10-4 Magazine June 2022

10-4 Magazine / June 2022 73 covers were added to the boxes below the cab, and Mason replaced the factory exhaust with 7” Dynaflex pipes. Ordering the truck without the stock factory lights and air horns on the roof of the cab, Mason installed seven watermelon lights on the roof, five lights in the front and back of the breathers, and twenty penny lights on the back of the three-inch drop panels, to illuminate the cab and sleeper. All the lights on the cab and sleeper are from United Pacific. To finish the exterior, the factory bumper was replaced with a 20” bumper that tapers to 18 inches and has rolled corners to match the Pete fenders. These updates and upgrades fulfilled Mason’s dream of what he wanted his Pete to look like. The interior customization was as extensive as the exterior. Mason began by “ripping” out all the door panels, flooring, headliner, and interior panels leading to the sleeper, and then took out the factory seats. He always liked the rosewood dash in his dad’s Freightliner, so he chose to go with that theme. He ordered African Rosewood dash panels and matching teakwood flooring from Rockwood. Silver Customs completed the installation of the woodwork. Spare Time Fab installed color matched, brown stitched door panels, headliner, and interior sleeper panels that match the Sahara Tan leather seats inside the truck. Other finishing touches to the interior included the installation of a VIP steering wheel covered in leather, dual old school interior fans located near the CB, custom red watermelon dome lights, and a custom chrome sleeve for the 18-speed shifter. Seeing Mason’s 2021 Peterbilt in person, I was impressed with the level of customization and upgrades he made. Mason’s goals are to continue farming and trucking. When his father Dennis finally retires, he plans to take over the 1,500-acre farm, with his dad’s part-time help. Family is extremely important to Mason, and he has a close relationship with his parents and older sister. I asked Mason who his mentors and influencers are in his life. Obviously, his dad Dennis and mother Cheryl, along with his sister, Jena. In addition, his friends and trucking buddies, Matt and Alex Strottman. Mason is grateful for the opportunities that Bill and Jim Figanbaum and Deb Strottman, owners of Figanbaum Trucking, have given him. He loves working for them and feels that they treat him like a member of the family. Mason believes he has a home at Figanbaum Trucking. Being a casual kind of guy, Mason loves wearing his Wrangler jeans, Ariat boots, and t-shirts. He likes watching Netflix movies, and his favorite TV show is Yellowstone. Mason likes all kinds of music, but primarily listens to country and classic rock. Although he likes many artists, his favorite is Luke Combs. He especially likes his song “Doin’This” and currently uses a line from this song as his motto for his trucking and farming life, which says, “If I wasn’t doin’ this, I would still be doin’ this.” His favorite quote from an older, good friend is, “A lot of people wish for what we have, but we work for what we have.” Mason lives his life by these sage words. When I began talking with Mason for this article, I knew he was a sharp young businessman who possesses an outgoing personality. At the end of this journey, my respect for him moved up to a whole new level. There were several times during our discussion where I felt like I was talking to someone closer to my age who had much life experience. Mason is an impressive young man in so many ways, and he is the next generation (and future) of farming and trucking. It gives me great comfort in knowing he and several others like him will be leading the United States of America into a bright future. Welcome to the 10-4 Magazine family, Mason! n