Best in Show honors went to Kiegan Nelson's 1985 Peterbilt 359 and 2014 MAC trailer combination.  Photo: Shell

Best in Show honors went to Kiegan Nelson's 1985 Peterbilt 359 and 2014 MAC trailer combination. Photo: Shell

And the top winner of the 33rd Annual Shell Rotella SuperRigs competition is… drumroll, please: Kiegan Nelson of Richfield, Wis., who shined his 1985 Peterbilt 359 and 2014 MAC trailer combination all the way to score “Best in Show.”

Along with that title, Nelson received a $10,000 prize from Shell Rotella and a $5,000 one from MAC trailers, which helped sponsor the event along with Sam’s Club.

His rig also took first place in the People’s Choice category, which is selected by the votes of competitors and attendees alike at the event. “It was an amazing experience to compete against all these trucks and to come out on top is a great feeling,” said Nelson. “There were a lot of cool trucks here and to take home the top title is incredibly surreal.”

Nelson competed in a hotly contested field of 72 entries at this year’s event, which largely took place under a broiling Texas sun from June 11-13 at Retama Park, just north of San Antonio.

Competitors put her best looks forward for a go at over $25,000 in cash and prizes as well as the chance for 12 of them to see their rigs published in the 2016 edition of the SuperRigs calendar. This year’s event also boasted the first ever SuperRigs BBQ Cook-off, a truck light show, a fireworks display and Phil Pritchett, live in concert.

Phil Miller's 2010 Peterbilt 389 rolled away as the Best of Show first runner-up. Photo: Shell

Phil Miller's 2010 Peterbilt 389 rolled away as the Best of Show first runner-up. Photo: Shell

Phil Miller of Amargosa Valley, Nev, rolled away with his 2010 Peterbilt 389 as the Best of Show first runner-up. He received $4,000 from Shell Rotella and $3,000 from MAC Trailer and also won for Best Engine. 

Marciano Esparza Sandoval of Salinas, Calif., was awarded Best of Show second runner-up for his 1991 Peterbilt 379. He received $2,000 from Shell Rotella and $2,000 from MAC Trailer.

Marciano Esparza Sandoval's 1991 Peterbilt 379 scored as Best of Show second runner-up .  Photo: Shell

Marciano Esparza Sandoval's 1991 Peterbilt 379 scored as Best of Show second runner-up. Photo: Shell

First-place winners also included Bobby Delon of Von Ormy, Texas in the Tractor/Trailer Division for his 2004 Peterbilt 379; Billy Griffin of Irving, Texas in the Tractor Division with a 2011 Peterbilt 389;  Daniel and Phyllis Snow of Harrison, Ark. in the Classic Division for their 1996 Freightliner Classic XL. The Most Hardworking Trucker award went to Paul Rissler, of California, Mo. who drives a 1996 Peterbilt 379.

Here is a complete rundown of the SuperRigs winners:

Best of Show

$10,000 from Shell Rotella and $5,000 from Mac Trailer

Place in the 2016 Rotella SuperRigs Calendar

Kiegan Nelson

Richfield, Wis.

1985 Peterbilt 359 Trailer: 2014 Mac

 

Best of Show 1st Runner Up

$4000 from Shell Rotella and $3,000 from Mac Trailer

Phil Miller Livestock

Amargosa Valley, Nev.

2010 Peterbilt 389 Trailer: 2015 Wilson Livestock

 

Best of Show 2nd Runner Up

$2000 from Shell and $2,000 from Mac Trailer

Marciano Esparza Sandoval

Salinas, Calif.

1991 Peterbilt 379 Ext Hood Trailer: 2003 Fontaine 53’ Flatbed

 

Working Truck – Limited Mileage

$250

Eric Adams

New Bethlehem, Penn.

2015 Peterbilt 289

 

Most Hardworking Trucker

$500

Paul Rissler

California, Miss.

1996 Peterbilt 379 Trailer: 2008 Great Dane

 

People's Choice

$250

Kiegan Nelson

Richfield, Wis.

1985 Peterbilt 359 Trailer: 2014 Mac

 

Show Truck

$250

Ramon R. Rodriquez

Salinas, Calif.

2015 Peterbilt 389 Trailer: Western 2015 Step Deck

 

Best Engine

Phil Miller Livestock

Amargosa Valley, Nev.

2010 Peterbilt 389 Trailer: 2015 Wilson Livestock

 

Best Lights

Ray French Jr.

Crosby, Texas

2002 Peterbilt 379

 

Best Chrome

Joe Regalado

Von Ormy, Texas

1997 Peterbilt 379

 

Best Theme

Dustin Pope

Greenville, Texas

2003 Kenworth W900L Trailer: 2010 Utility 3000R

 

Best Interior

Daniel and Phyllis Snow

Harrison, Ark.

1996 Freightliner ClassicXL

 

1st Place Tractor/Trailer Division

$1,500

Bobby Delon

Von Ormy, Texas

2004 Peterbilt 379 Trailer: 2014 Rango

 

2nd Place Tractor/Trailer Division

$1,000

Dustin Pope

Greenville, Texas

2003 Kenworth W900L Trailer: 2010 Utility 3000R

 

3rd Place Tractor/Trailer Division

$750

Shawn Cielke

Haugan, Mont.

2007 Kenworth T600 Trailer: 2014 Wabash Reefer

 

4th Place Tractor/Trailer Division

$500

Truett Novosad

College Station, Texas

2007 Peterbilt

 

5th Place Tractor/Trailer Division

$250

Duane Hostetler

Belleville, Penn.

2006 Peterbilt 370 Trailer: 2005 Reitnour

 

1st Place Tractor Division

$1,500

Billy Griffin

Irving, Texas

2011 Peterbilt 389

 

2nd Place Tractor Division

$1,000

David Foster

Joplin, Mo.

2005 Kenworth W900L

 

3rd Place Tractor Division

$750

Humberto Cano

Boerne, Texas

2014 Peterbilt 389

 

4th Place Tractor Division

$500

Ramon R. Rodriquez

Salinas, Calif.

2000 Peterbilt 379 Ext Hood

 

5th Place Tractor Division

$250

Caleb Eilers

Odessa, Texas

2000 Peterbilt 379

 

1st Place Classic Division

$1,500

Daniel and Phyllis Snow

Harrison, Ark.

1996 Freightliner ClassicXL

 

2nd Place Classic Division

$1,000

Justin Querry

Shirleysburg, Penn.

1998 Kenworth W900L

 

3rd Place Classic Division

$750

Walt Kurz

Central Point, Ore.

1997 Peterbilt 379

 

4th Place Classic Division

$500

Michael LeJeune

Church Point, La.

1999 Peterbilt 379

 

5th Place Classic Division

$250

Richard Rodriguez

San Antonio, Texas

1974 White Freightliner COE

About the author
David Cullen

David Cullen

[Former] Business/Washington Contributing Editor

David Cullen comments on the positive and negative factors impacting trucking – from the latest government regulations and policy initiatives coming out of Washington DC to the array of business and societal pressures that also determine what truck-fleet managers must do to ensure their operations keep on driving ahead.

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