“FOR TODAY’S TRUCKER” DECEMBER 2025 ® Magazine SINCE 1993! REMEMBERING HARM: A TRUCKING LEGEND FULL SHOW REPORTS FROM FIVE EVENTS ALL ACROSS THE USA Daniel Fritz and His Stellar 1981 KW W900A Everyday Driver... A LABOR OF LOVE
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20 68 10 ® 64 FUN: WordSearch 45 • Red’s Rides 53 • Truckertoon 63 • Crossword 67 • NumberSearch 71 • Words To Live By 76 DECEMBER 2025 CONTENTS VOLUME 33 ISSUE 4 COVER FEATURE Dan Fritz and His Labor of Love Kenworth W900A ......... 10 PERFORMANCE ZONE Detroit Diesel Rods and Mains Gone Awry ..................... 17 TRUCK SHOW REPORT Raising Money and Awareness in Turlock, CA ................ 20 IN MEMORIAL Remembering Trucking Icon Harm Speerstra ................ 25 SPECIAL FEATURE A “10-4 Day” Wedding Celebration in Alabama .............. 27 OUT OF THE ARCHIVES Another Old Gem from Bette Garber’s Collection .......... 29 TRUCKAPEDIA Mark Harter Goes to His First Ever Tow Show ................ 30 THE VETERAN’S VIEW A Deep Dive Into How Quality “Gifts” are Made ............. 46 TRUCK SHOW REPORT A Win-Win Situation in Nacogdoches, TX ....................... 50 CLINT’S CREATIONS Florida Trucker Morgan Goetter is a Real Go-Getter ...... 55 HEALTH & HAPPINESS Get Through the Holidays Relaxed and Happy .............. 57 TRUCK SHOW REPORT There’s No Place Like GBATS in Joplin, MO .................. 60 SPECIAL FEATURE The Archiere Family Builds a Tribute Truck to Tony ........ 64 TRUCKER TALK The Stars Were Shining Bright in Atlanta, GA ................. 68 POETRY IN MOTION Trevor Rhymes about Being Stuck in Bismarck, ND ....... 73
8 10-4 Magazine / December 2025 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 SOCIAL MEDIA: Search for Ten Four Magazine SEND US AN E-MAIL: 10-4@tenfourmagazine.com WRITE US AT: 10-4 Magazine Post Office Box 639 Dunlap, CA 93621 CALL US ON THE PHONE: (559) 338-2703 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 - PRINT SALES MANAGER/SHOW SUPPORT John Testa - SALES &DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Stephanie Haas - PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Parker Linss - PRODUCTION ASSISTANT/SHOW SUPPORT John Hambro -WEBSITE MANAGER Vic Vasselin - MONTHLY “TRUCKERTOON” ARTIST Mark McClain - CUSTOM CROSSWORD CREATOR 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• Kim Jaikes • Trevor Hardwick Dennis Mitchell • Stephanie Haas • Clint Moore Mark Harter • Duncan Putman • K.M. Stanfield Eric Hill • Colin Kund • Terence P. Hannigan Miss Flatbed Red • Kasey Aslinger • Ryan Rosetta Troy Miller • Terri "Bookworm" Schlichenmeyer WEBSITE: MEDIA: Magazine PHONE:
Cover Feature: By Colin Kund in Mohnton, PA, for final assembly. Keith put the entire truck back together, including setting the motor, cab, hood and bunk on the frame. Keith also did all the plumbing and wiring work. The front axle is sitting on a Shane Kurtz air ride kit, with leveling valves done by Trostle Hill Garage, and 6” Lincoln Chrome stacks were chosen for the classic rig’s exhaust. At this time, the interior was also installed by Randy Martin at SpareTime Fab, based out of Myerstown, PA. Once the Kenworth was completely put back together, it was taken back up to Bloomsburg for some final touches. Dan’s mom Sue did all the pinstriping and lettering on the truck. Dan used to haul a spud wagon, but earlier this year he picked up a 2026 Vanguard refrigerated trailer. Once the trailer arrived, Dan and the guys got to work on making it their own. All the paint on the upper and lower rails, landing The 1981 Kenworth W900A gracing these pages is exactly what the title says – a labor of love! What started as a single axle day cab truck from California turned into the large ride pictured here. Piloted and owned by Daniel Fritz of Bloomsburg, PA, the truck went through quite the transformation from what it had been. Going back over six long decades, Dan’s grandparents, Norman and Gloria Fritz, started the trucking company, N.W. Fritz, in 1962. Their shop was built in 1971 and that’s where all the work has been done on their trucks and trailers since. Norman hauled steel out of Pittsburgh at this point, and then leased onto Milton Transport in 1975 where he ran general freight. When Dan and his father bought his grandparents out in August of 2014 they got into the potato game under their own authority. Up until 2015, the company ran all Mack trucks, with Norman’s first truck being a B-Model Mack. In 2015, Dan’s father Greg decided to go the Peterbilt route and ordered two 386 glider kit tractors from Fitzgerald, with one being red and the other being blue. The company currently operates four trucks including a Mack Pinnacle, the two Peterbilt 386s, and Dan’s A-Model. While attending Misericordia University for Business Administration, Dan realized he would rather continue the family business instead of working for someone else. After Dan graduated he worked for his grandparents for a year and obtained his CDL. When he was not driving he was handling all the office work and working in the shop. Dan always had an interest in trucks, but it did not get serious until college. Acquiring this Kenworth W900A in 2017 from California, as mentioned before, the truck was a single axle and it was equipped with a CAT 3406A. Once the truck arrived in Pennsylvania a complete tear-down began. The project took over seven years from start to finish, and Dan cannot even count how many hours went into it. The frame was cut and then a 2011 Freightliner Airliner suspension, equipped with disc brakes, was installed in place of the original rear setup. This brought the truck to a 270” wheelbase, and 3.36 rears round out the back of the truck. The 3406A was swapped out with a 14L Detroit Diesel Series 60 that is backed by a 13-speed Eaton Fuller transmission. All the tear down, frame stretch work, and paint was done in-house by Dan, his dad, and the third owner, Kevin Weisenberger. Some custom pieces on the truck include the chromed factory wiper arms, grab handles, cab stack mounts, all stainless steel tubing and a custom stainless steel fan shroud. Once Dan, Greg and Kevin finished their work on the truck, it was taken down to Keith Nolt at Trostle Hill Garage, located 10 10-4 Magazine / December 2025 A LABOR OF LOVE
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12 10-4 Magazine / December 2025 gear, reefer unit and several other spots was done in-house. Dan’s mom was able to put her touch on the trailer, as well, with more classy pinstriping and the company name. I asked Dan what his favorite part of the truck is and he says by far the engine bay and the wiring inside the dash that no one sees. As Dan put it, “It’s a work of art!” I also asked him if he would have done anything differently and he said he would have re-railed the truck instead of doing the cutoff. Live and learn, right?! The truck had been on my “to shoot list” for quite some time, but Dan and I were never really able to connect to get it done. Dan and I actually met for the first time at the Macungie show this past year. While working on my report for this show, my editor Dan Linss saw the truck in the photos I had sent over and immediately said, “I want a feature on this truck, yesterday!” It worked out that we were able to shoot it in September at Snavely’s Mill in Lititz, PA. Dan and I would like to thank Dan Snavely for allowing us to use the mill for this part of the shoot. I was worried when I woke up that Saturday morning for the photo shoot because it was awfully foggy, but luckily it lifted (for the most part) and we were able to get the photos done. After seeing these additional photos, my editor, who was really excited, decided to bump Dan’s A-Model to a cover feature. Specific photos are needed for that, so we did a second photo shoot on Halloween weekend. I made the trek up to Bloomsburg in search of the perfect spot. Luckily, the weather was beautiful, and the few remaining trees with color really helped make the combo pop even more. Dan would like to thank his wife, Tiffany, his folks, Greg and Sue, his grandparents, Norman and Gloria (none of this would have been possible without them), and Kevin. He is also extremely thankful for the talent of Trostle Hill Garage and the incredible work Keith Nolt did in putting the truck back together. Other thanks go to Windview Truck and Trailer Repair, LK Kustomz, SpareTime Fab, Cook Brothers Truck Parts and Horse & Buggy Accessories. When Dan isn’t driving or working in the shop he can be found at home, enjoying time with friends and family, and cooking. Needless to say, Dan and others “cooked up” one hell of a rig! This truck is no fair weather queen – Dan runs her every day and in every season, hauling refrigerated products all around the east coast and sometimes to the Midwest. Anyone who runs an old truck like this knows what it takes to keep it going and looking good – it’s truly a labor of love, and Dan Fritz is getting it done! n
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10-4 Magazine / December 2025 17 The Performance Zone: By Bruce Mallinson The job ticket called for rods and mains on a Detroit Series 60 – typically a straightforward, same day repair. The customer arrived at Pittsburgh Power expecting a routine bearing refresh which includes new connecting rods and main bearings, torque to spec, and back on the road. But once we pulled the oil pan, the scope changed quickly. What looked like a routine repair was not. During the teardown, the crank gear was found to have a large section of teeth missing. The bull gear was also damaged, and metal debris was present in the pan. In an ideal world, extensive damage to both gears would point to a three-quarter block replacement or a full gear-train overhaul, since adjacent components may have also been compromised. Given schedule and budget constraints, we discussed risk, cost, and downtime with the owner and agreed on a targeted plan – thoroughly clean the engine, replace the bull gear and crank gear, and proceed with the rods and mains as planned. During this process, the question, “Can you change the crank gear without pulling the crank?” came up. On a Series 60, the answer is yes, you can. The crankshaft timing gear is press-fit, so with the correct puller and installer, it can be removed and installed accurately. This is a controlled, hydraulic, tool-driven process. The gear mounts at the front of the crank, drives the bull gear, and engages the oil pump drive gear – details that matter when diagnosing the failure. With the plan set, we disassembled to the level required for gear work. We flushed the internals with mineral spirits repeatedly until they were clean. After a gear failure like this, reassembly requires a contamination-free environment – any remaining debris can damage journals, bearings or pumps. We pressed on the new crank gear to specification, installed the new bull gear, torqued the rods and mains, verified clearances, and inspected all related components. The truck arrived for a bearing refresh and left with a renewed front gear-train. The owner received a solution that respected their constraints, and the engine is back in service. That leaves an important question: how can a crank gear and bull gear fail while the oil pump remained unaffected? One plausible explanation is localized tooth overload between the crank gear and bull gear that did not involve the sector where the crank gear meshes with the oil pump drive gear. The Series 60’s crank gear engages the bull gear over one sector and the oil pump gear over another. If the initiating event occurred in the bull-gear sector, you can destroy teeth there while the oil pump mesh remains intact. Gear failures can be highly localized. Another possibility is torsional vibration from a worn or failed crankshaft damper. Without proper damping, oscillations fatigue the tooth roots with cyclic loads until material is lost. The bull gear typically sees higher and more variable torque because it drives multiple accessories, so it tends to fail first. The oil pump sees a steadier load with lower inertia changes, making it less likely to be the initial failure point. A brief accessory seizure could also transmit a shock through the bull gear. Because it distributes torque to the fuel pump drive, DETROIT RODS AND MAINS GONE AWRY air compressor, water pump, and other items, a momentary bind can shear one or two teeth without affecting the oil pump mesh. Prior repair history matters, as well. Press-fit gears require proper heating, alignment, and seating depth. A crank gear installed with slight runout can gradually degrade the mesh. The failure appears to happen suddenly, even though the process began long before. In such cases, the bull-gear mesh, which carries more variable load, often shows damage first. The oil pump, with steadier loading, may not exhibit the same symptoms. In summary, the oil pump likely survived due to geometry and duty cycle. The crank gear’s engagement arcs allow damage to be confined to the bull-gear sector. If the failure occurred there, the oil pump mesh would not encounter the broken teeth. Operationally, the pump’s steadier load profile makes catastrophic tooth failure less likely. It is still vulnerable to issues like starvation or contamination, but in scenarios driven by shock loads, misalignment, or torsional vibration, it is less likely to be the primary failure. Thanks again to my associate and Marketing Manager Jordan Greathouse for writing this month’s article. I have said it before, and I will say it again – we here at Pittsburgh Power have the best people! To see our entire line of products and services, stop by our shop in Saxonburg, PA, visit us online at www.pittsburghpower.com at any time, or call (724) 360-4080. We are here to help you! n
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WESTOZ PHOENIX TruckPartsPhoenix.com Open Monday-Thursday 7:00-5:00 5240 S. 43rd Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85041 All Components Sold Exchange 2025 KW T880: 450-hp X15, 12-spd. auto, only 61K mi, wet kit, lockers, $58,000. We Buy Peterbilt and Kenworth Trucks and Take Trades! 602-237-2000 2020 ATTITUDE 39’ TOY HAULER: salvage title, will take trucks in trade, $30,000. VOLVO I-SHIFT TRANSMISSION: ATO2512-C, only 426K mi, $5,000 Exch. Stk. #1999-5 2021 ENDURANT: 12-spd, only 376K miles, $5,500 Exch. Stk. #2148-2 2013 KW T660 EXT. DAY CAB: wired for Cum/auto, full interior, $3,500. Stk. #3999 2019 CUMMINS X15: 500-hp, runs great, $8,500 Exch. Stk. #2123-1 2012 PETE 386 CAB: wired for Cummins and manual, excellent cond, $3,500. Stk. #2121-4 2008 VOLVO D13: 435-hp, 426K miles, runs great, $4,500 Exch. Stk. #1999-2 2016 ALLISON 4000HS: good inspected takeout, $3,000 Exch. Stk. #2105-3 (NAP) PETERBILT 389 EXT. HOOD: refurbished and ready for paint, $9,500. Stk. #4015 2018 PETERBILT 579 DAYCAB ASSEMBLY: wired for Paccar/auto, $3,500. Stk. #1970-2 2025 KW T880: 500-hp X15, 12-spd. auto, only 72K miles, lockers, runs great, $63,500. 2012 PETE 388: 485-hp Cummins ISX, 13-speed, 46K rears, wet kit, $35,000. 2012 WESTERN STAR: 500-hp DD15, 13-spd, wet kit, ready to go. Stk. #BD3675 DETROIT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: DT12-OA-1650 HD, $3,500 Exch. Stk. #1968-6 2017 KW T660 FOR PARTS: 500-hp ISX, 13-speed, KW style wheels. Stk. #2136 2021 CUMMINS X15: 450-hp, 376K mi, runs great, $13,000 Exch. Stk. #2148-1 2024 KW T680: Cummins X15, 12-spd. auto, AG400L, only 71K miles. Stk. #2145 2022 KW T680: 450-hp Cummins X15, 376K mi, 12-speed Endurant, $18,000. CLEAN TITLE 2018 PETE 579: 455-hp, 10-spd, Air Trac, 3.70 ratio, full lockers, $27,500. Stk. #2115 PARTS OR WHOLE PARTS OR WHOLE
20 10-4 Magazine / December 2025 In the world of truck shows, each one typically has something unique to help it stand out from all the rest. And although truck and tractor pulls are a regular occurrence in the Midwest and back east, they are not nearly as common out west, but the Soza Memorial Truck Show & Tractor Pulls, which raises money for a good cause that is near and dear to the show founders, featured not one but two nights of exciting truck and tractor pulls right here in the heart of California’s Central Valley. The 5th annual event was held at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock, CA on September 26-28, 2025, and in addition to the tractor pulls, it also featured a truck show and shine, vendors, food, live music, raffles, giveaways and more. Rolling into Turlock on Thursday afternoon to get our vendor space set up, which again featured the bright yellow and green Maggini & Son “Godfather” 1962 Peterbilt, piloted by our friends Roger and Annette Ghidelli, pulling our TFK show trailer. The trailer, which has two side doors and a set of stairs at the center of the trailer, was flanked with several canopies. The 10-4 Magazine booth, with magazines, posters, and shirts, was set up to the right of the stairs, while the “10-4 Lounge” was located on the left side, which provided shade, tables and chairs, music, snacks and drinks, and a fun place for folks to just hang out during the show. Truck shows are all about spending time with friends and making new ones, and the “lounge” helps give us that opportunity. With our booth situated in a great central location, as it always is, we enjoyed the show and all it had to offer. But, before things really got kicked off on Friday afternoon, we had scheduled a photo shoot for Friday morning, so Miss Shannon and I were out and about getting that done first thing. As most of you now know, “Cabover Kev” (Kevin Young) of Waxahachie, TX brought his classically styled 1981 Freightliner cabover, fitted with a 12V-71 Detroit and a set of sticks, all the way out to the show for this photo shoot. Taking photographs all over the fairgrounds that morning, we were proud to feature Kevin’s cabover on our November 2025 cover. The show officially opened at 3:00 PM on Friday and we were ready. With near perfect weather in the mid to upper 80s, 115 beautiful trucks were parked (mostly) on the grass. This show drew in some of the finest fleets from California’s Central Valley including Hildebrand’s Black Market Express, Silva Trucking, and Double E Trucking. Each of these fleets had several units on display, among all the other big rides, brought out by their proud owners and/or drivers. And, based on the awards, it would be fair to say that Billy Ezernack and his crew at Double E dominated at this event. Truck Show Report: By Daniel J. Linss Along with all the trucks, DJ Dan Utica spun tunes all weekend while several food vendors served up some of the finest treats including Mid-Valley BBQ, Promix 559, The Soda Parlor, El Comalon, Squeezed, Mexibites, Ro’s Shaved Ice and Churrocks Churros. The “dirty sodas” seemed to be a big hit this year, but I did not try one. Along with all the food vendors there were about 20 trucking related vendor booths with everything from bumpers to mattresses, cleaners to cargo control products, and trucks to trucking apparel – there was something for everyone at this show. This year, to help grow and promote the event, show producers Ashleigh and C.G. Soza hired Josh Mendoza and his team at Centered Marketing in Madera, CA to help get the word out – and a lot more. In the months prior to the show, they redid the show’s website, created unique and engaging content for their social media channels, and took part in much of the show coordinating and planning. Ashleigh said it was a great investment for the future of the event. PULLIN’ FOR CHARITY
10-4 Magazine / December 2025 21 They also produced and printed the first-ever show program, had a team of photographers and videographers at the event, and even came out to the “Team 10-4” headquarters a few months before the show to create an event promo. It was fun. These folks seemed really good to work with, and we look forward to all that hard work (and money) paying off for C.G. and Ashleigh. With the truck and tractor pulls, produced by MLM Motorsports, on both Friday and Saturday nights, there was a lot of action out on the track. Although there were no big rigs pulling, it was still fun to watch the pickups and big custom tractors screaming down the track, billowing black smoke, and kicking up dirt. These events also brought in a lot of spectators, which is always good for a truck show. Each night also had a light show, and Saturday night featured a Morgan Wallen tribute band called 7 Summers, and they were great. Miss Shannon and I both donned our cowboy hats that night and proceeded to walk around and promote our “trucker rodeo” that was just a few weeks away. In addition to the cowboy hats that we wore much of the weekend, we also wore rodeo shirts, and some of the ladies in our booth went full “cowgirl” with denim skirts, boots and turquoise jewelry. We also brought out the “heavy equipment” for our newest competition class at our rodeo, which just happened to be John Deere pedal tractors! We had fun watching the faces of would-be competitors as we described the event and pointed out the “heavy equipment” they were going to be required to ride. Of course, we also had a few “Betsy” cows on hand, as well, which are the stars of our cow loading competition. Another neat thing at this year’s Soza show were the trophies. Made by a place called Kre8ive House in SoCal, these unique trophies featured the official logo for the event, presented in “layered” acrylic, and were real head-turners. Find them on Instagram if you are looking for something different for your next event. In addition to the trophies, there was also a belt buckle for the Best of Show winner, along with a few other styles of awards for some of the different classes. And, as mentioned before, the folks at Double E took home many of these trophies – seven in total, including Best Fleet, Best Polish, Best Dry Van, all three trophies in the Tanker class, and Best of Show Working Truck. Some of the other big winners were Chris Rocha of C. Rocha Enterprises and his black Peterbilt 389X (Kid’s Choice and Best Commodity Trailer), Silva Trucking and their turquoise Peterbilts (1st in the Construction and Specialty classes, 2nd in Lights and Pro Show Truck Combo, Competitor’s Choice, and Best of Show Limited Miles Combo), and Bobby Vaz of Robert Vaz Trucking, whose cream and burnt orange 2-axle 2022 Peterbilt 389 earned A.J.’s Choice and Best of Show Limited Miles Bobtail. Another big winner was Supreme Auto, as several of their sweet car carriers took home a bunch of trophies, as well.
22 10-4 Magazine / December 2025 Some of our other favorites that were standing tall included our friends at Double R Trucking and their nearly matching cream, orange and turquoise Cascadias, Dominic Gonzalez of Antonio & Sons Trucking and his slammed silver and black Freightliner Coronado, A & L Truck Supply and their mascot, a red 2003 Peterbilt 379, and Genace Hay’s red and white 2025 Peterbilt 567 hooked to a matching cattle pot. Our friend and past cover trucker Kenny Campos of Heet Trucking also looked good with his metallic grey and red 2016 Kenworth T680. Two older trucks that may or may not have caught your eye – but should have – were a pair of somewhat rare 1980 Peterbilt 353s, with sequential serial numbers, and very low miles (one has 859 original miles and the other has only 4,200 original miles). Look for a feature on these two unique trucks in a future edition of 10-4 Magazine. As mentioned in the beginning of this report, this show raises money for a cause that is very near and dear to C.G. and Ashleigh Soza. C.G. lost his first wife Windly and their son A.J. in a tragic auto accident in 2016. A.J., like his father C.G., struggled with dyslexia, and Windly was taking him to his weekly treatments when the accident occurred. In their memory, and to raise money and awareness for the cause, C.G. and his wife Ashleigh formed the A.J. Soza Dyslexia Foundation, and this show funds the efforts of that foundation. In January, the couple will announce the next recipient of the dyslexia tutoring, at no charge, from the proceeds of this year’s Soza Memorial Truck Show. Next year’s dates have been set for September 25-27, 2026, at the same location in Turlock, CA. Stay tuned to 10-4 Magazine and the Soza Memorial Truck Show website for updates as they become available. Going to shows is fun, but raising money for a worthwhile cause AND having fun is the best of both worlds. We hope to see you next year so that you can be part of the excitement, showing and shining, and pullin’ for charity – in 2026 and beyond. n EDITOR’S NOTE: To see all the winners of the truck and tractor pulls, visit www.mlm-motorsports.com and check out the “results” section.
10-4 Magazine / December 2025 23 WORKING ANTIQUE: 1st Rob Donato (1983 Peterbilt 359). NON-WORKING ANTIQUE: 1st Jerry Salinas (1963 Peterbilt 281); 2nd Roger Ghidelli (1962 Pete 281); 3rd Todd Lemke (1966 GMC). BEST FREIGHTLINER BOBTAIL: 1st Dominic Gonzalez (Coronado); 2nd Rene Camacho (2014 Cascadia); 3rd Manuel Cardenas (2011 Cascadia). BEST KENWORTH BOBTAIL: 1st: Danny Figueroa (2015 KW T680); 2nd Jordy Sanchez (2016 KW T680); 3rd Diego Garcia (2020 KW W900). BEST PETERBILT BOBTAIL: 1st Kenny Coxe (2023 Peterbilt 389); 2nd Uriel Perez (2016 Peterbilt 389); 3rd Craig Souza (2015 Peterbilt 389). REFER/DRY VAN: 1st Double E (2022 Peterbilt 389); 2nd Andrew Aguirre (2024 KW W900); 3rd Ignacio Flores (2019 Peterbilt 389). FLATBED/DOUBLES/CURTAIN: 1st J. Delgadillo Trucking; 2nd Kenny Campos (2016 KW T680); 3rd Johnny Delgadillo (2011 Pete 386). CABOVER: 1st Jhett Johnston (1995 Pete 362); 2nd Kevin Young (1981 Freightliner). COMMODITY TRAILERS: 1st Chris Rocha (2024 Peterbilt 389X); 2nd Donny Peterson (2018 Peterbilt); 3rd Bryce Betschart (2023 Pete 389). CONSTRUCTION: 1st: Stan Silva (2022 Peterbilt 389X); 2nd Todd Lemke (2024 Peterbilt 389X); 3rd Stan Silva (Peterbilt 389). SPECIALTY: 1st: Silva Trucking (2019 Peterbilt 389); 2nd Paul Ortiz (2023 Peterbilt 389); 3rd Brandon Spengeman (2020 Pete). CATTLE TRUCK: 1st Ryan Burke (2024 KW W900); 2nd Jerud Millard (2025 Peterbilt 567). COMBO (TANKER): 1st Double E (2024 Peterbilt 389); 2nd Double E (2019 Peterbilt 389); 3rd Double E (2016 Peterbilt 389). HOT SHOT: 1st Scott Lewis (2011 Ford F-550). TOW TRUCK: 1st Cierra Terra (2024 International). PRIDE IN YOUR RIDE: 1st Colton Vincent (2022 Peterbilt 389); 2nd Ray Shorey (2024 Western Star); 3rd Alan Pelaya (2019 Peterbilt 389). PRO SHOW TRUCK COMBO: 1st Tony Noto (Peterbilt 389); 2nd Stan Silva (2022 Peterbilt 389X). PRO SHOW TRUCK BOBTAIL: 1st May Huerta (2003 Peterbilt 379); 2nd Michael Harvey (2023 Pete 389). LIGHTS: 1st Paul Ortiz/Supreme Auto; 2nd Stan Silva/Silva Trucking; 3rd Brandon Spengeman/Supreme Auto. BEST INTERIOR: Tony Noto/Hildebrand (Peterbilt 389). BEST ENGINE: May Huerta/A&L (2003 Peterbilt 379). BEST POLISH: Double E Trucking. BEST PAINT: Tony Noto/Hildebrand (Peterbilt 389). BEST FLEET: Double E Trucking. KID’S CHOICE: Chris Rocha (2024 Peterbilt 389X). PEOPLE’S CHOICE: EG Trucking. COMPETITOR’S CHOICE: Stan Silva (2022 Peterbilt 389X). AJ’S CHOICE: Bobby Vaz (2022 Peterbilt 389). BEST OF SHOW (LM COMBO): Stan Silva (2022 Peterbilt 389X). BEST OF SHOW (LM BOBTAIL): Bobby Vaz (2022 Peterbilt 389). BEST OF SHOW WORKING: Double E (2012 Pete 389 & Step Deck).
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In Memorial: By Daniel J. Linss In addition to his stellar trucking career, Harm influenced and improved other parts of the trucking industry. At one point, Harm was 50% owner of American Trucker magazine, which was a popular publication that preceded ours in the late 1970s and 1980s. In 1981, Harm and a group of trucking friends decided to put on a charity truck show in Pomona, CA, and the first “World’s Greatest Working Truck Show” was a huge success. Later that year, they hosted a show that included big rig drag racing, which was also a big hit. Over the years, this show grew and changed, but it eventually became “Truckin’ For Kids” – an event we at 10-4 Magazine have owned and produced since 2022. Getting married to Thelma in 1991, they both had been previously married, and both had children. Harm has a daughter named Tiffany (61) that lives in Idaho and a son named Derek (57) who is in Riverside, CA. Thelma, who will turn 80 in February, has a son named Stephen (59) who lives in Artesia, CA and a daughter named Sandra (55) who lives in Corona, CA. The couple was also blessed with seven grandkids and seven great-grandchildren. After Harm retired, he and Thelma traveled the country in an RV going to truck shows and visiting friends. Eventually, they settled down at a dairy owned by a friend in Grandview, WA where they helped run the scale. In 2011, Harm was diagnosed with Waldenstrom lymphoma, a cancer that affected the white blood cells in his bone marrow. At the time, he was given five years to The trucking world lost yet another icon when Harm Speerstra passed away after a long battle with cancer at the age of 86. Harm was involved in many aspects of trucking over his lifetime including hauling hay and automobiles, magazine publishing, the formation of charity truck shows, writing articles and managing Facebook groups, and restoring and showing old trucks – which were mostly Peterbilt cabovers. A truck fanatic through and through, this man lived a full life, with much of it shared side-by-side with his wife, the lovely Miss Thelma. Born in 1939 in Holland, Harm later joined the Royal Netherlands Air Force, where he ended up on an air base with Americans. For two years, he spent almost every day with these Americans, and these friendships and stories made such an impression on Harm that he decided to move to the United States and build a new life there. Landing in Los Angeles, CA on a Friday in 1962, just three days later, on Monday, he was working at a dairy in Artesia, CA. Working at the dairy led Harm to become a hay hauler. Hauling hay was great in the summer, but slow in the winter, so Harm began hauling cars to fill in the gaps. Eventually, he switched to just car hauling and ended up doing that until he retired in 2003. Peterbilt cabovers were his truck of choice, and throughout his 40+ years of trucking and beyond, he owned many of them. In June 2013, his beautiful white 1979 Peterbilt 352-H, adorned with blue and gold stripes, was proudly featured on our cover. 10-4 Magazine / December 2025 25 live. Throughout his treatments, Harm kept busy restoring trucks, going to shows when he could, and moderating 20 different Facebook groups. Being a fighter, with a strong will to live, Harm lasted 14 years after his diagnosis, but passed away on October 22, 2025. On Saturday, November 8, 2025, a memorial celebration and convoy was held in his honor in Grandview, WA. With his family in attendance, along with lots of drivers and friends, 26 trucks participated in the convoy. We were sad not to be able to attend, but we were hosting our own show in Bakersfield, CA that day. However, we did pass out hundreds of stickers in his honor and also dedicated our light show to him (Lights on For Harm). It was a spectacular light display that Harm would have loved. We at 10-4 Magazine are proud to have called Harm a friend, but he was connected to us in so many ways he was more like family. He was a trucking icon that was kind, passionate, and dedicated. He made the trucking industry a better place and inspired many to respect what they do and take pride in how they do it. Our condolences go out to Thelma, his children, and all his family and friends. Harm Speerstra will be missed, but he won’t be forgotten! n REMEMBERING HARM
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Special Feature: By Eric Hill until 2031 to get married, they decided on 10-4-2025 for their special day. I spent Thursday, October 2 through Saturday, October 4, participating in their wedding, as both an attendee and photographer. Their wedding ceremony and reception was held on Dill and Yasmine’s property near Rogersville, AL. The weather was perfect for an outdoor wedding, with plenty of sun, and temps in the low 80s. The ceremony was held in the back of their new shop, on the manicured property, surrounded by trees, in a storybook setting. It was a perfect late afternoon wedding under the setting sun in north Alabama, and the reception was held immediately afterward in their new and tastefully decorated shop. On the day of the wedding, I was privileged to spend the morning with Dill and his wedding party of eight friends and family at Dave McKinney’s home and took photos of the men getting ready. Payton, Yasmine’s photographer, spent the morning at their home with eight of her closest friends, the Maid of Honor and Bridesmaids, and family taking photos of the women preparing for the big day, too. Yasmine loves pink and chose that color, along with burgundy, as her colors. She wore a stunning white wedding dress with pink compliments, and her bridesmaids wore equally beautiful burgundy dresses. Something unique about the wedding was the drive leading into their shop At this stage of my life, it’s rare that I get to attend a wedding. As many of you know, I have deep roots in Alabama and Illinois. I’m a die-hard Alabama Crimson Tide fan. This past summer, I got an invitation from Dill McKinney and Yasmine Twilley to attend the wedding they were planning. They chose their wedding date for Saturday, October 4, 2025. To those of you familiar with 10-4 Magazine, we celebrate that as “10-4 Day” each year. After receiving their invitation, I spoke to my editor (Dan) and we agreed for me to attend and write about their 10-4 wedding day. Dill is the son of Dave and Connie McKinney from Lexington, AL. Yasmine is the daughter of Rosanna and Dwayne Wylie from Huntsville, AL. Dill and Yasmine met in 2023 on Facebook. Their first date was at Ruth Chris Steakhouse in Huntsville, and they both felt an immediate connection to each other. Yasmine was attracted to his beautiful smile, personality, and red blush cheeks, and Dill was drawn to her beauty, quick wit, and like him, her smart mouth. I asked Dill and Yasmine why they chose 10-4-25 as their wedding date, and Dill admitted he chose that date because he didn’t want to forget their anniversary, and that is a date he (and most truckers) could always remember. They wanted it to be a 10-4 Saturday wedding. Their choices were 10-4-2025 or 10-4-2031, and since Yasmine didn’t want to wait 10-4 Magazine / December 2025 27 was lined with five beautiful Peterbilts from the Dave McKinney and Sons fleet. Lights were hung throughout the building and from each of the trucks to provide festive night lighting for the wedding. The guests enjoyed a pizza party on Thursday night, a fish fry party Friday night, and a wedding day catered meal from Hickory House in Pulaski, TN, featuring southern BBQ with all the trimmings. Sunday brunch was at the Hickory House restaurant where the wedding party enjoyed some of the finest steaks imaginable. Dill and Yasmine were grateful to all the people who spent several months helping out in various ways to prepare for their wedding, particularly Nick and Jennifer Brown, Rosanna and Dwayne Wiley, and finally Dave and Connie McKinney. It was a fun and memorable wedding weekend for me in Alabama, my second home. It was a beautiful wedding, in a picturesque setting, with great weather, and a flawless ceremony. It was a privilege for me to participate, attend, and cover Dill and Yasmine’s wedding. I guess we have two things to celebrate on “10-4 Day” now! Congrats to the happy couple!! n A “10-4 DAY” WEDDING
28 10-4 Magazine / December 2025
10-4 Magazine / December 2025 29 Greg and Linda Moore of Union City, TN owned this beautiful 1985 Peterbilt model 359 and were leased to Reliable Carriers for six years (1996 to 2002) with it. With a custom narrowed hood, the big Pete was powered by a 400-hp 3406B CAT mated to a 15-speed transmission with a 4-speed auxiliary. Greg’s 359 rode on a 310-inch wheelbase and had a custom 114-inch sleeper built by ICT. OUT OF THE ARCHIVES Bette Garber Greg & Linda Moore’s 1985 Peterbilt 359
30 10-4 Magazine / December 2025 I’ve been to a lot of truck shows over the years. The first show I ever attended was the 1989 Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville when I was 13 years old. Since that time, I’ve been to numerous shows throughout the country, both as an attendee and as a participant. From ATHS National Conventions to Walcott and Waupun, NAST shows back in the day, the ATCA Macungie Show and, in recent years, The Kenworth Truck Show and Parade (which is one of my personal favorites), along with many other big and small shows around the country. But this past September I had the opportunity to attend a completely different type of event – a tow show. Making the trip with my fellow trucking aficionado and photographer friend, Spencer Schmerheim, who has an affinity for tow trucks, we decided to check out the 2025 Midwest Regional Tow Show (MWTS). Upon arrival, we were quickly overwhelmed by largecars equipped with rotators and rollbacks. Held over three days (September 25-27) at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio, the 47th edition of MWTS attracted tow companies, vendors and suppliers from Ohio and the surrounding states of West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, to name a few. Promoted by the Towing and Recovery Association of Ohio (TRAO), the MWTS returned to the Great Wolf Lodge for 2025 after spending two years at the Roberts Center in the neighboring town of Wilmington, Ohio, with TRAO Executive Director Bruce Bender telling me, “We received a lot of feedback from vendors, participants and attendees that they enjoyed the show to a larger extent Truckapedia: By Mark Harter when we had it here in Mason at the Great Wolf Lodge. This show is a family event, so it only made sense for us to come back to the Mason location this year, and so far everyone has been very excited to be back here.” In charge of the MWTS since 2018, Bruce continued, saying, “We have some of the best exhibitors and attendees. The MWTS is a family event, and we fully intend to keep it that way. The younger generations that have been coming to this show with their families are now coming of age and getting involved in their family’s towing businesses. They will be the ones to take it all over at some point.” Taking in what Bruce told me, I couldn’t agree more with what he said. Passion, pride and family were the common themes with nearly everyone we spoke to who had a tow truck on display at MWTS. “I have a hard time hiring good tow truck drivers, so I have to raise them instead,” Steve Judy of Mosby’s Towing and Transport, based in Campbellsburg, Kentucky, jokingly told me, referring to his three sons, Logan, Braden and Connor, who are all involved in the family business. Connor, ROTATORS & ROLLBACKS
10-4 Magazine / December 2025 31 who is just 21 years old, told me, “I’ve been riding in tow trucks since I was three years old.” Connor now operates a new, beautiful black 2024 Kenworth T880 that is equipped with a Miller 1140 40-ton rotator for his dad at Mosby’s. But Connor was just one example of a multi-generational tow operator at the show. We also met more young towers, with one being third generation tower A.J. Case and his girlfriend Kaleigh and mom Tina of Lebanon, Ohio based Case Towing. A.J had their brand-new 2025 Peterbilt model 536 with a 22-foot JerrDan XLP 6-ton rollback carrier. With a custom lighting system that cost more than $100,000, A.J.’s Peterbilt was one of the most impressive trucks we saw during the Friday night light show. Another young tower we met was 20-year-old Tim Koebley of Warren, PA based Koebley’s Towing and Recovery. Attending the show with his girlfriend Kahlynne, Tim told me, “My family has been coming to this show for years, but this is the first time we brought a truck.” Referring to the newest addition and pride of the Koebley wrecker fleet – a brand-new 2024 International HX equipped with an NRC65 65-ton rotator – this truck is all business from front to back and top to bottom. Triple framed and a twin-steer with five axles in total with wide track, the International is powered by a 620 Cummins with an Eaton-Fuller 18-speed, 4.10 rear gears, and all riding on 20K steers and 48K Hendrickson rear suspension. “The HX has every interior option available,” said Tim, adding, “It’s certainly not a highway cruiser, but the truck performs like we need it to when we’re working, pulling trucks and equipment out of ditches!” Parked right next to Koebley’s International was another impressive rotator owned by Shaun Ratts of Salem, Indiana based Salem Wrecker Service. A 2015 Kenworth T800 equipped with an NRC50 50-ton rotator, the truck sports a 605 X15 Cummins and an 18-speed transmission with a 20K front axle and Kenworth eight-bag air ride on the drives with a steerable tag. “Don’t Hike, Call Mike!” is the company slogan, which refers to Shaun’s father who founded the company but sadly passed away in February 2022. “We’ve been bringing trucks to this show since 2015, but this is the first time we’ve brought the T800,” said Shaun. A patriotic American who bleeds red, white and blue, Shaun proudly
32 10-4 Magazine / December 2025 displayed a massive 20-foot by 48-foot American flag, with the help of the Koebley rotator, for all to enjoy. There were several trucks that caught my attention right away after arriving at the show on Thursday. One of the most unique and biggest tow trucks in attendance at MWTS was owned by fourth generation tower Nick Shade of Tony’s Wrecker Service. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, the company is Louisville’s oldest towing company. Nick brought their largest truck to the show – a twin-steer 2024 Autocar DC64 conventional equipped with a NRC85 85-ton rotator. Powered by a Cummins X12 rated at 500-hp and mated to an Allison 7-speed automatic transmission, the big Autocar is double framed and spec’d heavy with a steerable third lift axle and 52K Hendrickson HMX-EX-520 suspension with 4.30 geared rears. Along with the Autocar from Tony’s Wrecker Service, Bardstown, Kentucky based Ellis Towing had an awesome twin-steer 2024 Kenworth W990 with a Miller Century 1075 75-ton rotator. These two awesome rigs held a banner recognizing fallen towers in the industry, while framing a stage between them for the show all weekend long, with bands playing to entertain attendees every night. The towing industry is a tight knit community. A vigil was held on Thursday night, complete with a wall containing the names of fallen towers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for all to view, not too far from the Tony’s Wrecker Service Autocar DC64 and Ellis Kenworth W990 rotators. As someone who loves vintage trucks and trucks that are special or have a unique story behind them, two Peterbilts caught my attention at MWTS. The first one was a beautiful red and silver 1969 ‘little window’ Peterbilt model 288ST, equipped with a rare 30-ton Hubbard Manufacturing twin boom body on it. This classic Pete, Owned and operated by Dean Stebbins Sr. of Mantua, Ohio based F&S Automotive, rides on a long 300-inch wheelbase and is powered by a classic 270 Cummins, that pushes its power through an Eaton-Fuller 13-speed, and has a Peterbilt air-leaf suspension. Nicknamed the “Drag-N-Wagon” for some obvious reasons, Dean has owned this Peterbilt since 1976. The second Peterbilt that caught my attention was a 1990 model 379 with only 12,000 original miles on its odometer! Needless to say, this classic Peterbilt is an amazing trucking time capsule. Ordered by Bob and Margie Myers of Batavia, Ohio in 1990, this big Pete was spec’d with every option available at the time, inside and out, that you could get from Peterbilt. The big wrecker is powered
10-4 Magazine / December 2025 33 by a Cummins 444 with an Eaton-Fuller 18-speed transmission, and fitted with a Challenger 9900 60-ton rotator. According to American Towman Magazine, in their October 1990 issue, Bob’s Peterbilt was the most expensive wrecker ever built at that time. This cool Peterbilt also won the 1992 and 1994 Tow Times beauty contests. Proudly owned and maintained by Bob and his wife Margie, and their children, Harry, Bobbie and Sissy for 35 years, the paint is all original with every stainless bolt on the truck polished. For the last 15 years the truck has not been in service and has been kept inside a garage. In September 2025, Bob sold his prized, one-of-a-kind Peterbilt model 379 wrecker to a fellow Ohio based company, Sandy’s Towing, where the hope is to have this unique truck on display in the International Towing and Recovery Museum, at some point, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. With 58 trucks in the beauty portion of the show, the rotator class was highly competitive. All the rotators on display were absolutely immense and impressive to see, but Brian Harney of Somerset, Kentucky based Candido’s Towing took home top honors with his 2024 Peterbilt 389X (#660), equipped with an 1150 50-ton Miller Century rotator. Placing second was a 2024 KW W990 twin-steer, fitted with an 1150R 50-ton Miller Century rotator, that was owned by Hadley’s Towing of Novi, Michigan, and driven by Patrick Martich. Also making the trip down from Hadley’s was Ricky Cook with his 2024 Peterbilt model 389, with an extended day cab option, and equipped with a Miller Century 30K, 28-foot rollback carrier. A 20-year towing veteran, and all with Hadley’s, Ricky told me, “We take pride in our equipment and do so much more than just move vehicles with our trucks. From production molds for the big three to fork trucks and, honestly, anything that can go on a flatbed, this truck is very versatile.” Everyone we met all weekend long was amazing – all were proud of their trucks and proud to be towers. We also met many readers of 10-4 Magazine, as well. Thanks to all of them for saying “hi” and telling us how much they love our magazine! One great couple I want to give a shout out to is Mike Rokiski and his fiancé Nina, who were gracious enough to spend some time with Spencer and me and answer questions about the show and the towing industry. Owner of Milford Towing out of Milford, Ohio, Mike had a new Peterbilt model 589 on display, as well as one of the smaller trucks from his fleet “the grocery getter” (as his employees like to jokingly call it) – a Ford F550 equipped with a Miller Chevron 408 wrecker body. Both Mike and Nina are very active in the TRAO, with Nina currently presiding as the secretary of the Women’s Towing and Recovery Association of Ohio (WTRAO) for the last three and a half years. “The WTRAO raises money for the injured drivers fund and we support and promote children’s events at shows like this one through fundraising events and sponsorship from towing companies and towing manufacturers like Miller Industries,” said Nina. Besides the beauty competition (where I spent most of my time), the parking lot was also packed full of a number of manufacturers, vendors and truck dealers selling and promoting their latest towing products and equipment that included everything from safety vests and t-shirts to brand-new rotators and rollbacks ready to take home. “This show is a great opportunity to visit with friends, customers, and get together and relax and meet other like-minded individuals,” said Mike Rauh of Matheny Motors of Parkersburg, West Virginia, a distributor for Miller Industries towing and recovery equipment. While the trucks may be a little different, the owners passion and pride for their rides shine bright, like so many others in the trucking industry. But if you love something specialized, I’d suggest checking out a parking lot full of rotators and rollbacks in Ohio next year! The next Midwest Regional Tow Show is scheduled to be held on the weekend of September 24-26, 2026, at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, OH. n EDITOR’S NOTE: All photos by Mark Harter and Spencer Schmerheim. Drone shots courtesy of Joe Latapy.
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