10-4 Magazine - For Today's Trucker

COVER FEATURE - MAY 2005

KICKIN’ IN KENTUCKY
MID-AMERICA TAKES CENTER STAGE – AGAIN
(Click here to see the photos!)

By Daniel J. Linss - Editor

For the 34th year in a row, the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, Kentucky, has once again proved itself to be the grand-daddy of them all. Held March 31-April 2, 2005 at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center, the show featured 1,080 exhibiting companies from 46 states and 11 foreign countries and saw 75,000 individuals from all 50 states and 43 foreign countries enter the gates. Encompassing over one million square feet of space, this show, as always, spotlighted the latest and greatest (literally) that the trucking industry had to offer.

Three days is just not enough to see everything, to talk to everyone and to do all of the things that you really wanted to do. Once the show opens, reality hits - there’s no way to get to it all. So then you start picking and choosing, which can be hard. You could decide to spend some time with exhibitors on the floor, seeing all the stuff everyone has to offer; you could decide to go outside and see all the show trucks; you could decide to put on your thinking cap and attend some educational seminars; you could decide to hang out with your friends or business associates; but you just couldn’t decide to do it all. Ah, choices, choices. We at 10-4 opted to visit with our friends and customers, hang out with the show trucks and truckers, take lots of pictures, and spend time in our booth handing out magazines and selling t-shirts and laminated placemats. At the end of the show, we realized that none of us had really “checked it all out” inside, but judging by the press releases, some great new products were introduced.

Outside was where the action was - even if the weather wasn’t perfect. Stars & Stripes had to turn away a few would-be competitors because they were simply out of space in the parking area. With around 140 trucks on display, many of them being space-eating combinations, the lot was filled to capacity. This year also featured the first-ever Big-Rig Build-Off, which attracted much of the attention of the crowd. Nobody seemed to be too bothered by the occasional rain that swept through from time to time, and many folks just decided it was okay to get wet.

This year saw a lot of old favorites dominate the judging. The single biggest winners were veteran truck show competitors Charles & Carol Grimes. Their 2000 Kenworth W900L named “Purple Passion” for its vibrant color, took home six (that’s right six) 1st Place trophies, including Best of Show Bobtail. Another big winner was Thomas & Kim Turner. Their neat brown and cream Pete and step deck trailer called “El Dorado” was awarded four 1st Place trophies, including Best of Show Combo. Other notable winners were Harvey & Karen Zander and their “Icy Blu 2” International and Russ & Debbie Brown’s “American Thunder” Harley-themed Freightliner. Both of these veterans took home top honors in two classes, as well as some 2nd and 3rd Place awards.

Some trends were very dominate this year. Many trucks touted suicide doors, clear lens LEDs, flat top sleepers, flame paint jobs and wheel spinners, but some folks got a little more creative. One cattle truck had neat spinners. In place of the usual blades that spin, these rims had five cow skulls that spun. Some of the other cool things we saw were embossed flames on Darin Bean’s rear fenders (he wouldn’t tell anyone how he did it and you couldn’t tell just by looking), Gailand Johnston’s KW logo-shaped rear window with the letters etched in the glass, and Russ & Debbie Brown’s unique hood ornament, which was a set of Harley handlebars and grips.

At the awards ceremony on Saturday, the publisher of 10-4 Magazine made a last-minute decision to give away $1,004 cash to a lucky competitor whose name was pulled from a bucket. When the prize was announced, the crowd got really excited at the chance to get some “10-4 Rainy Day Cash” but none was as excited as Roger & Caroline Dulaney after their names were called as the winners. The show ended with a bang outside, as the owner of one of the drag trucks that were on display (The Bounty Hunter) performed an impromptu burnout session before loading it onto its carrier. Wow!
Next year’s show is scheduled for March 23-25, 2006, so mark your calendars now. You can visit www.truckingshow.com for more details. Here are all of the 2005 winners:

BOBTAIL (LESS THAN 50K MI): 1st Richard Acosta – North Bergen, NJ; 2nd Connie & Robert Stiles – Seymour, IN (Extreme Die Hard); 3rd Robert White – Shakopee, MN.
BOBTAIL (2004-2005): 1st Robert Gerber – Milford, VA; 2nd Carol Ann Schlussler – Baldwin, WI; 3rd Brad Kirchner – Old Appleton, MO.
BOBTAIL (2002-2003): 1st Harvey & Karen Zander – St. Louis Park, MN (Icy Blu 2); 2nd Randy & Jona Rebillard – Gimli, Manitoba (Tired Iron); 3rd Shawn Swanson – Prophetstown, IL (Pure Attitude).
BOBTAIL (2000-2001): 1st Charles & Carol Grimes – Sebree, KY (Purple Passion); 2nd Tom & Mary Ann Quick – LaFollette, TN; 3rd Bob & Shelley Brinker – Grayling, MI (Dragon On).
BOBTAIL (1995-1999): 1st Russ & Debbie Brown – Moore, OK (American Thunder); 2nd Scott Batten – Deer Grove, IL; 3rd Scott Climer – Brighton, TN (Mookie’s Ride).
BOBTAIL (1978-1994): 1st Sal Castiglione – North Belmore, NY; 2nd Ron Brubaker – Sigourney, IA; 3rd Ed Davis & Mark Avil – Canby, OR.
BOBTAIL (SPECIALIZED): 1st Rick Ingram – Lincolnshire, IL; 2nd Quality Towing/Robert Adams – Milford, OH; 3rd LL Carter & Son/Jay Bradley – Ruther Glen, VA.
BOBTAIL (FIRST SHOW): 1st Witte Bros Exchange/Bruce & Marilyn Barnes – Troy, MO; 2nd Allied Automotive Group/Leo Wilkins – St Charles, MI; 3rd Joseph Marbach – Ryan, IA.
ANTIQUE (NON-WORKING): 1st Mark Draper – Cloverdale, OH; 2nd Jay Sterling – Woodslee, Ontario; 3rd David Strickland – Cana, VA.
EXPEDITE: 1st Billy Johnson & Amy Richardson – Covington, GA; 2nd Morgan Morris – Texas; 3rd Donald & Yvonne Gibson – Biloxi, MS.
COMBO (2003 & NEWER): 1st Bob Bissell Trucking/Bob Bissell – St. Louis, MI; 2nd Styline Transportation/Tim Begle – Huntington, IN; 3rd Ernie Adams – New Florence, PA.
COMBO (1993-2002): 1st Thomas & Kim Turner – Cynthiana, KY (El Dorado); 2nd John Ray Enterprises/John & Kay Ray – Eastaboga, AL; 3rd (tie) Ed Stroh & Kitty Richmond – Washington, IN (Shades of Purple); 3rd (tie) Southern Pride/Greg Page – Mooresville NC (Showtime).
COMBO (COMPANY TRUCK): 1st A & R Transport/Mike Bedeker – Morris, IL; 2nd Altom Transportation/Bob Schultz – Chicago, IL; 3rd Van Eerden Trucking/Gerry Harker – Byron Center, MI.
COMBO (SPECIALIZED): 1st A & R Transport/Mike Bedeker – Morris, IL; 2nd Johnny & Bill Culver – Paris, AR (Tonight We Ride); 3rd Monmouth Materials/Jim Baron & Charlie Bowen – Matawon, NJ.
COMBO (FIRST SHOW): 1st HJH Trucking, Inc./Adam & Jarrod Russell – Jerseyville, IL; 2nd Daniel Pedersen – Jonesborough, TN; 3rd Bob Mitchell – Morris, IL.
INTERIOR (CAB ONLY): 1st Southern Pride/Greg Page – Mooresville NC (Showtime); 2nd Randy & Jona Rebillard – Gimli, Manitoba (Tired Iron); 3rd TDT, Inc./Clint Dicks – Lake City, FL (Freshly Squeezed).
INTERIOR (OEM SLPR): 1st Russ & Debbie Brown – Moore, OK – (American Thunder); 2nd Charles & Carol Grimes – Sebree, KY (Purple Passion); 3rd Harvey & Karen Zander – St. Louis Park, MN (Icy Blu 2).
INTERIOR (CUSTOM SLPR): 1st Thomas & Kim Turner – Cynthiana, KY (El Dorado); 2nd Donald & Susan Pardue – Clarkesville, GA (Bad to the Bone); 3rd John Ray Enterprises/John & Kay Ray – Eastaboga, AL.
INTERIOR (EXPEDITE): 1st Morgan Morris – Texas; 2nd Donald & Yvonne Gibson – Biloxi, MS; 3rd Brian Thompson – Harrow, Ontario.
PAINT/GRAPHICS (BOBTAIL): 1st Charles & Carol Grimes – Sebree, KY (Purple Passion); 2nd Tom & Mary Ann Quick – LaFollette, TN; 3rd Scott Batten – Deer Grove, IL.
PAINT/MURAL (BOBTAIL): 1st Harvey & Karen Zander – St. Louis Park, MN (Icy Blu 2); 2nd Bob & Shelley Brinker – Grayling, MI (Dragon On); 3rd Donald & Susan Pardue – Clarkesville, GA (Bad to the Bone).
PAINT/GRAPHICS (COMBO): 1st Ed Stroh & Kitty Richmond – Washington, IN (Shades of Purple); 2nd Lester Sullivan – Springfield, IL; 3rd Styline Transportation/Tim Begle – Huntington, IN.
ENGINE: 1st Charles & Carol Grimes – Sebree, KY (Purple Passion); 2nd Harvey & Karen Zander – St. Louis Park, MN (Icy Blu 2); 3rd Thomas & Kim Turner/Cynthiana, KY (El Dorado).
LIGHTS (BOBTAIL): 1st Charles & Carol Grimes – Sebree, KY (Purple Passion); 2nd Harvey & Karen Zander – St. Louis Park, MN (Icy Blu 2); 3rd Bob & Shelley Brinker – Grayling, MI (Dragon On).
LIGHTS (COMBO): 1st Thomas & Kim Turner – Cynthiana, KY (El Dorado); 2nd Ed Stroh & Kitty Richmond – Washington, IN (Shades of Purple); 3rd Bob Bissell Trucking/Bob Bissell – St. Louis, MI.
MOST HEAD-TURNING USE OF STAINLESS & CHROME: Charles & Carol Grimes – Sebree, KY (Purple Passion).
LIMITED MILEAGE (BOBTAIL): 1st Rusty Wyrick & Tina Lowmax – Mansfield, OH (French Quarters); 2nd Lacey Dalton – Caledonia, Ontario; 3rd Gailand Johnston – Lamar, MO (Inferno).
LIMITED MILEAGE (COMBO): 1st Bill & Marie Sandvik – Valley Center, CA; 2nd Hoffman Transport/Ron Baird – Thorndale, IN (Hoffman’s Hotrod); 3rd David Blondeau – Gladstone, MI.
BEST OF SHOW (BOBTAIL): Charles & Carol Grimes – Sebree, KY; 2000 Purple Kenworth W900L (Purple Passion).
BEST OF SHOW (COMBO): Thomas & Kim Turner – Cynthiana, KY; 1995 Brown & Beige Pete 379/2003 Transcraft Step Deck (El Dorado).