The Insider
TEXANS WIN BIG AT TRUCK SHOW LATINO
Custom rig owners trucked West for shot at taking more trophies
by Rusty Hood
Last year the contingency of West Coast show trucks at Overdrive’s Pride & Polish during Truck Show Latino pretty much had their way with the judges, raking in the majority of honors including a sweep of Best of Shows.
But the outcome was a bit different this year.
A couple of Pride & Polish winners from Randall_Reilly’s Great American Trucking Show in Dallas headed West on I-10 to Pomona, California, to take on the West Coasters on their own turf at the Best of the West truck show. They rolled back home with an armload of new hardware.
Hank Hall, driving his black, ‘04 Peterbilt 379 chop-top sleeper, Vamanos, pulling a tricked out flatbed, won the Pomona event’s Best of Show. That prestigious trophy now sits beside the First in Interior, OEM Sleeper and Thirds in Mobile Delvac Working Class Engine and Specialized Combo working truck classes he captured in Dallas in August.
Hank Hall's Vamanos loaded with Texas Chrome Shop's Project One returning from Truck Show Latino in Pomona, California.
Hall wasn’t travelling West alone; strapped on his flatbed were a pair of custom choppers and Project One — the Best of Show Limited Mileage Bobtail winner from GATS.
Project One, a radically customized ‘97 379 Pete from the shop at Triple R Diesel in San Antonio, Texas, raised a lot of eyebrows at the Dallas show and rolled out with a number of awards in addition to BOS.
Roland Mendez’ custom rig faired well at Pomona, winning “Best Metal Shine” and the ” Judges Choice Award.”
Mendez, who is also co-owner of Triple R Diesel/Texas Chrome Shop, says their custom rigs were a big hit with the Latino crowd at Pomona and further establish Triple R’s reputation among the West Coast truck customizers and custom rig owners.
BOTW Winner’s List
Truckin’ for Kids Trophy: Project One/Roland Mendez, Texas Chrome Shop
Best of Show: Vamanos/Hank Hall, Texas Chrome Shop
Judge’s Choice: Project One/Roland Mendez, Texas Chrome Shop
Best Art/Graphics: Rum Runner/Ernie Rubio, Jessica Martinez Trucking
Best Engine: Yamko Truck Lines
Best Interior: Yamko Truck Lines
Best Cabover: Keith Pounds of Central Valley Trucking
Best Conventional: Mark Pounds, Central Valley Trucking
Best Metal Shine: Project One/Roland Mendez, Texas Chrome Shop
Sponsor’s Choice: Kriss Trucking
People’s Choice: Rum Runner/Ernie Rubio, Jessica Martinez Trucking
