After a nearly month-long voting period, the votes are in and have been tallied to determine finalists for the 2024 Pride & Polish competition.
Overdrive readers voted for their favorites from dozens of submissions making up 52 entries in one or more of the following five categories:
- Working Bobtail
- Working Combo
- Antique
- Interior
- Limited Mileage/Show
Overdrive's 2024 Pride & Polish truck beauty competition caps off the 2024 truck-show season with the winners' presentation to be broadcast Friday, November 15, at 5 p.m. Eastern time. Bookmark this page and mark your calendars, or sign up to receive a timely email reminder so you don't miss the premiere.
Finalists were determined by Overdrive reader voting over a two-week period that ended Oct. 1. See all the winning trucks below, with owner listings in each category.
And here's a big congrats to all the finalists!
Antique -- for trucks 1999 & older
From left: Gary Mackay's 1998 Peterbilt 379; Rafael Gonzales' 1984 Peterbilt 359, "Goldie"; and Charles Thomas' 1979 White Western Star.
Idaho-based owner-operator Gary Mackay delivers farm commodities and hauls equipment and lumber with this 1998 Peterbilt 379. The rig features Peterbilt's Bed and Breakfast Sleeper, along with new paint, engine, transmission, axles and a complete interior kit.
Rafael Gonzales' impressive 1984 Peterbilt 359, nicknamed "Goldie," was purchased by his father in the late 1990s and worked up until 2003, when it was parked, taken apart and sat in pieces until 2015. Texas-based owner-operator Gonzales and his dad then worked on the truck for three months straight to get it to where it is now.
Charles Thomas, operating out of Vermont, entered his 1979 White Western Star into the Pride & Polish contest. The rig features a Big Cam Cummins with a 13-speed and a 2012 Airliner cutoff suspension, an air ride front axle and a custom interior.
Interior -- stylish comforts
From left: John McCormick's 2021 Kenworth W900L, "Bandit"; David Parmer's 1973 White Freightliner COE, "Big Green Mean Machine"; and Charles Thomas' 1979 White Western Star.
Previous Pride & Polish champ John McCormick is back this year as a finalist in Interior and Working Bobtail. McCormick's "Bandit" 2021 Kenworth W900L previously won Working Bobtail in 2022. He bought the truck new in November 2020 and has added plenty in the way of chrome, lights and more.
David Parmer's 1973 White Freightliner COE is also a finalist in the Limited Mileage category. Parmer said the rig's interior was completely restored around 2020. He bought the truck from a Michigan owner via eBay in 2004 and brought it back to his home base in Georgia.
As noted above in the Antique category, Charles Thomas' 1979 White Western Star features a custom interior, among other additions to the rig.
Limited Mileage/Show -- part-time and brand-new builds
From left: Matt Bankert's 1985 Kenworth K100 and 2023 Eby; David Parmer's 1973 White Freightliner COE; and Clifford Hay II's 2007 Peterbilt 379 Legacy.
Matt Bankert, with his 1985 Kenworth K100, is no stranger to Pride & Polish, having captured 1st place in the Limited Mileage category in 2023. He bought the rig in September 2013 and restored it the next year. The truck stays local in south-central Pennsylvania hauling grain for Twin Pine Farm.
David Parmer's 1973 White Freightliner features a 350-hp 8V71 Detroit with a 13-speed and 4.33 rears. He bought the truck in 2004, but it sat until restoration began in 2017. He rebuilt the motor and transmission in 2018. Paint on the rig is still original.
Clifford Hay II's 2007 Peterbilt 379 Legacy is No. 128 of 1,000 of the special-edition Legacy 379s from 2007. It's powered by a 550-hp Cat and sits on a 270-inch wheelbase.
Working Bobtail
From left: Rafael Gonzales' 1984 Peterbilt 359, "Goldie"; Scott Huber's 2006 Peterbilt 379; and John McCormick's 2021 Kenworth W900L, "Bandit".
As mentioned above, Gonzales' "Goldie" was purchased by his father and sat for years until they rebuilt it together. It features a Cat 3406B with turbo, fuel pump and timing modifications. It also has a Unibilt sleeper, a frame stretched to 305 inches, fresh paint and more.
Owner-operator Scott Huber's 2006 Peterbilt 379 has had the frame stretched to 300 inches, and he's added a 12 Ga. Customs air drop steer axle, Talladega Fiberglass rear fenders, Dual Revolution lighting, a custom paint job and more. Inside, it features a custom audio system with 10,000 watts and six subwoofers.
As noted above in the Interior category description above, John McCormick's 2021 Kenworth W900L is no stranger to Pride & Polish. In addition to extra chrome and lighting, he's also added a new bumper, grille and headlights.
Working Combo
From left: Michael Castaldi's 2003 Peterbilt 379 and 2010 Utility 3000R, "Paradise Express"; Robert Hallahan's 2022 Peterbilt 389 and 2015 Great Dane, "Joke's on You"; and Kyle Bellcock's 2006 Peterbilt 379 and 2018 Walker, "One Bad Buggy".
Michael Castaldi bought his 2003 Peterbilt 379, "Paradise Express," new in August 2002. It originally had a 63-inch sleeper with a 260-inch wheelbase. In 2011, he stretched the frame five feet to 320 inches to accommodate the 132-inch ARI Legacy Sleeper. The truck was repainted with an old Peterbilt design and matched to the trailer, a 2010 Utility 3000R reefer, giving the combo an old-school look. Many lights were added, with the truck and trailer having well more than 200 all told. The truck's put down around 3.3 million miles in its lifetime, and the drivetrain consists of a 500-hp Detroit Series 60 engine, a 13-speed Eaton, and 3:58 Spicer rears.
Another Pride & Polish veteran, Robert Hallahan's 2022 Peterbilt 389 and 2015 Great Dane combo, "Joke's on You," is painted Mountain Dew Green and Omaha Orange, which are the colors of the whole Hallahan Transport fleet. It's powered by a Cummins X15 with an 18-speed and 3.36 rears. Hallahan used custom parts from 12 Ga. Customs and Rockwood Products, with an EZ Pete interior package.
Kyle Bellcock bought his 2006 Peterbilt 379, "One Bad Buggy," about five years ago when it was as "plain Jane as could be." He installed new lights, pipes, fenders and painted the interior himself. It's coupled with a 2018 Walker tanker and has 2.2 million miles on it.
As noted, stay tuned for the awards finale November 15 -- sign up for timely reminders via this link.
Meantime, read about past Pride & Polish winners via this link. Congrats again to this year's finalists, and thanks to everyone who entered their trucks this year. For those we haven't seen before, here's hoping we see you in person oiut at a show in the future!
