Records Fall at the Carlisle Truck Nationals in 2016

Carlisle, PA… The 2016 Carlisle Truck Nationals hosted more trucks than any Carlisle truck event since 2003 and nearly toppled the 2001 mark of 1,714 en route to becoming a top-5 all-time truck show at Carlisle. With 1,704 registered trucks, including nearly 200 big rigs, the Carlisle Truck Nationals continued to trend upward and this year marked the third straight year of event growth and a renewed passion for all things truck.

Day 1 (Friday, August 5) felt like a standard Saturday and the Saturday of show weekend was something not seen by the Carlisle masses in many years. The Friday fun started at 7 a.m. with trucks and vendors not only loading in, but getting set up and showing what’s fresh and hot in 2016. The Phantom Fun Zone via Phantom Entertainment was back on the midway and the always popular kids scavenger hunt carried families from one stop to the next across the grounds. The kid themed fun culminated in a special Berg Bikes pedal cart giveaway along with hundreds of FREE smiles on the faces of all involved.

As Friday wrapped, Friday Night at the Fairgrounds came to life. First, a trio of freestyle motocross riders wowed a packed grandstand with gravity defying stunts and right after, Toxic and Raminator destroyed some junk cars with a spectacular monster truck show. But, what really kept guests late into the Carlisle night was a country music concert featuring a pair of Nashville signed acts, Ben Gallaher (originally from nearby Camp Hill, PA) and Michael Ray. Their set lasted until after 9:30 p.m., with showgoers staying well past 10 p.m. for a photo and autograph from two talented singers.

Saturday was jam-packed with truck fun and competitions and carried over 12 hours of activities for a new record audience to enjoy. A pair of monster truck shows, stunt shows and even more family fun took center stage, plus the grandstands were packed for low truck limbo, high truck competition, burnouts and beauty. The night also kept the party going with drop and drag, plus the always popular big rig glow show.

Day 3 was also the final day for truck weekend and it saw a nice snapshot of the weekend, including a pair of awards parades; one for the big rig owners and the other for the truck showfield winners. In addition, Diehl Wilson and his Virginia Giant ride truck offered one final round of rides, Toxic and Raminator offered one final performance and the future of the hobby (the kids) took to the Red 102.3 stage to feature their unique pieces of art with an automotive twist.

While 2016 has come to an end, it’s one event that will be talked about for many years. Save the date though, because plans are underway already for next year’s show. The 2017 Carlisle Truck Nationals and Big Rig Show & Shine come back to Carlisle, August 4-6.

Carlisle Events is a partner or producer of 11 annual collector car and truck events. Events are held at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds (Carlisle, PA), Allentown Fairgrounds (Allentown, PA) and the SUN ‘n FUN Complex (Lakeland, FL). The season schedule includes five automotive swap meets of varying size, five auctions, as well as individual specialty shows featuring Corvettes, Fords, GMs, Chryslers, trucks, imports, tuners and performance sport compacts. Founded in 1974 by friends Bill Miller and Chip Miller, events hosted at Carlisle attract more than a half a million enthusiasts annually from all corners of the globe. More information is available via www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com.

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