More than 100 contestants from across the country made the Rotella SuperRigs 20th anniversary event a standout at the Ontario, Calif., TravelCenters of America in early June.

Only one made Best of Show: David and Allyson Geer’s desert-island-muraled 1998 Peterbilt 379 tractor-trailer, “Marooned.” Donnie and Diana Harper’s “Enduring Freedom” with its September 11 theme took First Runner Up and also carried away the newly created Peoples’ Choice award. Second runner-up for Best of Show was William Sandvik of Valley Center, Calif., for his 1992 Peterbilt 379 tractor-trailer.
The Peoples’ Choice was voted by competitors and was one of the new features of this special anniversary event. Other added attractions at this year’s Rotella SuperRigs included a concert by country star Mindy McCready, barbecues, trucker games and another new category for the beauty contest. In addition to the People’s Choice was trophy for Best Lights, selected by the four SuperRigs judges on Friday night after the concert. Light Show honors went to Jerry and Allen Asbury's KW W900B.
As always, trucks in the beauty contest competed in three categories: Tractor, Tractor-Trailer and Classic (over 10 years old), with five place winners for each. Combined with Best of Show and first and second runners up, Peoples Choice and Lights, there were 20 winners this year sharing more than $20,000 in prize money and merchandise.
Winner or not, as always, every competitor coming through the judging line was presented with Shell Rotella products, T-shirt, hat and other goodies.
For most, though, the big prize was being in the running for a page on the 2003 Rotella SuperRigs calendar. Every year, the 13 calendar positions are chosen from trucks at the event, with the top two show positions the only ones guaranteed. For Geer, who was in the 2002 calendar, it will be a repeat performance.
Because the calendar and the beauty contest are concurrent but quite separate, there are a few oddities. None was more odd than Mike Humphreys’ unbelievable yellow Peterbilt daycab 359 and car hauling trailer combination. Humphreys was up front, saying the truck is used to haul custom cars to hot-rod shows and doesn’t work, but that doesn’t stop it being drop-dead gorgeous: low riding, long wheelbased and the baddest-looking truck you ever saw, with a sunvisor that is more than halfway to the cowl. Oh, and more lights than Las Vegas. It wasn’t a working truck, so it missed out in the judges scoring, but it’ll be front and center in the Rotella 2003 calendar.
Class winners were:
Tractor Trailer:
1. Tod Job, Jefferson City, Mo.; 1996 Peterbilt 379
2. Donald Goulet, Lakeland, Fla., 2000 Kenworth W900L
3. Bed Rock Inc., Point Arena, Calif., 2000 Peterbilt 379
4. Rick Walker, Denver, 1953 Peterbilt 411
5. Keith Bell, Arp, Texas; 2002 Peterbilt 379
Classic:
1. Bill Pierce, Poway, Calif., 1986 Peterbilt 359
2. Trees Forever Pipe and Equipment, Brownwood, Texasm 1986 Peterbilt 359
3. Ron Kelsey, Peoria, Ariz., 1981 Peterbilt 329
4. Robert Keffer, Ventura, Calif., 1983 Peterbilt Cabover 362
5. Earl Hogan, Columbus, Ga., 1955 Peterbilt 332
Tractor:
1. Jerry and Allan Asbury, Dayton, Ohio, Kenworth W900L
2. Darian Stephens, Hereford, Pa., 1995 Freightliner Classic XL132
3. Chuck Prigge, Valley Center, Calif., 1996 Peterbilt 379
4. A.J. Leonhard, Byron, Ill., 2000 Peterbilt 379
5. Jeff Hillyer, Minerva, Ohio, 2002 Kenworth W900L
The 2003 Rotella SuperRigs calendars will be available in November 2002 through Shell distributors, and for sale on the Internet via www.rotella.com.