King of Trucks
New York State Fairgrounds
Trucks on display: 672
Spectators: 9,844

    They came from all over Central New York and the rest of the state for that matter, and even from Ohio, and as far away as Canada.
    The draw was the first King of Trucks show at the New York State Fairgrounds, an event staged by the Right Coast Association, which is better known for the annual Syracuse Nationals show each July.
    But if the first truck show was any indication, the Brewerton, N.Y.-based Right Coast Association, will soon become equally well known for the King of Trucks show.
    Rob O’Connor, director of events for the Right Coast, said plans call for the second truck show to be held at the Fairgrounds during 2012, but the show will be one weekend later and shortened to two days, a Saturday and Sunday.
    “We had good attendance by both truck owners and spectators, and we plan on doing the show again next year,” O’Connor emphasized.
    “We know there were many more truck owners who would have been at the show if it hadn’t been Memorial Day weekend,” O’Connor said.
    Even so, the show ran up impressive numbers. All told there were 672 trucks registered for the three-day event and the turnstiles clicked off 9,844 spectators.
    O’Connor said 35 vendors were on hand for the three days, another number that he knows will increase if the show is held on a different weekend next year.
    The weekend was more than a show-and-shine for the spectators and people who registered their trucks. There was a full schedule of events from diesel-truck pulls to diesel-truck drags, a mud bog, a tug-of-war, and a remote control truck playground.
    “Many visitors and truck owners told us they appreciated an event where only trucks were in the spotlight,” O’Connor said.
    The event is believed to be the first of its kind in the eastern United States.
    There have been many other events staged for truck owners, but nothing that ran three days and included the wide variety of events and spectacles.
    The mud bog, for instance, was constructed on the infield of the Fairgrounds’ racetrack in front of the grand stand. It called for trucks to be driven through mud sometimes four and five feet deep, in time trials.
    Dennis Tinker, of Walton, MA., who brought his 1981 Chevy Silverado to the show, said he was pleased that there were so many activities geared for truck owners.
    “This is a good event and I’m glad I’m here,” he said. “Normally you don’t see shows designed for trucks only.”