One of the trucking industry's biggest events, the biennial Guilty By Association Truck Show at 4 State Trucks in Joplin, Missouri, is officially under way at Exit 4 off I-44.
With hundreds of trucks in attendance (organizers expect 800+ to participate in the Saturday night convoy), the massive show sprawls across multiple businesses, including 4 State Trucks itself, the Joplin 44 Petro and Pilot truck stops across state highway 43, and more.
No matter what your taste in trucks is, you're certain to find what you like on display. There's no shortage of antiques, cabovers, Peterbilts, Kenworths and everything in between. Most of the trucks are no doubt workers, but there are also some true showpieces on display.
In addition to the beautiful iron exhibited, there's plenty to do around the show, including big-rig burnouts, a truck and tractor pull, concerts, Trucker Olympics and more.
Friday morning, officials from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration were on hand for a Q&A with attendees. See more from that next week.
GBATS will culminate Saturday evening with the Special Olympics World's Largest Convoy in which participating trucks will roll from 4 State Trucks into downtown Joplin, where there will be a street party, concert and truck lights show.
Below, find a (very) small sample of trucks participating in the event.
He puts on the biennial extravaganza, so it's only fitting that 4 State Trucks owner Bryan "Bossman" Martin's immaculate 1987 Peterbilt 359, built by Davis Brothers Designs, is on display front-and-center in front of the chrome shop.
David Foster's 2005 Kenworth W900 is quickly approaching the 2 million miles mark with more than 1.8 million behind it today.
Jerry Mies, owner of Mies & Sons Trucking, did a full custom build on this 2007 Peterbilt 379 and accompanying 2022 Bluegrass milk tanker.
Joey Carola, a former owner-operator and current company driver for Iowa-based CS Trucking, hauls livestock for Nathan Deacon.
Jake Arment is a company driver for Larry Veenstra and Veenstra Trucking with an eye toward future truck ownership. He hauls livestock for Nathan Deacon.
This unique rig is a 1965 White 3000 cabover owned by Rick and Debbie Knox.
[Related: Sleeper berth? Will truckers be able to split as they see fit?]
