Chrome, lights shine bright at Shell Rotella SuperRigs
Participants and visitors enjoyed plenty of chrome, lights, and spotless trucks as the 40th Anniversary Shell Rotella SuperRigs rolled into Branson Landing in Branson, Mo., held June 9-11. Theresa DeSantis captured Best of Show honors with her 1985 Peterbilt 359 with a 2016 East trailer. She was awarded £10,000 from Shell Rotella.
She also won the Steve Sturgess Best Theme award for her “The Witches Inn” theme. She previously won Best of Show in 2019. Ben Overton, a driver with Jade Transport from Winnipeg, Man., won third place in the tractor-trailer division with a 2020 Kenworth W900B.
Fireworks light up the sky in Branson, Mo., during the 40th Anniversary Shell Rotella SuperRigs. (Photo: Shell Rotella/Stephen Clark)
Heather Duffey Wales, global integrated marketing communications manager, Shell, said the focus in on the working truck driver.
“This not a show about who has the most money, or the most time to work on their truck. It’s about camaraderie between truckers, about family. It’s not about whether your truck can win or not, it’s about sitting on this lot with people who are your friends, colleagues who are on the road with you, whom you know have your back and spending time with them.”
Judge Jami Jones, managing editor of Land Line magazine, said the competition was tough this year. “It makes our job hard, but that’s what makes it fun too. You want to celebrate the best in the industry. They are ambassadors for trucking,” she said.
Theresa DeSantis won the Best of Show prize with her 1985 Peterbilt 359 with a 2016 East trailer at the 40th anniversary Shell Rotella SuperRigs competition in Branson, Mo. (Photo: Shell Rotella/Stephen Clark)
First-time judge Linda Garner-Bunch, managing editor of The Trucker said she loved that the show is centered around drivers and working trucks, not just the people that roll them in and out of the garage and polish them up every now and then.
What do judges look for when they are judging participants’ trucks? Garner-Bunch said they look at the details. “Polish it up. If it’s your first show, even if you don’t place, you will love the atmosphere, you will learn a lot of tricks and tips,” she said.
Crowds stroll past trucks in Branson, Mo., during the 40th Anniversary Shell Rotella SuperRigs. (Photo: Leo Barros)
And she added a word of warning. “Don’t leave underwear in the sleeper.
Show your pride in your truck because your truck reflects you.” The three-day event included the truck lights contest and fireworks, contestant dinner and a truck parade through Branson Landing.
List of winners
Best of Show Winner: Theresa DeSantis, 1985 Peterbilt 359
1st runner up: Truett Novosad, 2007 Peterbilt 379 EXHD
2nd runner up: Dean DeSantis, 2018 Peterbilt 389 Tractor/Trailer Division Winner: Todd Gribble, 2012 Peterbilt 389
2nd place: Truett Novosad, 2005 Peterbilt 379 EHD
3rd place: Ben Overton, 2020 Kenworth W900B
4th place: Jeron Whittmore, 2018 Peterbilt 389
5th place: Mike Davidson, 2019 Peterbilt 389 Tractor Division Winner: Kaleb Hammett, 2019 Peterbilt 389
2nd place: Kyle Cousins, 2021 Kenworth W900
3rd place: Kyle Cousins, 2016 Kenworth W900
4th place: Clayton Driskell, 2018 Kenworth W900L
5th place: Tyler Van Der Zwaag, 1995 Peterbilt 379 Classic Division Winner: David Foster, 2005 Kenworth W900L
2nd place: JR Schleuger, 1985 Kenworth K100C
3rd place: Trevor Timblin, 1982 Peterbilt 362
4th place: Gary Tharp, 1984 Peterbilt 362
5th place: Terry Aslinger, 1996 Peterbilt 379EXHD Working Truck – Limited Mileage Winner: Robert Hallahan, 2022 Peterbilt 389
2nd place: Bubba Branch, 1996 Kenworth W900
3rd place: Steve Huff, 2022 Kenworth W900L
4th place: Randy Victory, 1986 Peterbilt 359
5th place: Jeremy Thomas, 2005 Peterbilt 379 Show Truck Brandon Avant, 2010 Peterbilt 389
Kary Bryce, 1959 Peterbilt 351 Don Emmons, 1999 Peterbilt 379 Jeron Whittmore, 1991 Peterbilt 379
Troy Bolin, 1979 Peterbilt 359 Best Interior Truett Novosad, 2007 Peterbilt 379 EXHD
Best Lights Randy Victory, 1986 Peterbilt 359 Best Theme
Theresa DeSantis, 1985 Peterbilt 359 Best Chrome Bubba Branch, 1996 Kenworth W900
Best Engine Bubba Branch, 1996 Kenworth W900 People’s Choice
Daniel and Phyliss Snow, 1996 Freightliner Classic XL
