Eric Turner, Sr. of Ellenwood, Ga. captured Best of Show honors with his 2015 Peterbilt 389 with a 2018 Wally-Mo 8 car hauler at the 36th Annual Shell ROTELLA SuperRigs competition held June 14-16 at White's Travel Center in Raphine, Va. He was awarded $10,000 from Shell ROTELLA and $5,000 from MAC trailer. Turner also won for Best Interior.
"It feels so good to win the best of show," said an emotional Eric Turner. "Like I said earlier when I was in the judging lane, when I was growing up, all my dad ever had on his tool box was a Shell ROTELLA calendar. And he always said, ‘son one day, you're going to be on that.' I've never seen that vision, but I guess he's seen it for me. My dad passed away last year. Thank you, Daddy."
Matt Brune from Caldwell, Texas won Best of Show first runner-up, $4,000 from Shell ROTELLA and $3,000 from MAC Trailer for his 1999 Peterbilt 379. Jay Blackbourn of Fennimore, Wis. was awarded Best of Show second runner-up, $2,000 from Shell ROTELLA and $2,000 from MAC Trailer for his 1999 Peterbilt 379.
Weekend highlights included the lights contest and fireworks on Thursday. The annual truck parade was held on Friday night in downtown Lexington along with a concert by trucker and country music artist Tony Justice. There was entertainment and events throughout the three-day event.
First place winners also included Bradlee Garretson from Lake Mills, Wis. in the Tractor/Trailer Division for his 2016 Peterbilt 389 and 2017 MAC trailer; Andrew Good of Bethel, Pa. in the Tractor Division with a 2016 Kenworth W900; Gerald Arthur Asbury from Sevierville, Tenn. won in the Classic Division with his 1999 Kenworth W900L. The Most Hard-Working Trucker award was presented to William Warner of Seneca Rock, W. Va. for his 1997 Peterbilt 379; James A Rogers of Pevely, Mo. won the new What Matters Is Inside award which honors drivers who have overcome hardships and challenges. Rogers is a disabled veteran who works with the St. Christopher Trucking Fund Relief to help drivers with illness or injury.
All winners also received a case of Shell ROTELLA T4 15W-40 heavy duty diesel engine oil and MyMileMatter reward points.
The Shell ROTELLA SuperRigs competition is the premier truck beauty contest for actively working trucks. Owner/operator truckers from across the United States and Canada compete for cash and prizes valued at approximately $25,000. Twelve drivers were also selected to have their truck featured in the 2018 Shell ROTELLA SuperRigs calendar.
