and many of them were spectacular. Recently, these guys have really stepped up their game and are quickly becoming some of the best builders in the country. But the two trucks that really stole the show were the ones owned by Pat and Jonathan Eilen of Hampton, Minnesota. Over the years, the Eilen boys have earned many Best of Show awards with their various hot rod rigs, and these latest creations are continuing that tradition. Taking a combined total of nine trophies (eight of them were for 1st place), the Eilen boys took home both the Best of Show Bobtail and Best of Show Combo awards in the working classes. In the limited mileage classes, Canadian Andy Zary and Texan Jake Lindamood (photo #7) took home the top honors.
Next year’s show is scheduled for August 25-27, 2011. Mark your calendars and make your plans now, because this is always a hot event – and next year should be even hotter! And the 2010 winners were...
BOBTAIL (FIRST SHOW): 1st Rusty Whitson/Circle W Services, 2005 Peterbilt 379; 2nd Russell Parrish, 2000 Freightliner; 3rd Voris Steward/VES Transport, 1994 Kenworth W900.
BOBTAIL (2006 & NEWER): 1st Tuffy Yeary/K-R-Y Trucking, 2010 Kenworth W900; 2nd Ron & Jan Huey/L.B. Trucking, 2010 International ProStar; 3rd Cory Jones, 2007 Peterbilt 379 (photo #10).
BOBTAIL (2001-2005): 1st Bruce Smith/Tim Ables, 2005 Peterbilt 379; 2nd Bryan Lundberg, 2005 Kenworth W900L; 3rd Rusty Conn, 2003 Peterbilt 379.
BOBTAIL (2000 & OLDER): 1st Bob & Shelley Brinker, 2000 Freightliner Classic XL; 2nd Rick Hernandez/Daniel Gil, 1985 Peterbilt 359 (photo #5); 3rd Elvis Williamson, 1995 Peterbilt 379.
BOBTAIL (COMPANY TRUCK): 1st Mitch Larson/Pat Eilen Trucking, 2010 Peterbilt 389; 2nd Bill Sandvik/Sandvik Trucking, 2005 Peterbilt 379; 3rd Don Powell/FFE Transportation Services, 2010 Freightliner C120.
ANTIQUE (BOBTAIL): 1st Jimmy Wiley/K-R-Y Trucking, 1986 Kenworth W900; 2nd Alvin Garland/K-R-Y Trucking, 1978 Kenworth W900A; 3rd (tie) C.O. Bruce, 1969 Peterbilt 359 AND Howard Henley, 1988 International.
ANTIQUE (SPECIALIZED): 1st Eric Hardage, 1963 Mack B-83; 2nd Justin Smith/US Truck Parts, 1967 Mack B-61; 3rd Rick Shotts/US Truck Parts, 1959 Mack B-75.
COMBO (COMPANY TRUCK): 1st David Kosar Jr., 2009 Peterbilt 379 & 1998 Great Dane; 2nd Rick Crenshaw/JD Delivery, 1999 Pete 379 & 1989 Great Dane (photo #8); 3rd Victor Maiden/Stevens Transport, 2011 Kenworth T700 & 2011 Utility.
COMBO (2001 & NEWER): 1st Melissa Hall, 2004 Peterbilt 379 & 2007 Clement; 2nd Justin Hall, 2003 Kenworth W900 & 2011 Wink; 3rd Jeremy Leavitt, 2005 Peterbilt 379 & 2002 Western (photo #3).
COMBO (2000 & OLDER): 1st Ray Rodriguez Jr./Lil Ray’s Transport, 1988 Peterbilt 379 & 2003 Fontaine (photo #6); 2nd Ray Rodriguez Jr./Lil Ray’s Transport, 2000 Peterbilt 379 & 2006 Transcraft; 3rd Tommy Roach, 1999 Peterbilt 379 & 2005 Wilson.
COMBO (SPECIALIZED): 1st Jonathan Eilen, 2010 Peterbilt 389 & 2007 Mac; 2nd Jerry Cruz/Bill Hall Jr. Trucking, 2001 Peterbilt 379 & 2010 Wink (photo #2); 3rd Jerry Redwine/Redwine Trucking, 2007 Peterbilt 378 & 2007 Palmer.
INTERIOR (CAB ONLY): 1st Jonathan Eilen, 2010 Peterbilt 389 & 2007 Mac; 2nd Mitch Larson/Pat Eilen Trucking, 2010 Peterbilt 389; 3rd Bruce Smith/Tim Ables, 2005 Peterbilt 379.
INTERIOR (SLEEPER): 1st Bob & Shelley Brinker, 2000 Freightliner Classic XL; 2nd (tie): Ron & Jan Huey/L.B. Trucking, 2010 International ProStar AND Bill Sandvik, 2005 Peterbilt 379; 3rd Melissa Hall, 2004 Peterbilt 379 & 2007 Clement.
ENGINE: 1st Jonathan Eilen, 2010 Peterbilt 389; 2nd Melissa Hall, 2004 Peterbilt 379; 3rd Bob & Shelley Brinker, 2000 Freightliner Classic XL.
PAINT (BOBTAIL): 1st Mitch Larson/Pat Eilen Trucking, 2010 Peterbilt 389; 2nd Bob & Shelley Brinker, 2000 Freightliner Classic XL; 3rd Cory Jones, 2007 Peterbilt 379.
PAINT (COMBO): 1st Jonathan Eilen, 2010 Peterbilt 389 & 2007 Mac; 2nd Ray Rodriguez Jr./Lil Ray’s Transport, 1988 Peterbilt 379 & 2003 Fontaine; 3rd Jeremy Leavitt, 2005 Peterbilt 379 & 2002 Western.
BUILDER’S CLASS: 1st Kevin McIntyre/Outlaw Customs, 1984 Peterbilt 359; 2nd Bruce Smith/Thomas Ivy, 1986 Peterbilt 359; 3rd Josh Foster/The Chrome Shop, 1984 Peterbilt 359.
LIMITED MILEAGE (BOBTAIL): 1st Andy Zary, 1959 Mack B-61; 2nd Isaac Aguilar/Sandvik Trucking, 1992 Peterbilt 379; 3rd David Kosar Sr., 2008 Peterbilt 389.
LIMITED MILEAGE (COMBO): 1st Jake Lindamood, 2007 Peterbilt 379 & 2007 CPS (photo #9); 2nd Jeff Hardage, 1986 Peterbilt 359 & 2004 Utility; 3rd Gary Collins, 1993 Kenworth W900 & 2000 Wabash.
BEST OF SHOW (BOBTAIL): Mitch Larson/Pat Eilen Trucking, 2010 Black & Lime Green Peterbilt 389 (photo #1).
BEST OF SHOW (COMBO): Jonathan Eilen, 2010 Black & Orange Peterbilt 389 & 2007 Mac End Dump (photo #4).