Big-Rigs' Shining Moment: Shell Rotella SuperRigs Truck Show Celebrates the U.S. and Canada’s Road Kings
Hard-working Class A trucks and drivers strut their stuff at Shell Rotella’s 43rd annual big-rig extravaganza in Atlanta.
Customized big-rigs are hot rods in their own right, as they’re machines with incredible paint jobs, extravagant custom interiors, and in many cases hopped-up diesel engines putting out more than 600 horsepower and lb-ft of torque that doubles and occasionally triples that value for many “stout” gas engines. Reports on Shell Rotella’s SuperRigs show were once published in Diesel Power magazine, for our annual salute to customized big-rig trucks, and now we have them here.
AI Quick Summary
The 43rd Shell Rotella SuperRigs show in Atlanta celebrated customized big rigs with awards and calendar features. Despite rain, standout trucks shone, with Kenny Ziglar II winning Best of Show. The event awarded $25,000 in prizes and supported the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund.
This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article
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The thing that makes this beauty pageant special is that a majority of the featured kings of the highway are working Class 8 tractors and trailers; they’re not just show queens. These trucks and truckers run the road, hauling everything imaginable throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Although there are monetary awards for winners of various judged categories, a participating owner’s ultimate glory comes from having his or her rig selected to be photographed for the annual SuperRigs calendar, a prestigious recognition coveted by every entrant, year after year.
Shell Rotella SuperRigs celebrated its 43rd anniversary from May 29 to May 31, 2025, in the parking lot of Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. Unfortunately, the show was tempered by severe rainstorms, which reduced the number of participants and spectators that typically attend and forced the cancellation of the always popular big-rig parade, traditionally held on Thursday evening.
But clear skies and sun prevailed on Friday, allowing the show’s collection of outstanding rigs to be reviewed by judges, proudly displayed, and appreciated by fans, especially after the sun went down, when their elaborate light setups beamed brightly against a nighttime sky and a spectacular fireworks show.
The SuperRigs show closed on Saturday afternoon, with $25,000 in monetary awards and Shell Rotella MyMilesMatter rewards miles presented for winners of several categories and divisions, of course highlighted by Best of Show. For that honor, a $10,000 prize went to Kenny Ziglar II of Rawlins, Wyoming, for "Scrapin’ By,” his super-slammed 2007 Peterbilt 379 (which also scored Second Place honors in the Best Lights class).
Twelve drivers were named as members of the elite group that will have their trucks featured in the 2026 Shell Rotella SuperRigs calendar, and an additional driver was chosen for a place on the back of the calendar.
HOT ROD senior editor KJ Jones’ and Shell Rotella’s images make up the following gallery of the impressive trucks of SuperRigs 2025. Even with a gray sky and amid the downpours, an excellent collection of trucks competed in this year’s show.
Additional photography by Shell Rotella
Additional Shell Rotella SuperRigs 2025 Winners
Best of Show 1st Runner Up | Raiko Graveran From Orlando, Florida
- 1995 Freightliner FLD-120
- $4,000 from Shell Rotella
Best of Show 2nd Runner Up | Buck Crombie From Checotah, Oklahoma
- 1989 Peterbilt 379
- $2,000 from Shell Rotella
1st Place Show Truck | Kevin Johnson From Owensville, Indiana
- 2024 Peterbilt 389
- $1,500 from Shell Rotella
2nd Place Show Truck | John Dunnigan From Bloomsdale, Missouri
- 1985 Peterbilt 359
- $1,000 from Shell Rotella
3rd Place Show Truck | Adam Kimball From Cumming, Georgia
- 1990 Peterbilt 379
- $750 from Shell Rotella
1st Place Classic Division | Todd Scruggs From Magnolia, Arkansas
- 1982 Peterbilt 359
- $1,500 from Shell Rotella
2nd Place Classic Division | Zachary Held From Ball Ground, Georgia
- 2005 Peterbilt 379
- $1,000 from Shell Rotella
3rd Place Classic Division | David McKinney From Lexington, Alabama
- 1986 Peterbilt 359
- $750 from Shell Rotella
1st Place Specialized Working Truck | Kevin Hunter From Eighty-Four, Pennsylvania
- 2024 Kenworth W900L
- $1,500 from Shell Rotella
2nd Place Specialized Working Truck | Joe Eldridge From Forestburg, Texas
- 2024 Peterbilt 389X
- $1,000 from Shell Rotella
3rd Place Specialized Working Truck | Ingrid Brown From Proctor, Arkansas
- 2025 Peterbilt 589
- $750 from Shell Rotella
1st Place Tractor Division | David Dyck From Winnipeg, North Dakota
- 2013 Peterbilt 388
- $1,500 from Shell Rotella
2nd Place Tractor Division | Jerad Mullinnix From Milton, Florida
- 2023 Peterbilt 389
- $1,000 from Shell Rotella
3rd Place Tractor Division | Lee Nurse From Conyers, Georgia
- 2023 Peterbilt 389
- $750 from Shell Rotella
1st Place Tractor/Trailer Division | Brandon Jack From Bonham, Texas
- 2023 Peterbilt 389
- $1,500 from Shell Rotella
2nd Place Tractor/Trailer Division | Benjamin Yoder From Hicksville, Ohio
- 2013 Peterbilt 389
- $1,000 from Shell Rotella
3rd Place Tractor/Trailer Division | Douglas Prier From Dyersville, Iowa
- 2022 Kenworth W900L
- $750 from Shell Rotella
People’s Choice Award | Tarik Al-Amin II From Crete, Illinois
- 2023 Kenworth W900L
- The winner of this award is selected virtually, with voting taking place online. For every People’s Choice vote cast, Shell Rotella proudly donates $1 to the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund
I'm definitely a long time car guy. My love of "all-thingsautomotive" dates back to the early 1960s, shortly after I said the word, "car" for the first time. I feel fortunate that I was able to grow up in the Muscle Car era of the late '60s and early '70s. I immersed myself in reading magazines, and learned everything I could about high-performance from that period, and knew that one day I would work in the performance industry in some way, shape or form. Since graduating from the University of Pittsburgh (with a Bachelors degree in Communications) in 1985, my professional career has included work in network radio and television, Internet/online media, Ford Service, BMW Service, Internet/online automotive data, and my current job; Senior Technical Editor of 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords magazine. The constant in my long career has been "cars;" specifically, 1986-to-present, V-8-powered, Ford Mustangs. I have learned a lot about late-model Mustangs (and I'm still learning), and the position I now hold allows me to share the knowledge I've gained with like-minded Mustang enthusiasts all over the world. Owning, building, modifying and writing about late-model Mustangs has become a true passion for me. A great stop, on a very wild life ride.
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