Former Ritzville resident to host First Annual INW Truck Show

The First Annual Inland Northwest Truck Show is set to fill the blacktop at the Post Falls Greyhound Park Event Center this weekend. The event kicks off on Friday, Aug. 2, at 10 a.m. and runs through Sunday, Aug.4, closing at 4 p.m. Ticket prices are $8 per adult and $5 for children ages five to 12 and parking is free.

The event is organized by business partners Bob Larson and Monty Swenson. Larson is a former Ritzville native and Swenson is a former Harrington school administrator. Larson’s expertise is in the trucking industry and Swenson handles the administrative duties. Together they have combined their resources to put on this first annual event, and have gathered major sponsors for the event including, but not limited to, the Trans-System, Inc. companies, Kenworth Sales Company, HuskyTrucks and Western Peterbilt, Inc.

“The trucking industry is forgotten in the Northwest,” Larson explained. “It’s the first truck show of its size in the Northwest, and we chose to run it for three days to give the public a chance to see it.”

The truck show will have approximately 150-200 entries on display, ranging from a 1923 T-bucket, to 2014 current models of “Big Rigs,” custom and daily drivers, antique trucks and dealer displays of the newest and most refined rigs for sale on today’s market. Some of the authentic show trucks and trailers on display are worth upwards of a half million dollars, Larson added.

“The show is growing immensely fast,” Larson said of the entries coming in. “Entries keep growing by the minute and the working class is the biggest class.”

Judging is to be held on Friday with an awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon, where 22 trophies will be awarded to the outstanding entries of the show. Larson is excited to share that local Ritzville farmer Rob Dewald is bringing his Peterbilt truck to the show this weekend, despite being in the midst of harvest season.

“It’s a working show,” Larson concluded. “A lot of people can’t be there all three days. Oil trucks and delivery trucks are coming off a job to attend.”

With the Northwest’s loss of the Hot Rod Café Rod Run and the Spokane Auto Boat Speed Show, Larson and Swenson decided the truck show was the perfect replacement. They chose the Greyhound Park location because of it’s size, easy access and visibility from Interstate 90, and the duo chose to extend the show for three days to excite more patrons and vendors.

Highlighting the weekend festivities will be the 30 vendor booths, which will fill the indoor section of the venue. Vendors will offer information and tools related to specific aspects of the trucking industry including financing, insurance and driver training.

“If you want to know how to get into the industry, we can show you how,” Larson added about the vendors. “Anyone can come to the show and leave with the tools to get started.”

Also on the agenda for the event is a truck rodeo on Saturday, where drivers have a chance to show off their driving skills through an obstacle course for a cash prize awarded at the finals on Sunday. Additionally there is a semi truck parts swap meet, raffle drawings and live music on Friday and Saturday evening.

The Greyhound Park Event Center is located at 5100 Riverbend Avenue in Post Falls, Idaho. For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit the website http://www.nwtruckshow.com.