“FOR TODAY’S TRUCKER” APRIL 2026 ® Magazine SINCE 1993! RACING FOR THEIR DREAMS HORSES RIDE IN STYLE IN THIS ELEGANT COMBO SHOW COVERAGE FROM DIESELS IN THE DESERT IN AZ The Velasquez Brothers of Los Angeles...
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20 50 10 ® 46 FUN: Truckertoon 38 • WordSearch 41 • Crossword 45 • Red’s Rides 55 • NumberSearch 63 • Words To Live By 68 APRIL 2026 CONTENTS VOLUME 33 ISSUE 8 COVER FEATURE V-Bros. Racing in SoCal is a True Family Affair ............... 10 PERFORMANCE ZONE And Now for Something a Little Different ........................ 17 WHO’S WHO IN 10-4 Get to Know our Resident Book Reviewer ...................... 19 TRUCK SHOW REPORT The “Diesels in the Desert” Show in Chandler, AZ .......... 20 CLINT’S CREATIONS More “Tours of Duty” for Nathaniel Wood ....................... 25 IN MEMORIAL Remembering JR Schleuger of Lifetime Nut Covers ...... 27 OUT OF THE ARCHIVES Another Old Gem from Bette Garber’s Collection .......... 29 TRUCKAPEDIA Behind the Lens with Photographer Chad Violet ............ 30 THE VETERAN’S VIEW Your Health is Your Wealth So Take Care of It ................. 42 THE NEXT GENERATION Recognizing Young Trucking Entrepreneurs ................... 46 TRUCKING AROUND THE WORLD Sisu Trucks: Finland’s Finest for 95 Years ....................... 50 A TRUCKING DOG’S BLOG The Night a Steer Tire Blew on Cabbage Hill .................. 56 THE BOOKWORM SEZ... A Review of “Why We Drink Too Much” Book ................. 59 TRUCKER TALK Horses Ride in Style in this Specialized Combo ............. 60 POETRY IN MOTION Many Still Chase After Life’s “Elusive Satisfaction” ......... 65
8 10-4 Magazine / April 2026 We at 10-4 Magazine® love to hear from our readers. If you have any comments, suggestions, gripes, questions, or just some information you would like to pass on to other readers (truckers just like you)... VISIT US ON OUR WEBSITE: www.tenfourmagazine.com FOLLOW US ON OUR SOCIALS: Search for Ten Four Magazine SEND US AN E-MAIL: info@tenfourmagazine.com WRITE TO US AT: 10-4 Magazine Post Office Box 639 Dunlap, CA 93621 CALL US ON THE PHONE: 559-338-2703 (9-5 PST) 10-4 MAGAZINE IS: Daniel J. Linss - OWNER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/MARKETING Jean Osugi - OWNER/TRUCK SHOW SUPPORT/HR Tim Sieben - OWNER/TFK MANAGER/SHOW SUPPORT Shannon Linss - OFFICE MANAGER &DISTRIBUTION Eric Hill - MARKETING SALES MANAGER/SHOW SUPPORT John Testa - SALES &DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Stephanie Haas - PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Parker Linss - PRODUCTION ASSISTANT/GAME CREATOR John Hambro -WEBSITE MANAGER Vic Vasselin - MONTHLY “TRUCKERTOON” ARTIST Ron Kelsey - PRINT &DIGITAL SALES/AZDISTRIBUTION Jonathan Townsel - CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DISTRIBUTION Hugo Ruano - L.A. & L.B. HARBOR DISTRIBUTION Teresa Franco - LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRIBUTION Derek Bennett - HIGH DESERT DISTRIBUTION Julio “Junior” Tapia - INLAND EMPIRE DISTRIBUTION Terry Coombs - OR, WA & IDAHO DISTRIBUTION CONTRIBUTING WRITERS, EDITORS &PHOTOGRAPHERS: Bruce Mallinson• John & Kim Jaikes • Troy Miller Dennis Mitchell • Stephanie Haas • Clint Moore Mark Harter • Xavier Stefaniak • K.M. Stanfield Eric Hill • Kasey Aslinger • Miss Flatbed Red Colin Kund • Ryan Rosetta • Shelly Hartman Norma & Terence Hannigan• Norman Chapman Terri “Bookworm” Schlichenmeyer • Chad Violet WEBSITE: SOCIALS: Magazine
Cover Feature: By Daniel J. Linss which is what the magazine was called between the years of 1994 and 2000. After another restart occurred in October 1998, things took a turn for the good when dad acquired a 1962 Kenworth wrecker that was purchased from Eddie Tate at Ace High Truck Parts in Wilmington, CA. As a side note, Ace High Truck Parts was a longtime advertiser and supporter of 10-4 Magazine. Their ad appeared in our very first issue back in September 1993 and ran for decades. They were also part of our distribution network, right from the start, and I personally would go to their location to fill their rack each month. While there, Eddie and his son Kevin talked a lot about BBQ, and my initial love and fascination of smoking meat started with them! Sadly, Eddie died several years ago, and the business has since been closed. The old Kenworth wrecker was originally powered by a 290 Cummins. Later, after the 290 blew up, they swapped it with a 335 Cummins, and then at some point later, it was upgraded to a Big Cam II. Towing from L.A. to Fontana was their usual run, and it was common for the V-Bros to be spotted in the truck with their dad – Alfred and Oscar J. would be stuffed into the KW’s small 30” sleeper while older brother Henry would be in the co-pilot seat. By 2000, Henry had his CDL, and he started helping drive the wrecker, which had a twin-stick setup for the 15-speed main and 3-speed Brownie. By the year 2002, the Velasquez family had opened a truck salvage yard in Gardena, CA, and the towing side of the business helped them find trucks to part out. All the boys grew up around this wrecker, which they still have and use, and whenever work needed to be done on the old Kenworth, Oscar J. was usually the one to help dad. Their love for trucks and drag racing took the V-Bros to shows in Tijuana, Mexicali, Arizona, and wherever TFK was happening (Palmdale, Fontana, Famoso and Irwindale) – wherever there were truck drags, The Velasquez brothers grew up around trucks, and from an early age, all four of them were helping their dad rebuild them. But it wasn’t until their uncle Marcos Segovia took them to Truckin’ For Kids at Los Angeles County Raceway (LACR) in Palmdale, CA in October 2002 where they were first exposed to big rig drag racing – and they fell in love with it! From that point on, it was their dream to build and race a hot rod semi together as a family, but that dream wouldn’t become a reality for almost 20 years. Today, V-Bros Racing and their 1800-hp Big Cam Cummins powered 1957 Kenworth are two-time NHRDA World Champions that hold records for both mph (128.53) and elapsed time (11.06 seconds) in the quarter mile. This story began when Oscar Velasquez, the boy’s father, immigrated to the United States from El Salvador in 1977 with a dream of starting his own trucking company. By 1980 he had become an owner operator, hauling containers, with his first rig – a 1974 White Road Commander powered by a 318 Detroit and a 10-speed, with a short wheelbase on Hendrickson suspension. Because of the hard ride, they nicknamed that truck “La Burra” in Spanish, which translates to “The Donkey” in English. But that cabover was a vast upgrade from what he drove back in El Salvador – a 1966 Toyota Stout he used to transport barrels of water to rural areas. By 1981 he had upgraded to a 1975 Kenworth K123 powered with a Cummins 335, and at that time, he realized that Kenworth would be the brand of choice for him. Peterbilt’s are cool, but because of his short stature, he was just better seated in a Kenworth (his own words). By 1984 he had ventured into the produce side of transportation in a long hood Cummins powered W900A pulling a stainless reefer (a truck the Velasquez brothers wish they still owned). Unfortunately, the hard recession of the 1980s would hit the Velasquez household, and dad would have to restart all over again after losing the trucks he owned. By the early 90s, restarting again, he then ventured into hauling mail, and by the mid-90s he had become a US mail contractor. Having a mechanic and body shop background, he never had the need to have work done by any other shop on any of his trucks – he also started getting a lot of help from his four young boys. Being from the troubled streets of South Central Los Angeles, Oscar Velasquez (now 67) made sure to keep his four boys out of trouble by keeping them in the shop all the time. The boys, Henry L. Velasquez, Oscar J. Velasquez, Alfred Velasquez, and Jefrie Velasquez, now collectively known as the V-Bros, were all just kids at the time and they knew that vacation from school and weekends meant time at the shop. Their idea of playtime meant driving the shop forklift or helping by handing dad tools. Back in those early days, they loved looking at all the cool trucks featured in 10-4 Express Magazine, 10 10-4 Magazine / April 2026 RACING FOR THEIR DREAMS
10-4 Magazine / April 2026 11 they would be there. The dream of building their own race truck began from the very start in 2002 when they attended their first TFK event. In 2008, they attempted to build their first drag race truck, but dad stopped them, saying they were too inexperienced. Dad eventually became a full-time minister, and since then, the boys have pretty much been on their own. By 2012, with the success of their parts store on eBay “Hanks1961KW” (named after Henry’s 1961 Kenworth), the V-Bros quickly ventured onto the world stage and began building Peterbilt 359s for a customer in Sweden and shipping parts to Australia. Building about 15 trucks in total, they would then export them in shipping containers to Sweden. With the boost of social media, they expanded to specialty vintage truck parts and Jemsal, Inc. was born. The name “Jemsal” came from dad, and it is an acronym for the Spanish phrase “Jesus es mi Salvador” (Jesus is my Savior). Wherever a Peterbilt 359 was being built, the Velasquez brothers quickly became the go-to guys for parts. The dream of building a drag race truck had been put on hold for long enough, and having the wrecking yard gave the brothers access to parts and space to save them. In 2016, they bought a classic 1957 Kenworth 921 that would eventually become the race truck. Purchased from Triny Elizarraras, the truck sat behind his house for two more years, until it was finally brought to the shop in Los Angeles in 2018. Gathering a hot rod Cummins Big Cam and a Positraction rear-end, they began working on the truck in their spare time. Why Cummins? Most racers from back in the day ran 8V92 Detroits, but the Velasquez boys grew up working on Cummins engines and were the most comfortable with them, so Cummins it was. By September 2019, the V-Bros had what resembled a drag race truck. Getting close to the October date of TFK, their goal was to finally have their race truck on the track. When race day finally arrived, the truck was not painted, and they needed help hauling it to the races. Their friend, Ryan Rodriguez, offered to haul the KW race truck to TFK with his 1950 Kenworth. Running nowhere near as fast as they do today, these rookies still had huge smiles on their faces, and V-Bros Racing was born. Living pretty close to Irwindale Speedway, it was common to see the KW “testing and tuning” on the track every Thursday night. With lots of experimenting, trying to prove the Detroit powered racers wrong, they were determined to make that Big Cam Cummins run fast. Social media would help the boys a lot, with help that came all the way from Australia. Alfred became friends with Steven Zammit of SRZ Racing who, without really even knowing the brothers, sent them a custom camshaft that would help them start going faster. By April 2021, the truck finally got its flashy Viper red paint job to help identify the truck’s name “El Manzano” – which means “The Apple” – and was the nickname given to Alfred by their father when he was born (apparently his face was all red). Naming the race truck after Alfred was only fitting because he was the one who drove all the other brothers to finally get it finished. For the 40th annual TFK show in 2021, “El Manzano” with its red paint and yellow flames, like you see today, won 1st place in the Super Drag class – it was their first major win. At TFK 2022 the following year, they became repeat champions by winning the class again. Winning their first NHRDA (National Hot Rod Diesel Association) event at the NorCal Diesel Nationals in Redding, CA in May 2023, V-Bros 2008 2026
12 10-4 Magazine / April 2026 went on to win the NHRDA World Championship in Ennis, TX later that same year. This would be their greatest accomplishment to date. Sadly, 2024 was not kind to them, with V-Bros only getting a few 2nd place finishes that year – but they kept racing. Surprisingly, 2025 went on to be their greatest year ever, winning the TFK race again, and going on to become NHRDA World Champion for the second time. Oscar would also place V-Bros Racing in the record books when he set a new record of 128.53 MPH on the quarter mile in Ennis, TX at the Texas Motorplex. The 2026 NHRDA season has started off good, too! At the very first event this year in February, at “Diesels in the Desert” in Chandler, AZ, not only did V-Bros win the event, but Oscar also set another record for the fastest elapsed time of 11.06 seconds. The funny thing is, that would have been a 10-second pass, but Oscar began hearing a strange noise at about the 1,000-foot mark, so he took his foot off the gas and coasted to the finish. As it turned out, they had cracked the block. The truck is currently being fitted with a new engine (they have a few spares) before their next event at, you guessed it, TFK 2026 at Famoso Dragstrip in Bakersfield, CA – and we can’t wait to see it run! The truck, still based on the original cab and chassis of that 1957 Kenworth 921, has a custom 1,800-hp Cummins Big Cam engine, with the valve covers and intake/exhaust manifolds from an early Cummins N14, along with a 98mm Garrett GTX55 single turbo. The hood is a rare fiberglass wide hood, made for narrow cab KWs in the 1960s, which they got as salvage, and then had it stretched 14 inches. There is a notch cut out of the hood to accommodate the exhaust, which goes straight out the top. On the back, there is polished diamond plate decking, custom slicks that come from Pennsylvania, a polished fuel tank, and the nitrous tank (there are also parachutes on the back, but they are just for show). The pinstriping and lettering on the truck was done by Justin Klos of Klos Custom Trucks in Australia, and includes “Lokin” on the door, which is Spanish for “Crazy” (Oscar’s nickname). Without giving away too many secrets, the engine has a stock block, crank and rods, and features modified and ceramic-coated pistons, double springs on the high performance heads, a custom cam, high flow injectors, and a turned-up fuel pump. Power is pushed through a modified manual 10-speed transmission and a custom four-disk clutch to that previously mentioned Positraction rear-end. There is also a box marked as “Some Apple Juice” mounted behind the cab, which they fill with 60 pounds of ice before each quarter-mile pass. This ice-cold water is pumped into the intercooler to cool down the air going into the engine. Nitrous is used as a secondary cooling system for the air, and it also adds some horsepower. They burn five gallons of Hot Shot’s Secret Diesel Race Fuel on every quarter-mile pass! Inside the truck, you won’t find a lot of fancy gadgets or creature comforts – just the bare minimum of what is needed to go fast! There is only one seat, which is surrounded by a full NHRA-approved roll cage, just a handful of gauges, old style glitter toggle switches, and a removable steering wheel. The truck is equipped with a Computech DataMaxx data logging system that records everything about the truck – and I mean everything – during a pass. It records what is happening in every cylinder, along with all the other important data points, inside and outside air temperatures, everything. All this information goes onto an SD card that can be removed and then put into a computer to be viewed and analyzed. This data is invaluable when honing your craft and dialing in your machine! One other interior “feature” is the co-pilot, “Bob” the eagle (most racers have a mascot inside that goes along for the ride). Building a truck like this is no small feat, and it takes a lot of help, from a lot of great companies and friends. Steven Zammit of SRZ Racing in Sydney, Australia is their custom cam specialist and tuner, Warren Wulstein of Premco Diesel Performance in Lampasas, TX provides the custom injectors and pump (and helps financially), and Robert Calixtro of American Premier Casting in Vancouver, WA provides their high performance heads. Vic Caliva of Caliva’s Polishing in Montebello, CA keeps the race truck looking good, and Jonathan Rosa Reyes takes care of all their gearing. Financial supporters include Mike Hedges of Pacific Trux Sales in Signal Hill, CA, Mario Monette of Mario High Performance in Canada, and Brandon Cromwell of Cromwell Diesel Engineering in Lawrenceburg, TN. Special thanks to Wayne Talkington, Oscar’s “godfather” in racing, and Carlos Hernandez of Alliance Specialized, Inc. in Lynwood, CA for hauling the truck to faraway races in places like Montana, Texas and Canada. Each one of the brothers has a unique skill-set and job, both at Jemsal, Inc. and with V-Bros Racing. Henry (44) is the oldest and he has been married to his wife Abigail for ten years. At Jemsal, Henry runs things in the office, makes the sales listings online, deals with customers, does some shipping, and handles the finances. At the track, he handles all the vendors and logistics, oversees the finances, and runs a camera. He enjoys attending church (where his dad is the minister) and spending time with his wife. He owns an old 1976 Chevy dually crew cab, and likes taking it out. Oscar J. (40) has been married to his wife Vanessa for 12 years, and the couple has three kids – Jacob (12), Esteban (10), and Alexandra (4). At Jemsal, Oscar is a general mechanic, builder, welder and painter – he’s basically the “handyman” at the company. At the track, he has one job and one job only – to drive the race truck. When not working or playing with trucks, he enjoys spending time with his kids and doing things like going to the beach, camping, and visiting the local amusement parks. Alfred (36) has been married for eight years to his wife Lorena, and they have a young daughter named Lauren (3). At the shop, Alfred is the motivator and project scheduler – he keeps things moving. At the track, he is the crew chief for V-Bros Racing, and he manages the engine. Alfred loves rebuilding engines, especially Chevy
10-4 Magazine / April 2026 13 LS engines, and has a 1969 Chevy Nova, a 1957 Chevy Corvette, and others. He rebuilds engines for other people, too, and enjoys traveling with his wife, spending time with his daughter, and playing with sand toys. Jefrie (34) is not a full-time employee at Jemsal, he is a shop teacher at a local community college. He has been married to his wife Jacky for ten years, and they have a daughter named Rosemary (3). Jefrie is in charge of all the fabrication on the race truck, he handles the media, and he fills the “icebox” before each race. He has a 1965 Chevy El Camino, which he has raced at TFK, and also enjoys video games and 3D printing. Although he is not a full-time employee at Jemsal, he is a part owner of the company and very involved in the race team. As mentioned previously, Jemsal specializes in vintage truck parts, mostly for Peterbilts and Kenworths, but they also do full truck builds (nothing too fancy, mostly just making nice, road-worthy work trucks, with their specialty being budget builds). They also build their own older trucks – like Peterbilt 359s – and then sell them. They do all the fabrication, mechanical work, paint, accessories, everything. Most of what they do revolves around retro styles and west coast vibes. They prefer vintage/original to crazy custom – but they will do whatever the customer wants. They can also re-power or reconfigure older trucks to a newer chassis or newer drivetrains for comfort and reliability. Located next to Caliva’s Polishing on Bluff Road in Montebello, CA for the last eight years, feel free to stop by and say “hello” or to check out their latest projects – you won’t regret it! Oscar always liked speed. In his younger years, he even did a lot of street racing, until he got into a bad wreck. But this fueled his passion to one day drag race. After that first TFK and seeing big trucks drag racing, all the brothers were hooked. When they won their first World Championship in 2023, beating out Oscar’s mentor Wayne Talkington, that was a real high point in their lives. But more than anything, the brothers love doing it all together. They love inspiring the next generation of truckers and racers, because they remember when they were that little kid. This brings them a lot of joy. The race truck is family – it is not any one of them, it’s all of them. And following in their father’s footsteps and legacy also makes them proud. All the boys not only attend their dad’s little church in South Central Los Angeles, but they help run it, too. Dad always wanted a cool old Cadillac, so three years ago, Henry found a yellow 1959 Cadillac, bought it, and gave it to their dad for Father’s Day – and he loves that thing. All stock with a 390 Cadillac engine, dad still works on it and drives it all the time. The brother’s parents, Oscar and Berta, have been married for 46 years. We got to see dad and his Cadillac when we went to their yard and took the pictures for this feature. And yes, you see it correctly, we were out there on Bluff Road, in the heart of Los Angeles, doing burnouts in the middle of the street! Coming from a strong Christian Evangelical household, the brothers first and foremost want to thank God and Jesus Christ for His blessings
14 10-4 Magazine / April 2026 and grace, along with their parents and their patient wives, who support them in their truck show and racing travels. One day, they would like to see this big rig drag racing deal as popular as regular NHRA drag racing, with big sponsors, big payouts to the winners, and televised coverage. Some of the reasons they built the race truck was to highlight their skills, promote the company, and have fun together as a family. We at 10-4 Magazine would like to thank our friend Vic Caliva for initially suggesting that we should consider putting these guys on the cover – you were right, Vic, they are worthy! Thank you!! The Velasquez brothers do not smoke, or drink, or do drugs – the way they de-stress and unwind is through racing (although Oscar joked that they might spend less money if they did all that other stuff instead of racing). If you want to watch these guys race after their dreams, find them at NHRDA events around the country, at TFK in Bakersfield, CA on May 2-3, 2026, and at the largest diesel motorsports event in North America, Alberta Diesel Days in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on June 27-28. And if you get a chance to talk to any of the brothers, do it, because you will not be disappointed. The day we spent with V-Bros at their yard was really fun, and we truly enjoyed getting to know this special family. We wish them all the best, and hope all their racing dreams come true! n La Burra 1975 KW K123 1962 Wrecker
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10-4 Magazine / April 2026 17 The Performance Zone: By Bruce Mallinson Every once in a while a project rolls into our shop that reminds us exactly why we started building engines in the first place. Here at Pittsburgh Power we have spent decades developing engines that push the limits of durability, reliability, and performance. Over the years the industry has placed a tremendous amount of focus on fuel economy and attempted to squeeze every possible mile per gallon out of modern diesel engines. While that goal certainly has an important place, every now and then we get the opportunity to step away from the fuel mileage conversation and go back to our roots. This engine is exactly that kind of project. Fuel economy is not the goal here. In fact, fuel economy might be the very last thing on our minds. This build is about one thing: power. Our customer plans to use this engine for sled pulling, a motorsport that demands incredible torque and massive horsepower delivered in short, violent bursts. When a truck hooks to the sled, the goal is simple: move as much weight, as far as possible, before the weight of the sled drags you to a stop. With that in mind, we started with a unique foundation for this build – a 16 liter CAT engine originally built for generator set duty. Industrial generator engines are designed for heavy continuous loads and consistent power output, which makes them a very strong base platform. In this case, the engine left the factory rated at roughly 800 horsepower in its generator configuration. That is already a lot higher than the typical CAT C16 truck engines that are commonly rated in the 575- to 600-hp range. Structurally, these engines share the same core architecture as their on-highway counterparts. The C16 platform itself is a 15.8 liter inline six cylinder diesel known for its durability and high torque capability, which is exactly why it has become such a favorite among performance diesel builders. But while the basic engine platform is similar, a gen set engine is a very different animal compared to what you would normally find sitting between the frame rails of a highway truck. One of the biggest misconceptions people have when they see a generator engine like this is assuming it can simply be dropped into a truck. That could not be further from the truth. This engine is absolutely not plug and play. In fact, nearly everything surrounding the engine is different and requires significant work to make it function in a truck application. An engine built to be a generator has a different wiring harness, the ECM is different, the oil pan is different, the flywheel housing is different, even the accessory layout and supporting components vary from a traditional over the road engine. Converting an industrial engine like this into a high performance truck engine requires serious engineering, fabrication, and calibration. It is not something you can buy, shove into a truck, and expect it to work flawlessly. Fortunately, challenges like that are exactly the kind of work we enjoy. One of the interesting elements of this build is the hardware we are installing. This engine will be running a PHD fire ringed head, an ARP stud kit, and a marine camshaft along with marine injectors. Marine components are designed to support extremely high loads and increased fuel delivery, which makes them particularly useful in high horsepower applications. More fuel, combined with the proper airflow and tuning, means additional horsepower. Getting all those elements AND NOW SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT... balanced correctly is where engine building becomes both a science and an art, and our engineers have decades of experience. Another detail about this engine is what it does not have – there are no Jake brakes installed on this motor. In an over the road truck that might seem unusual, but for a sled pulling application, they simply are not necessary. The engine’s purpose is to deliver extreme power during competition, not to assist with downhill braking on the interstate. Every component decision in this build reflects that purpose. Once the foundation is ready and the major hardware is in place, our engineers begin the process of dialing everything in. Airflow, fuel delivery, turbocharger configuration, and timing all have to be carefully balanced. Around the shop we sometimes joke about adding a little extra “magic smoke,” but what that really means is applying years of experience to get the absolute most performance possible from an engine while maintaining reliability. Based on the platform, the fueling hardware, and the work our team is putting into this build, we fully expect this engine to produce just north of 1,200 horsepower. That kind of output turns an already impressive engine into something truly special. And we have to admit – this one looks pretty incredible just sitting on the stand. There is something about a freshly assembled CAT engine that just looks right. The clean components, the serious hardware, and the sheer presence of a big diesel built for power make it hard not to stop and admire before it even fires up. Projects like this remind us why we love what we do here at Pittsburgh Power. We build engines for many different purposes. Some customers are focused on efficiency and reliability, while others need durability for heavy work. But every once in a while, someone walks through the door who simply wants raw horsepower. This C16 build is exactly that kind of project. With a strong industrial foundation, serious fueling hardware, and the experience of our engineering team behind it, we expect great things from this engine. n
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10-4 Magazine / April 2026 19 Our beloved magazine is carefully formulated to highlight all aspects of the trucking industry. However, tucked in neatly with everything else, is a page dedicated to book reviews brought to us by Terri Schlichenmeyer (65) of Wisconsin and her column, The Bookworm Sez. Since she was 15, Terri has been in some form of media. Starting out in radio as one of the first women on air with a regular gig in Wisconsin, she also worked in a library. In 2003 she began writing book reviews because it sounded fun, and the following year she started contributing these reviews to newspapers. To review books, a love of reading is necessary, and it is nothing for her to have many books in the process of being read all at the same time. On average, she reads four to six books completely every week! Her email is very busy with a variety and many pitches per day on books for her to review. Does she review them all? Absolutely not! Not everything aligns with what she needs for her work or what she desires to read. Seeking niche publications is how she found 10-4 Magazine. Taking the direct approach, Terri reached out to our fearless leader Dan Linss about becoming a contributor. After samples were sent and a follow-up phone call was made, Terri became a mainstay most months, bringing us a fresh view of new books to delve into, since January 2016. Dan has always said that we are more than just a truck magazine, we are a human magazine, so he has always felt like “human interest” stories were important to include. According to Terri, books are a better alternative to television because reading not only allows you an escape, but opens and expands your mind, as well. There is a solid collaboration with Terri and Dan regarding what the next book review will be, and if you’ve read her reviews, there is definitely something for everyone in her list of books. Today, she writes for 130 publications within the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam. Included with this are fillers she provides for two newspapers, a humor column for a magazine in Delaware and the rest are all book reviews. She is the author of three trivia books which includes one on general trivia, one on American history, and one on science. She has co-written with a friend a book on Wisconsin trivia and has contributed to several other books. From her standpoint, she sees 10-4 Magazine as a very helpful and readable publication. She appreciates the diversity of the magazine and the substance created surrounding the industry we are so passionate about. Thank you, Terri, for your continued contributions and the fresh perspective of the books you review for all of us! n Who’s Who in 10-4 Magazine: By Stephanie Haas A BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO TV
Truck Show Report: By Daniel J. Linss As the summer sun came blazing down in February, we weren’t sure if we were seeing a desert mirage or just hallucinating in the heat! With record high temps for February at the “Diesels in the Desert” show in Chandler, AZ on February 27-28, 2026, our brains were baking. Hosted once again by the National Hot Rod Diesel Association (NHRDA) and Pickett Custom Trucks at Firebird Motorsports Park, the show seemed to grow again with more diesel pickups drag racing and doing burnouts, more big rigs, more vendors, and more spectators – this was no mirage! Last year the show was held in mid-March and much of it was rained out. Also, being just a couple weeks prior to the big trucking convention in Louisville, KY, the show promoters decided to move the date forward a few weeks to the end of February. I’m sure they thought the weather might be nicer, too, and it was, but nobody expected temperatures in the upper-90s that early in the year. It caught a lot of folks off guard, as many were heard repeating the mantra, “It’s too soon!” But that didn’t stop people from coming out to show off their rides or just to enjoy some time with their “truck show family” for the first time in a while. We arrived in Phoenix after a short flight from central California on Friday in the late morning, and by the time we got our rental car, drove to Chandler, hit a supermarket for supplies, checked into our room and then met up with friends, we all ended up getting to the show together at about 4:00 PM. The drag racing began late Friday afternoon and continued into the evening. With Randy and Stacy Cole retiring and handing over the reins of the NHRDA after last season ended, there was a new crew running that part of the show and, from our standpoint, we didn’t see any issues and things seemed to run smoothly. Figuring we would have enough time to casually catch up with some friends on Friday afternoon before the light show began at dusk, that all changed – at least for me – when my camera slipped out of its tripod mount and fell to the pavement from about my shoulder height. In almost 30 years of doing photography work at truck shows and other places, I have NEVER dropped my equipment, and to see my workhorse system, including a big external flash, hit the ground was not how I envisioned my night going. I spent the next hour or so looking my gear over and taking test shots. Things seemed okay, so we went ahead and took all our night shots, along with talking with many friends. The next morning, in the hotel room, I decided to download the images and look at them on my laptop, just to make sure things were kosher, and at that point, I realized I had an issue. Many of the shots looked good and seemed okay, but others were not properly or evenly focused. Switching lenses solved the issue, so for the rest of the weekend, I used other ones, including a new one I had, and it worked flawlessly. After returning from Arizona, I sent the lens that fell back to Canon to be completely rebuilt – better to be safe than sorry! I got it back a few weeks later and all is right with the universe again!! Saturday morning, after scoping out some photo locations for a shoot we were scheduled to do the next morning, we arrived at the show around noon and were surprised to see how many more trucks had come in that morning. The count was around 200 big rigs, which were mostly parked in one long aisle, with trucks on each side, for the length of the dragstrip. When that space ran out, they started another row up above the main lot, which filled up quickly, as well. Some of the trucks were parked so close together, it was hard to get good pictures of them. Thankfully, the replacement lens that I had switched to was a new ultrawide zoom lens I had just acquired, which allowed me to have a lot more options and get the shots I needed. Walking around in the heat and constantly seeking shade spots for some temporary relief, there were so many cool trucks and fleets. Some of these included Dandee Dairy, that had at least 10 of their amazing trucks at the show, including their massive green and purple build for MATS, which wasn’t even completed, but sitting on a trailer for all to see their progress in person. This truck was featured on our April 2025 cover, but has since undergone a full rebuild. Jason and his crew smoked meat and cooked food all weekend for anyone who was hungry, but I am sorry to say I never made it over there to try 20 10-4 Magazine / April 2026 A DESERT MIRAGE?
10-4 Magazine / April 2026 21
22 10-4 Magazine / April 2026 any of their brisket, ribs and such – there was just too much to do and the day, as it always does, was going fast. Other notable trucks at the show included a few of Crane Harvesting & Trucking’s yellow and white beauties, a handful of Mike Green’s always-amazing antiques, and Jeff Botelho’s latest black and blue 2-axle build. Ryan Hooten of Ryan’s Feed and his sweet red and black Kenworth was looking good with a load of hay, “Truck Show Joe” Eldridge and his violet and purple Pete was catching everyone’s eye, and Cody Lindamood and his bright red Peterbilt heavy hauler and matching trailer were on point, too. A few other standouts included David Viss and his 1953 “Bullnose” Kenworth, Action Materials’ silver and black 4-axle Peterbilt, Rusty Bradeen and his dark green 4-axle Kenworth, several white and blue trucks from PGH Excavating, Bruce Campbell and his black KW and, of course, Rod Pickett with his signature black Peterbilt RV. Spending most of the weekend walking around with our friends Kris and Angelina Gaare, along with past cover trucker (June 2018) Pierson “Teeny” Gravance, these guys are always fun to be around. We also enjoyed getting to spend some time with Nick Hale, who is currently publishing a book featuring pics from the late Stan Holtzman, who contributed to 10-4 for many years. In addition to talking (lots of talking!) and taking pictures, we were also there to promote our upcoming Truckin’ For Kids (TFK) charity show and drags coming in May, looking to secure more sponsors, vendors and participants. We handed out a lot of fliers!! But that show is a labor of love for all of us, so it never seems like “work” to work on it. After a long and hot day on the pavement and out on the track watching the drag racing, which culminated with Oscar Valesquez and V-Bros. (our cover feature this month) not only winning the Hot Rod Semi class but also setting a new ET record, it was finally time to hand out the awards. With custom trophies made by the guys at Pickett Custom Trucks in the shape of their home state of Arizona, Steve Mitchell did the announcing, and he is a man of few words, so the ceremony went pretty fast. Shelly and Warren Hartman also came out to the show and awarded the Kameron Wilken Young Entrepreneur Award to a stunned and emotional Sam Dodd. Look for more about Sam in an upcoming installment of our new “The Next Generation” column featuring the winners, past and present, of this prestigious award. After the awards, the diesel pickups (and a host of other diesel-powered oddities) headed to the burnout box for a hot burnout competition. And when I say “hot” I mean it, as several caught on fire, some blew tires, a few hit the concrete barriers, and all of them created so much smoke your eyes started to burn and you sometimes couldn’t even see them. The box was lined with Jersey Barriers, which were surrounded by spectators on every side. It was a wild way to end the show, and it proved once again that this was no mirage! If you missed it, we hope to see you there next year!! n
10-4 Magazine / April 2026 23 BOBTAIL: 1st Action Materials; 2nd Rusty Bradeen. COMBO: 1st Mike Green; 2nd Narcie Soares. CONSTRUCTION: 1st PGH Excavating; 2nd Cody Lindamood. ANTIQUE BOBTAIL: 1st Mike Green; 2nd Old Iron Trucking. ANTIQUE COMBO: 1st Mike Green; 2nd David Viss. SPECIALTY: 1st WSM; 2nd Joe Eldridge. BEST FLEET: Stearns, Inc. BEST INTERIOR: Clayton Heise. BEST ENGINE: Sam Lee. PICKETT PICK: Ryan Hooten. BEST OF SHOW BOBTAIL: Botelho Custom Trucks. BEST OF SHOW COMBO: Cole Barbieri.
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Clint’s Creations: By Clint Moore 2012 he decided to add driving a truck as an additional occupation while still working some weekends with the guard. He drove for that first company for nine years before he ventured off and purchased his own truck – a used 2015 glider kit, which he ran until he ordered and picked up the new Peterbilt you see here. One of his friends suggested calling Kansas City Peterbilt because they thought that is where Hillius buys their trucks, which are a cool but common sight in North Dakota (I have featured a few of their trucks over the years). Talking to Nathaniel, we hit it right off. Within a few days we had the specs dialed in and the order process started. He had a good idea of what he wanted after spending many miles and nights thinking about it. I am very fond of the model 567 and have even helped develop a few cool parts for them. So, when I shared with Nathaniel some pics and ideas, he was definitely on board. I happened to be in Denton the week his truck was built, so I searched for it with our friend Paul. It was a long walk, but what a great time it was visiting, and I got in a few extra steps that day, too. The truck arrived in Kansas City the following week and Mike was given the responsibility of getting it dialed in. The truck is a 2026 Peterbilt 567 with a 72” High Roof sleeper, painted Smokey Mountain Effect, and powered with a 565-hp X15 Cummins with 2050 torque hooked to an 18-speed. With a nice 280” wheelbase, Low Air suspension, a car-hauler front axle on air ride, full locking diffs, and a factory lift axle, the rig was also dressed in Peterbilt oval hole wheels. Inside, it has a This month’s creation was for Nathaniel Wood with SGB Transport in Bismarck, North Dakota (soon to be San Antonio, Texas). Married to his wife Kristy for 19 years, they have three kids – Samantha (17), graduating early this year and then heading to college in Texas, Gabriella (15), and Bennett (10). Being in the Army and then the National Guard, Nathaniel has done some “tours of duty” over the years, but his current “tour” involves driving a truck, too. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Nathaniel’s dad, John Wood, was a machinist by trade. Growing up, Nathaniel found himself trying to find something that fit. After having a few issues with school, he dropped out and went to welding school. Later, he went back to high school to finish and graduate. After high school he was given the responsibility to run his dad’s shop, which he quickly realized wasn’t his thing. Having mechanical abilities, he opted to join the Army and try a different path. As a diesel mechanic in the Army, he ended up on a tour in Iraq. While in Iraq, he randomly found the love of his life when he met Kristy (she was in the Air Force). He said, “I don’t know how, but we found each other, and five months later we got married.” She was stationed in San Antonio, and after she fulfilled her service in 2008, she went back to Bismarck. Nathaniel stayed enlisted with the National Guard as a mechanic and aircraft refueler in Bismarck, as well, which has been their home since 2009 (Kristy is from that area and has family there). With Kristy working as a registered nurse, Nathaniel had quite a few deployments, and in 10-4 Magazine / April 2026 25 Platinum interior, with all the nice things. Mike installed some bicycle-style fenders on brackets from I-29, along with a much needed cell phone booster antenna. Our friend Storm with One 11 Weldshop built Nathaniel a stainless visor and drilled some holes for 3/4” button cab lights, and Carl at Rockwood made some cool billet front step pieces. Carl and I have also been working on single headlight adapters but haven’t quite got them finished yet. Nathaniel was definitely interested in those and, hoping we finish them sooner than later, added a set of single squares to his add-on list and had them pre-wired so, once we get the adapters done, he can easily install them himself at the house. When Nathaniel showed up to get the truck, I explained how I thought he should peel the red out of the emblems to add to the truck’s clean look. So, he grabbed them, ripped them out, and was pleased with the look, as well. I said, “If you don’t do something to it, it’s not really yours,” and he quickly made it his. It was a pleasure doing business with Nathaniel and we were super pleased at the end result. I wanted to thank him and his family not only for their business, but for their service, as well. Me and my family and friends are keeping our veterans and active service members in our thoughts and prayers during these current turbulent times. Some of our friends and co-workers have children and loved ones that are deployed on “tours” as we speak, and our hearts are with them, as well. n TOURS OF DUTY
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10-4 Magazine / April 2026 27 Our friend and colleague (and past cover trucker) JR Schleuger of Lifetime Nut Covers in Britt, Iowa, passed away on the morning of February 12, 2026. He had been fighting an aggressive cancer and struggling with blood clots for some time, but we really thought his treatment was working and he was doing better. His passing was a shock to all of us in the trucking world. JR was a young man with a young family, so please pray for his wife and three girls as they navigate these di icult times. The trucking industry is a tight-knit community, and times like these will require us all to come together and support one another – whether you knew him or not! Thankfully, the company was left in good hands, so they will continue making those amazing truck accessories. Rest in peace, JR. We will miss your sincere smile and larger-than-life personality, presence, and heart. REMEMBERING JR
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10-4 Magazine / April 2026 29 This 1980 Kenworth K100 “cabin over” was owned and operated by Dave Sweetman for Horseless Carriage. Powered by a 400 Cummins Big Cam III hooked to a 15-speed, Dave used this truck to haul specialty vehicles until 1988, when he traded it in for a new T600 Kenworth. At that time, it had 1.2 million miles on the odometer. The picture was taken by Bette Garber, along with many others, for a cover feature in the April 1986 edition of American Trucker Magazine – that was 40 years ago this month! OUT OF THE ARCHIVES With Bette Garber Dave Sweetman’s 1980 Kenworth K100
30 10-4 Magazine / April 2026 The beauty of the American Big Rig is truly unique. Many of these trucks reflect their owner’s personalities. From the designs of the manufacturers to how the owners operate them, use them and customize them, to the power under the hood. Many trucks have personalities of their own and have become legendary throughout the years. While it’s one thing to see these trucks on display at a truck show, it’s another to capture the essence of their beauty in an art form through photography. As an ongoing series, every few months, 10-4 is going “behind the lens” to talk with some of the amazing people who photograph and showcase the beauty of the American Big Rig in their own unique way. To kick this feature off, we will be going behind the lens this month with a friend so many of us know in the trucking industry – Chad Violet. While Chad is now known for his amazing photography of working and show trucks from around the country, his interest in photography began as a way to share his job and trips (back when he drove trucks) with his children in the late 1990s. “I used to take disposable cameras (remember those?) on my trips,” said Chad, as he continued telling me, “When I would return home, I would put the camera in a basket, grab another new one for the next trip, and while I was gone, my wife would develop the film. When I returned home, I would share my adventures with my kids through those photographs – the interesting landmarks, cool trucks I saw, the heavy machinery loads that I hauled, and the big cities I visited.” While this routine continued for several years unchanged, one day, when Chad returned home from one of his trips, the basket was gone and there weren’t any more disposable cameras awaiting him. In the place of that basket was a brand new Canon EOS Rebel SL1 DSLR digital camera with the two “kit lenses” that came with it. “It made me nervous because of all the dials and buttons, so I didn’t take it with me for a few months,” said Chad. With the Canon camera just sitting there watching Chad come and go, one day, he decided to finally conquer his fear of the Canon. Taking the Canon with him on a trip, while at a site waiting on riggers to load his truck, he pulled the camera out and began to explore shooting with it. “I walked around taking photos of the trucks that were there waiting, trying different angles and perspectives that I hadn’t seen anyone do before, including shots up real close, along with other details.” Like any tool, the more you work with it, the better you get using it. “The more I shot with it, the more I started to truly enjoy it.” Chad told me about getting more comfortable over time using the big Canon, saying, “I Truckapedia: By Mark Harter enjoyed seeing my photos and how I could improve, and then I would edit them on my computer using software programs like Ribbet or SnapSeed.” About that same time, Chad began sharing some of his photos on different Facebook pages. Getting encouragement and feedback, “People really started responding of how much they liked my work,” said Chad. Not long after that, Chad entered a photography contest in 2016 organized by 10-4 Magazine, in honor of the late trucking photographer Bette Garber. “The photo I entered was a rolling shot of Brad Garetson when he was driving for Rollin Transport,” said Chad, telling me about the shot that won the competition! “I was sitting on the console of my Volkswagen, hanging my camera out the passenger window on a monopod, as we ran 75 mph across Interstate 70 in Ohio!” Catching the attention of 10-4 Magazine’s editor, Dan Linss, Chad told me, “Not long after that, Dan called me, asking if I was able to put together BEHIND THE LENS
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