The 9th Oaklands Truck Show will honour late Barnawartha truckie Wayne Martin, who was killed in a head-on crash shortly after attending the 2016 show.
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Staple event competitions, including truck of the show, best vintage and specialist categories will be joined by the ‘Marto’ tribute trophy.
Co-secretary Margaret Summons said it would be awarded following a ‘lights on the hill’ ceremony on Saturday night.
“We turn off all the lights on the ground and get the truckies to turn on their lights so the judges can walk up between the rows and judge the trucks,” she said.
“It’s a beautiful show, it’s really lovely when they turn on all the truck lights.
“(Wayne) just had a magnetic personality and he was well-liked by everybody he met.”
Wayne’s mother Michelle Martin said the family felt honoured to have a trophy in her son’s name.
“We were absolutely blown away,” she said.
“Some of the photos that were used in the media of him were actually from the truck show, where he won an award.
“That was what Wayne absolutely loved; going to truck shows, shining his trucks, he got such a thrill with it.”
As the event approaches its 10th year, revellers are expected to come from as far as Queensland and Western Australia.
CMV Truck and Bus Albury-Wodonga sales representative Roland ‘Roly’ Gear has been involved since the beginning, judging seven times, and said it has transformed over the years.
“I was originally nominated as one of the judges for the inaugural show at Oaklands,” he said.
“I’ve seen it grow from very small beginnings to over 100 trucks participating.
“Judging involves the characteristics, cleanliness, attention to detail and amount of dress done to the truck.”
Mrs Summons said there was plenty on offer at the weekend for four-wheeled vehicle fans too.
‘We have best modified car and ute, best classic car or ute and best ‘feral’ four by four ute,” she said.
“We have all of those and they each get a trophy and some money.”
The Truck of Show winner will go home with a trophy and $2000 prize money.