The Seventh Annual Laid Back on I-55 Truck Show brought a collection of beautiful semi-truck cabs to the Perry County Courthouse Square on Friday and Saturday for what has become one of the most popular local events of the summer.
Event organizer Robynne Duvall reported that 131 trucks registered, but she said that wasn’t an exact count of the number of trucks participating in this year’s show.
“We know we had a few that didn’t get registered, whether they came in after registration was over or whatever the situation might have been,” she said. “I think we had between 135 and 140 trucks this year.”
The truck show has become so popular over the years that space around the square has become limited, and something had to be done to alleviate the situation.
“We had to say absolutely no trailers,” Duvall said. “That helped out a lot with our space situation. It didn’t look like we had as many as last year, but we still did.”
The two-day truck show offered many family-friendly activities, beginning Friday evening when a large crowd began strolling around the square to see the big rigs — many of which sported bright colors, powerful engines and luxurious interiors. At dusk, the trucks turned on their lights as they took part in the annual Light Show, one of the show's most popular events.
Around 200 to 300 country music fans gathered from 8 to 10 p.m. to listen to the Chad Cooke Band, voted the 2022 Texas CMA Band of the Year. The band provided top-notch entertainment for the appreciative crowd.
On Saturday, the second annual Trucker Rodeo allowed the participating drivers to show off their skills as they took a cab and trailer through its paces on the Alley Cat Lanes and Lounge parking lot. This was followed at 1 p.m. by the Kiddie Tractor Pull and an awards presentation.
The Live Auction began at 3 p.m. At the auction, the truckers got to bid on which rigs would drive in the first, second, and third positions during the convoy.
“All of the extra funds went to the Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis,” Duvall said. “That was another $2,500 between all of the bids that we had.”
While the truck show provides fun and entertainment, Duvall stressed that the event also positively impacts the city.
“One truck driver here from Taylorville, Ill., had never been to our truck show before,” she said. “He was sitting up here, and he noticed Lorenz Shoes had Red Wing boots, so he ended up going there and bought a pair of boots. Then, somebody else was telling him about how cool the Buckheit's store was. He was like, ‘I’m gonna’ go out there.’
“So, he went out there Saturday morning and bought whatever there. He looked over at Benning Ford and saw a pickup truck he really liked, so he ended up buying a pickup truck, too. That just shows what the event can do to boost our community.”
After another successful event, Duvall said it’s already been decided that the truck show will return to Perryville for its eighth year next summer. Asked when she would begin planning for the 2025 show, she laughed and said, “Yesterday.”
