There’s a reason it’s called the Great American Trucking Show: the trucks. And, the ones that stand out the most are the numerous award winning show trucks that are entered in Overdrive’s Pride & Polish competition.
GATS returns to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in downtown Dallas Aug. 22-24.
Best of Show winners will be named in five categories in Pride & Polish:
- working bobtail
- working combo
- limited-mileage bobtail
- limited-mileage combo
- builders class.
Winners will also be named in categories related to paint, engine work, interior and more. Folks attending GATS will also have a chance to vote for the People’s Choice winner.
Drivers interested in entering their trucks into the Pride & Polish competition can do so here.
This year’s show will, among other things, also feature a rat rod pavilion with two miniature trucks and a number of rat rods.
The three-day trucking industry extravaganza also includes:
- Landstar Health and Wellness Pavilion
- the selection in the Overdrive-Red Eye Radio Truckers Talent Search winner
- naming of Trucking’s Top Rookie, which is presented by Truckers News
- a pavilion featuring the latest trucking-related products
- more than 500 exhibitors
- musical entertainment and celebrities
- recruiting pavilion where you can talk to fleets looking to hire drivers
- a series of free educational programs including Overdrive‘s Partners in Business seminars
If you’re driving your rig to GATS, you can park at the TA-Petro Truck Parking Community. Featured is nightly entertainment, free shuttles to and from the convention center, a shower trailer, truck maintenance, pet grooming, food by Flaming Grill Barbecue Food Truck, and auctions to benefit the St. Christopher Truckers Fund. The TA-Petro Truck Parking Community is located at 3013 S. Haskell Ave.
If you’re planning to attend GATS, you can register online here.
Show hours are:
- Thursday, Aug. 22 noon to 5 p.m.
- Friday, Aug. 23, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Robbie Basse’s 2016 Kenworth W900 and 2016 Fontaine Infinity flatbed, “Baby Blue,” won Best of Show in the Working Combo category.
Kaleb Hammett and Hammett Excavation’s 2017 Peterbilt 389 won Best of Show in the Working Bobtail category.
Randy Manning’s 2018 Kenworth W900L dump, “Beast of Burden,” won Best of Show in the Builder’s Class category.
Jeff Jansen and V-Max Transportation’s 1995 Kenworth W900L and 2016 Utility van, “Backlash,” won Best of Show in the Limited Mileage Combo category.
Daniel Gil and Alonza Ramirez’s 2018 Peterbilt 389 won Best of Show in the Limited Mileage Bobtail category.
Bradley Wacks’ 2019 Freightliner Cascadia and 2017 Hyundai van earned the People’s Choice award at GATS Pride & Polish.
