The question of the day was: how to do
you properly pronounce Louisville? Is it Looavul? How about Luhvul? Maybe Looaville
or Looeyville? Ask a local and they’ll tell you one thing and ask an out-of-towner
and they’ll tell you another. We decided the best way to pronounce it was to
stick your thumb in your mouth as you said it. Actually, there is no “proper”
way to say Louisville but there are ways to say it incorrectly and get a “look”
from the locals. All this and we hadn’t even left the airport yet! We could
tell that this was going to be a fun trip.
The Mid-America Trucking Show is always a symbolic beginning of the trucking
year. New products are introduced, new companies make their debut, and the truck
show season “officially” starts. This year brought with it a few more beginnings:
the first day of spring and the onset of war. But as the trucking industry continues
to struggle with economic challenges, the 32nd annual show, held at the Kentucky
Fair & Exposition Center in Louisville on March 20-22, brought with it hope
for a better year as awesome trucks filled the parking lot outside and enthusiastic
truckers jammed the halls inside.
For years 10-4 Magazine has sent roving reporters to cover the show, but this year we made the trek to Louisville ourselves and shared some booth space with our friends Jerry & Gayle Jeffries of Double JJ Enterprises. Jerry & Gayle were gracious enough to let us hand out free magazines and posters in their booth and for that we are very thankful. But who knew how well 10-4 would be received so far from home and our California-based distribution network. We were pleasantly surprised at how many attendees knew the magazine (some had already picked up the issue we were handing out and were looking for the next one) and at how fast we went through our magazines and posters. The amount of people roaming the floor was amazing. Trying to walk a straight line through the crowd at this show is impossible.
With over 1,000 exhibitors housed in approximately 1 million square feet of space, the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) is the most comprehensive reflection of the transportation industry. The show’s three huge halls housed all of the major truck, trailer, engine and transmission manufacturers, as well as hundreds of other fine companies. Although the amount of significant “new releases” was less at this year’s show, there was still a lot to admire, ponder and drool over – like LED lights of all shapes and colors, aluminum wheels that never need polishing, satellite radio systems, polish that promised to do all the work when cleaning your truck, and more trailer manufacturers than you could shake a stick at. If you’re looking for a trailer, MATS is the place to go! And if that wasn’t enough, you could grab a delicious porkchop sandwich and either sit and listen to the lovely woman playing a grand piano in Peterbilt’s booth or take a wild ride in a racing simulator over at Volvo’s corner.
One of the busiest areas of the show was
Mercer Transportation’s booth in the East Wing. Having set up a “lounge” for
drivers, Mercer brought in a big-screen TV to show NCAA championship basketball
games and attract attention toward their booth. But due to the onset of war,
the folks at Mercer changed the channel to one of the cable news networks and
left it there. People were drawn to that TV and then couldn’t take their eyes
off of it. It was a grim reminder of the world we would have to return to after
the show was over, but it was nice to be able to “catch up” on the latest developments
from time-to-time.
By far, the best place to be at MATS was outside where the show trucks were
on display. Partly cloudy skies and daytime temperatures in the upper 50s made
for excellent show truck viewing at the 3rd Annual Paul K. Young Truck Beauty
Championships – an official Stars & Stripes event. The parking lot was filled
with rigs of all makes and models, adorned with tons (literally) of chrome and
other goodies. Long-gone are the days of the “buy-it-and-bolt-it-on” show truck.
Today’s best of the best feature custom fabricated accessories, unusual (and
sometimes downright weird) graphics and paint schemes, suicide doors, remote-controlled
hydraulic hoods, stacks fat enough to make Big Bertha blush, and interiors that
could rival a celebrity’s summer cottage at the beach. These show trucks just
get better every year.
Ten o’clock came fast on Saturday morning,
as competitors anxiously made their way to Room #105 for the awards ceremony.
The 400-seat room was filled beyond capacity as host Bud Farquhar began the
presentation. Enhanced by a slide show featuring photos of all the winners put
together by Suzanne Stempinski, Bud announced the winners amidst cheers, high-fives
and much applause.
This year’s entrants, in addition to the goody bags put together by the sponsors,
also received a unique baseball cap, compliments of Flatbed Willies, a graphic
design company. A photo was taken of each competitor’s truck and then printed
on a cap. Every entrant got a souvenir hat from the show with a picture of their
truck on the front. In addition to the etched glass trophies and wood plaques,
the “Best of” winners received a Waterford Crystal vase with a wood base as
their trophy. The Horizon Award, a new prize sponsored by Rockwood, was given
to the two “First Show” class winners and the winner of the “Competitor’s Choice”
class. This award (an engraved chrome shift tower plate) was created to recognize
up-and-coming entrants and give special credit to the competitor judged best
by his or her peers.
They say once you’ve been to Mid-America, you always come back. Now we know
why. Dates for the 2004 show are scheduled for March 25-27. Once again, we’d
like to thank Jerry & Gayle Jeffries for their generosity and help – and
let’s not forget Terry Smith – well, for Jerry’s sake, we won’t even go there!
So, without further ado, here are all the “First Place” winners from the 2003
Mid-America Trucking Show:
NEW COMBO (LESS THAN 50K MILES): Muirhead Trucking, Ingrid Bell - 2003 White and Black Cherry Pete 379 and 2000 Utility Refer - “Barbwyer ‘n Roses”
COMBO (2001 & NEWER): In The Wind Trucking, Vladimir Bilik - 2001 Black Pete 379 and 2001 Great Dane Refer - “Peterod”
COMBO (1995 – 1999): Sandvik Trucking, Bill Sandvik - 1998 White and Blue Pete 379 and 1993 Ravens Flatbed
COMBO (1978 & Older): Matt Hitt - 1975 Maroon KW K100 Cabover and 1990 Utility Refer
COMBO (CO. TRUCK): Rhett Butler Trucking, Larry Weaver - 2001 White KW T2000 and 2002 Utility Van - “Miss Scarlett”
COMBO (SPECIALIZED): L. Blondeau Trucking, Randy Heidtman - 2003 Red KW T800 and 2003 East Gravel Trains
COMBO (FIRST SHOW): Roger Wade - 1996 White Pete 379 and 2000 Trailmobile Van
NEW BOBTAIL (LESS THAN 50K MILES): Harvey & Karen Zander - 2003 Seascape Blue International 9900 - “Icy Blu II”
BOBTAIL (2001 & NEWER): Rick Rollman - 2002 White and Purple Pete 379
BOBTAIL (1999 - 2000): Charles & Carol Grimes - 2000 Ultraviolet Pearl KW W900L - “Purple Passion”
BOBTAIL (1991 - 1998): Darian Stephens - 1995 Purple Freightliner Classic XL - “Keystone JR”
BOBTAIL (1977 - 1990): Trees Forever, Tony King - 1986 Maroon and Beige Pete 359
BOBTAIL (CO. TRUCK): Simon’s Trucking, Ryan M. Avenarius - 2001 Grey Freightliner Classic XL - “Significant Other”
BOBTAIL (SPECIALIZED): Ernie’s Wrecker Service, Ernie Vole - 1999 Viper Red Pete 378 Wrecker - “Showtime”
BOBTAIL (FIRST SHOW): Jake Eilen Trucking, Jake Eilen - 2003 Black and Orange Pete 379
EXPEDITE TRUCK: Morgan Morris - 2000 White KW W900L
ANTIQUE: Harry Muhlschlegel - 1957 Silver and Maroon KW CC925-C
INTERIOR (CAB ONLY): Ernie’s Wrecker Service, Ernie Vole - 1999 Viper Red Pete 378 Wrecker - “Showtime”
INTERIOR (OEM SLEEPER): In The Wind Trucking, Vladimir Bilik - 2001 Black Pete 379 and 2001 Great Dane Refer - “Peterod”
INTERIOR (CUSTOM SLEEPER): Duplainville Transport, Chuck Karnitz - 2001 White Pete 379 and 2001 Great Dane Van
PAINT/GRAPHICS (COMBO): Tom Eilen & Sons, Brad Caton - 2003 White, Yellow and Orange Pete 379 and 2003 Mac End Dump - “Let’s Ride”
PAINT/GRAPHICS (BOBTAIL): (Tie) Charles & Carol Grimes - 2000 Ultraviolet Pearl KW W900L - “Purple Passion” and Darian Stephens - 1995 Purple Freightliner Classic XL - “Keystone JR”
PAINT/MURAL (COMBO): Rhett Butler Trucking, Larry Weaver - 2001 White KW T2000 and 2002 Utility Van - “Miss Scarlett”
PAINT/MURAL (BOBTAIL): Harvey & Karen Zander - 2003 Seascape Blue International 9900 - “Icy Blu II”
ENGINE: Sandvik Trucking, Bill Sandvik - 1998 White and Blue Pete 379 and 1993 Ravens Flatbed
LIGHTS (COMBO): Rhett Butler Trucking, Larry Weaver - 2001 White KW T2000 and 2002 Utility Van - “Miss Scarlett”
LIGHTS (BOBTAIL): Darian Stephens - 1995 Purple Freightliner Classic XL - “Keystone JR”
DIESEL DAVE’S PICK OF THE LITTER: Harry Muhlschlegel
PROFESSIONAL SHOW TRUCK (COMBO): Rod & Kim Grimm - 1999 Blue and Black KW W900L and 2001 Utility Refer
PROFESSIONAL SHOW TRUCK (BOBTAIL): G&M Trucking, H.C. McDairies - 1994 Yellow KW W900
BEST OF SHOW (COMBO): Rhett Butler Trucking, Larry Weaver - 2001 White KW T2000 and 2002 Utility Van - “Miss Scarlett”
BEST OF SHOW (BOBTAIL): Charles & Carol Grimes - 2000 Ultraviolet Pearl KW W900L - “Purple Passion”
COMPETITOR’S CHOICE: K&L
Chrome Shop, Kelvin & April Locklear - 1999 White and Blue KW W900L
Copyright ©
2003 10-4 Magazine and Tenfourmagazine.com
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