Presented by Classic Truck Performance, LMC Truck & ARP
By Rob Fortier – Photography by the Author
As I’m physically recouping from the last four days spent out at the Fairplex in Pomona, my mind is still trying to wrap itself around the events that transpired … actually, the EVENT that transpired: the first-ever Grand National Truck Show put on by our friends at Rod Shows (the same folks behind the Grand National Roadster Show).
While the show itself was two days, myself and quite a few others were onsite early Thursday for the judging of the first World’s Most Beautiful Truck—which, if you haven’t read by now, went to Greg Tidwell’s South City Rod & Custom–built ’40 Ford. Eighteen trucks of all shapes, sizes, colors, and denominations competed for the coveted award sponsored by ARP (whittled by my buddy Mike Curtis/Curtis Speed), and the judging took the better part of the day. Friday of course was spent setting up displays and vendors, not only in Building 4 as originally planned but the adjacent Building 6 as well to accommodate the excess number of indoor entries (not to mention the formal Corn Hole Contest!).
Once Saturday morning finally rolled around, not only were both exhibit buildings buzzing with people and trucks alike, the outdoor Drive-In was as well, which carried on through till Sunday even amid not-so-favorable weather.
By 7 p.m. Sunday evening, once the show was officially over and all the awards were handed out, everyone’s minds were already focusing on next year’s Grand National Truck Show—will it be even bigger … will the WMBT (or WoMBaT as it has unofficially been dubbed) competition be even stiffer? You’ll just have to wait and find out! In the meantime, enjoy our coverage!
