CRC Speedshow welcomes big rigs, new and old

Thursday 23 June 2011

Right: Steve Keys’ restored transporter is courtesy of Alistair Davidson/Petrolhead.

An array of some of the biggest, flashest new trucks and some of the coolest, restored vintage trucks in New Zealand go on show at CRC Speedshow in July.

Latest big rigs from Freightliner, MAN, Mercedes Benz and Western Star add a mega-size presence in hall one when CRC Speedshow opens at Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds at 9am on Saturday 23 July. Alongside the high rises shiny chrome of the new models, several beautifully-restored vintage trucks offer a tangible reminder of the way things used to be.

“Big trucks appeal to the little kid in all of us,” says Keith Sharp who developed and runs the annual automotive and motorsport event. “For Speedshow’s fifth year, we thought it was time to get among the big rigs in their own special display area. The CRC Speedshow team has always been keen to keep the scope of the show wide – from racing go-karts and economical small cars to commercial vehicles and trucks, from hot rods to drag racing motorbikes – so we’re delighted to welcome everyone involved with this new sector of the show.”

One stunning example of the restored vehicles on display vehicle is the tastefully ‘hot-rodded’ Ford car transporter owned by Aucklander Steve Keys. The 1951 Ford ‘cab over engine’ ramp truck is powered by a big-block Chev V8 and represents a year’s hard work to create the finished vehicle.

“Steve’s 1951 Ford is just fantastic,” says Sharp. “Steve can rightly be proud of his achievements how this restoration came together.”

Errol Riley, from the team which imports and distributes the MAN and Western Star brands in New Zealand, says there’s never been a show like CRC Speedshow in Auckland.

“We felt we should be at this CRC Speedshow – it’s a great opportunity to profile our MAN and Western Star products and we wanted to take part from the outset.”

Over at Freightliner and Mercedes Benz, national sales manager Bruce Clark says they’ve selected two models to display that should appeal strongly to auto fans of all ages.

“The flagship Freightliner model, the Coronado, presents a classic American style truck with plenty of chrome – it’s sure to have plenty of crowd appeal,” says Clark. “On the Mercedes Benz side, we’ll show our biggest unit, the Actros 2660, a model which won the title for the Guinness Records world’s most fuel efficient truck and the 2009 International Truck of the Year.”