10-4 Magazine / March 2026 35 racing transports, the truck eventually found its way to transporting various Ferraris for the Ferrari Challenge Team, race cars for Paul Newman, and various other go-fast machines for the HSR and IMSA series. After a well-pampered career moving racecars, the truck began to sit in the dealer’s backlot. At the time, Ray Aakjar was one of the caretakers of the truck, ensuring it periodically got a lap around town to keep seals and lines soft and the tires round and black. After a change in ownership, the order was sent down to get the truck sold. Enter Gary Straight of Straight Roads, LLC (featured by Kim and John Jaikes in December 2022). Gary spent many years doing enclosed auto transport. Knowing Ray through his connections to the exotic and collector car world, Gary was the front runner on Ray’s list of potential buyers. Unfortunately, Gary was dealing with some medical issues at the time, but when a cash buyer showed up (a garbage hauler on the East Coast), Ray contacted Gary and a deal was struck. A few days later, Gary was driving the truck home, where she would spend the next several years transporting the finest rides. As Gary was preparing to sort of semi-retire (because few drivers ever truly retire), he began kicking around the idea of selling the T600A. Much like Ray Aakjar, however, Gary wanted to ensure that the truck went to someone who would look after the truck well. Unbeknownst to Gary, Angel had first seen the truck in 2018, and there was a mutual connection between Gary and Angel – Pat McFarlan from Wilton, Wisconsin (who I featured in March of 2021). Like I said, everyone knows everyone somehow. Pat put Angel and Gary in contact, and like before, a deal was made. Down the road she went to her new home in Colorado to move light dry van loads. What a life for the truck to have, never dragging heavy weight. The truck is powered by a 425-hp 3406B mechanical CAT backed by a 13-speed Eaton. Sitting on a moderate and proportional 260-inch wheelbase, the silver, black and grey Kenworth sports an unmolested Aerodyne One sleeper, along with a whale tail and fairings, dual 5-inch turnout stacks, a factory polished visor, and plenty of shined-up aluminum. Aside from a few plastic components being updated to fiberglass, this 1989 T600A sits as it would have from the factory in the late 80s. The interior, with a leather-wrapped resin steering wheel, features all the accommodations and appointments of a nicely spec’d KW from the late 1980s. Working hard for his keep, Angel learned how to go trucking from his father and having watched both his dad and grandfather trucking as a kid. When the freight is due, it’s time to move, and Angel has always been ready to step into the snowstorms, blizzards, the high country grades, and long nights of endless highway. With an astute revery for the history of this industry, it was no stretch when the opportunity presented itself for him to operate a piece of that history, and he jumped at the chance. Angel would like to thank Gary Straight for opening the opportunity for him to purchase Thelma, as there was a long buyer’s list when the truck hit the market. Angel would also like to thank Russell Wilkins of W Diesel
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjA1MjUy