25th anniversary Truckers’ Choice champion: Jon Eilen’s 2010 Peterbilt 389 and Macsimizer trailer

Updated Aug 4, 2017
Jon Eilen’s 2010 Peterbilt 389 and MAC dumpJon Eilen’s 2010 Peterbilt 389 and MAC dump

Wisconsin-based owner-operator Jon Eilen and his 2010 Peterbilt 389 and matching Macsimizer trailer won Overdrive’s special edition 25th Anniversary Truckers’ Choice contest, a two-part voting contest held in October and November on OverdriveOnline.com

The contest was held to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Overdrive’s Pride & Polish, featuring the 20 Pride & Polish National Champions from the last five years.

Eilen and his “Iron Afflicted” won the first-ever Pride & Polish National Championship series held in 2011. The truck and its build was spurred by the death of Jon’s brother Jake, who was a trucker and an award-winning custom truck builder in his own right.

Eilen bought the Pete new in September 2009, and he immediately tore it apart and began the custom build process. Nearly all the work on the rig was done at Eilen’s shop with the help of his brother Pat and other family members.

“Everything flows from front to back,” he says. “I wanted the black and orange to carry through, and it does, inside and out. Motor, truck, trailer – everything’s got it.”

After starting with 20 trucks, the contest was narrowed down to five finalists after the first round of voting. Eilen’s truck won out over Austin Ashley’s 2007 Peterbilt 379, Vinnie Diorio’s 2013 Peterbilt 389 and MAC curtainside, Phil Miller’s 2010 Peterbilt 389 and Wilson livestock, and Randy Stroup’s 1986 Peterbilt 359.

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