2016 Pride & Polish National Champion, Working Combo: Joe Regalado’s 2000 Pete doubles up

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Updated Jan 26, 2017

This profile is part of a multi-week series in which Overdrive is publishing stories on the six Pride & Polish National Championship winners — crowned in August at The Great American Trucking Show — and the five best of show winners from the event. Click here to see more profiles.

“Blue” — a 2000 Peterbilt 379 owned by small fleet owner Joe Regalado — picked up the 2016 Pride & Polish National Champion on the Working Combo category.“Blue” — a 2000 Peterbilt 379 owned by small fleet owner Joe Regalado — picked up the 2016 Pride & Polish National Champion on the Working Combo category.

Joe Regalado started his San Antonio-based sand and gravel hauling operation as a single-truck owner-operator in 2009. Now, just seven years later, his Von Ormy, Texas-based Jarco Transport is at an even 30 trucks, six of which are customized Peterbilts that work daily, he says.

But, says Regaldo, none of them are as flashy as his personal rig, “Blue,” a 2000 Peterbilt 379. Regaldo’s owned the rig five years, having bought it as a brown, high-rise sleeper. Since, the truck’s seen several rebuilds, first as a brown daycab configuration with a few aftermarket touches here and there and then — and ultimately — the 36-inch flattop configuration that won Best of Show at last year’s GATS and the National Championship at this year’s.

Much of the work was done by the San Antonio-based Chuy’s Customs, a custom shop started by former Texas Chrome Shop builders.

Regalado has only entered two shows — last year’s GATS and this year’s. “I showed it last year for the first time, and we won Best of Show. I go back this year to the nationals and win. I’m spoiled now,” he says.

In addition to the blue and silver paint job — and slight use of green trim — “Blue” sports suicide doors, custom interior upholstery and a few touches of one-off metal parts.

Since the truck works on and off road, Regalado pulled the Pete off the road about three weeks prior to this year’s GATS, repainting its fenders and hood where rocks had chipped the paint since its showing in 2015.

Click here to see the full list of winners from the 2016 GATS Pride & Polish show.