St. Ignace Welcomes The Big Rigs

Sept. 10, 2015

If you like to 10-10 in the wind (listen to CB radio while driving), appreciate a good hundred-mile coffee (to keep you awake on those long stretches of road) and wish your fellow travelers "good numbers" or "keep it shiny side up," then you’d better get rolling at double nickels (55 mph) up to St. Ignace for the 20th Annual Richard Crane Memorial Big Rig Truck Show Sept. 18–20.

BEST IN SHOW

Richard Crane was often called "larger than life" at 6’4", and said to be a "mix between Kenny Rogers and John Wayne." Born in Detroit, he founded the American Truck Driving School in Texas; he’d driven trucks for Chrysler, and wanted people to learn truck-driving skills as safely as possible. Along the way, he became good friends with St. Ignace Car Show founder Ed Reavie.

When Crane passed in 1996 due to lung cancer, a group of his friends, led by Reavie, started the truck show in Crane’s name that same year.

Today, the fest both honors Crane and pays homage to these vehicles that perhaps log the most highway miles of all. The show officially starts Friday at 4pm when State Street (St. Ignace’s main drag) is closed for the arrival of more than 100 semi-trucks, aka "big rigs."

The trucks roll into town on Wednesday and Thursday, giving the drivers time to shine them up and get them looking their best.

"Once all the trucks are polished and detailed, they’ll be judged for awards, including Best in Show," explained Mindy Rutgers, executive director of the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau.

"But the real fun is in meeting the drivers and getting to see all of these awesome, impressive vehicles."

SEMI SPECTACULAR

Some of the trucks at this special event are actual working trucks, so you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the massive vehicles that are such a familiar part of the American highway landscape.

All of them have lights and some have $50,000 custom paint jobs, often with unique artwork; others are show trucks with extra chrome, neon, flashing lights, underglow lights and lots of trimmings.

"The show trucks are even more extravagant," Rutgers said.

Saturday night, the trucks will add their lights to those on the Mackinac Bridge when they take part in the impressive Parade of Lights.

"The trucks leave downtown St. Ignace at dusk, around 9–9:30pm, and cross the bridge in one long line," Rutgers explained. "They turn around in Mackinaw City and then head back north, circle ’round the freeway and park back in town."

The massive trucks trekking between cities in a five-mile-long train, festooned with lights of every color and with horns blaring, creates a visual spectacle not to be missed.

TRANSFORMERS AND TRUCKIN’

The Big Rig Truck Show doesn’t end there. Additional events will be taking place in downtown St. Ignace and at the Little Bear East Arena all weekend, including the muchanticipated arrival of the Optimus Prime semi-truck, which will be on site both Friday and Saturday; the truck is well known as one of the characters from the movie Transformers: Age of Extinction.

Live music will be provided by country outfit Brian Lorente and The Usual Suspects and there will be plenty of food choices for hungry truck show attendees.

"We’ll have food vendors on site and there are loads of restaurants easily within walking distance," Rutgers said.

And if you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be a semi-truck driver, you can virtually sit behind the wheel of a big rig at the Michigan Center for Truck Safety’s truck simulator.

The Truck Show is held in conjunction with the 24th Annual On The Waterfront Car, Toy, Truck Show and Swap Meet, so it's easy to enjoy both events.

MEET MOBSTEEL

Besides the trucks, perhaps the biggest element of this year’s Truck Show is the Mobsteel crew.

Mobsteel, the Detroit design and build car customization company, is the focus of the NBCSN (NBC’s sports network) TV show of the same name, and all five of the show’s hosts – Steve-O, Doug, Ron, Pam and Adam – will be on-site to meet fans, swap car stories, snap photos and sign autographs.

They’ll even be bringing a few of their custom cars for fans to check out.

"There’s a great local connection with Mobsteel, too," Rutgers said, "as Steve-O, also known as Steve Ryan, is actually from St. Ignace."

If you want to get a peek inside some of the massive semis, you’re in luck; plenty of the guys are happy to show off their vehicles, so you can get an idea of what life as a trucker is really like.

"Oh yeah, they’re more than happy to show off their trucks," Rutgers said. "That’s why they’re here."

The 2015 20th Annual Richard Crane Memorial Big Rig Truck Show will take place Sept.

18–20 in St. Ignace. For more information, visit stignace.com or call (800) 338-6660.