That’s David Holbrook’s 1986 Peterbilt 359, winner of both Working Bobtail and People’s Choice awards in the second annual Chrome & Class Truck Show, held at the Rush Truck Center location in Smyrna, Tenn., on I-24 just southeast of Nashville. It was a much expanded show this year, with near double the number of entered show trucks and a lively crowd on Friday and Saturday. The show, launched as a way to thank customers of the Peterbilt dealer location for their support, is gaining legs.
Among personal highlights were an unfinished old cabover Bobby Whittenburg brought down from Crossville, Tenn. — the Chevy Titan 90 (pictured) is powered by a V12 Detroit 12V71 and, Whittenburg says, was sold originally by Reeder Chevrolet in Knoxville, which he remembers well. “My dad was buying dump trucks from them” in the 1970s, he says. Whittenburg’s out of trucking himself, these days, and with any luck will find the time and money to treat the Titan 90 like she should be. “I don’t know how far I can go with it,” he says.
And have you met the “World’s Largest Truck?” Bryan Dax’s “Red Giant,” a modified 1990 Diamond Reo with a monster 430-inch wheelbase, for decades was the owner-operator’s Wisconsin cheese hauler — Overdrive featured Dax and the truck in an issue dating back to 1991. Dax has turned the truck into an advertising business with Reo Mobile Media. Mammoth digital displays grace both sides of the sleeper, as you can see in photos below. He’s planning a truck stop tour for the coming year. Stay tuned for more. Search “Red Giant in Action” on YouTube for a brief video of the truck in action.
Finally, a round-up of winners from the truck show follows, with pictures in the gallery at bottom. Enjoy.
2011 Chrome & Class Truck Show results
People’s Choice
David Holbrook’s 1986 Peterbilt 359
Working Combo
1st: Ted Bowers’ 2005 Peterbilt 379
2nd: Todd Modderman’s 2000 Peterbilt 379
3rd: Jackie Lovins’ 1998 Peterbilt 379
Antique Combo
1st: Terry Curry’s 1971 Peterbilt 359
2nd: Mike Rickard’s 1985 International 9670
3rd: Stanley Walls’ 1952 Peterbilt 350
Working Bobtail
1st: David Holbrook’s 1986 Peterbilt 359
2nd: John Bailey’s 1985 Peterbilt 359
3rd: Bert Dyer’s 1979 Kenworth W900
Antique Bobtail
1st: Mark Rickard’s 1979 International 4070B
2nd: Clifford & Trent Walker’s 1970 Peterbilt 351
3rd: Jerry Howard’s 1949 Pete 350
Show Class Bobtail
1st: Gene McKinney’s 2000 Pete 379
2nd: Frank K.’s 1994 Pete 379
3rd: Tobby Donalson’s 1959 Pete 351