May
2008
"Stories"

This month's winning trucks are black as night, clean and simple, yet with just enough old school edginess to stand out in the lot.  Bobby Murphy of Mercer Transportation won with Ole' Black Magic, a shiny black and chrome Kenworth.  In the "Best of the Rest" category, Shannon Crenshaw from Tulsa, Oklahoma received the prize for Overnight Celebrity, a black and blue Pete chocked full of attitude.  Both winners will receive a $200 gift card to 4 State Trucks, home of the Chrome Shop Mafia.

Bobby Murphy's Ole' Black Magic is a faithful workhouse that has gotten him through plenty of long hauls during his 23 years at Mercer.  Overall, Murphy likes to keep the 1980 Kenworth simple and classic.  Since he purchased the truck, he’s added a custom drop visor, 6" stacks and his own handcrafted, rosewood veneer dashboard with chrome gauges.  In the future, he has plans to renovate the interior with classic vintage charm in mind.

Murphy bought the truck in 2003 from his best friend Dave Sheets (also a Mercer contractor).  Sheets resigned from trucking when he was diagnosed with cancer, and to help out his pal, Murphy purchased the truck.  Since then, Sheets has passed on, but Bobby pays homage to his friend’s memory with each turn of the wheel.

Shannon Crenshaw's Overnight Celebrity embodies the mysterious allure of a warm summer night.  The black 2000 Peterbilt features a midnight blue frame, accented with scallops of silver and blue on the fenders.  His dark ride cruises low to the ground, with a stretched out wheelbase, just practical enough to pull a flatbed.

Crenshaw's truck has been featured in the March issue of Custom Rigs and can be spotted in the 2008 Overdrive Magazine Pride and Polish Calendar.  In addition, it placed 2nd in the fleet-owned bobtail category at the Great American Truck Show in 2006.  Crenshaw has plans to show again at this year's Rotella SuperRigs Truck Beauty Contest.  In the meantime, this "celebrity" will be receiving a serious makeover.  With help from the boys at 4 State Trucks, Crenshaw plans to fully renovate the truck's interior and repaint the exterior with a fresh new color scheme.

Last January, the folks at Mercer Transportation teamed up with the Chrome Shop Mafia to promote Showusyourtruck.com, an online truck show featuring America's coolest working-class trucks.  The contest is open to all truck owners and judging is based on classic stylings, including custom-built, classic-inspired modifications and factory originals.  To see more photos of this month's winners, check out the winner's gallery at Showusyourtruck.com.

Do you think your rig has what it takes to be a winner of Mercer's Online Truck Show?  To submit your truck in the contest gallery, visit Showusyourtruck.com or call 800-433-0904.