The 13th Annual Slam Session Super Show - Custom Truck Show

Because we know you can't get to all the shows, we travel the world to bring you some of the top truck events on the circuit. In addition to a great excuse for getting out of the office, we are always interested in why some shows are perennial favorites and others quickly fall by the wayside. Clearly a success story and one of our favorites, the long-running Slam Session Super Show in Greenville, North Carolina, is now in its 13th year. This Carolina favorite has everything you're looking for in a weekend get-together thanks to the hard-working club members from Animated Attractions. This year they are celebrating their 17th anniversary as a club, and the smooth-running show benefits from those years of experience.

The fun begins with the location. The Pitt County Fairgrounds in Greenville have plenty of room, with both indoor and outdoor display space. Weekend camping stretches the budget and was a popular option. Cars and trucks from the Carolinas and several neighboring states filled the fairgrounds, totaling more than 600 for the weekend. Several thousand spectators examined the collection, looking for a few new ideas for their rides and greeting old friends. Werm, the disc jockey, kept the air filled with music and commentary throughout the weekend. Part of what keeps Slam Session on the "got to be there" list is the high-powered, late-night entertainment. Bed down the kiddies if ya got 'em and join the adults at the R-rated nighttime events that Slam Session is famous for. Quick cash is another solid tradition, with $50 and $100 bills rewarding the best burper, fastest chugger, and wildest dancer. The trash talkin' contests ("Yo momma is SO ugly that...") paid a quick $100 and had some hilarious comebacks. While wacky people tricks may be good for openers, the crew at Animated Attractions knew what the crowd was really waiting for. The bikini contest is a spectator favorite and with $500, $250, and $100 prizes up for grabs, the girls were serious about winning. The wet T-shirt contest, with another $500 prize, gave the ladies one more chance to go home richer, and the crowd certainly encouraged their efforts.

The party wound down late Saturday night, although some of the hardcore campers partied 'til dawn. The daytime action fired up again Sunday at noon. Club games tested your recovery skills, with the Amplifier and Egg Toss events for the lightweights and the Beer Keg Fling for the heavy hitters in the crowd. Dodge ball and tug-of-war also helped to clear the cobwebs. The burnout competition drew lots of players and temporarily clouded the blue Carolina skies as the horsepower guys fried their doughnuts, cheered on by the applause of the crowd. Switchmen added to the fun, sending their hoppers skyward in the hydro contest, hoping to score some cash. The Sunday afternoon awards ceremony continued the enthusiasm, especially after the crowd saw the huge collection of more than 400 trophies on display. Custom-made neon trophies, six- and eight-feet high and lighted from within, were first shown to the crowd during the Saturday night entertainment. Sunday afternoon, Ryan Cavanaugh got to take one home with his "Best of Show"-winning '98 Chevy. The beautifully detailed extended-cab Dime was featured awhile back but is still in perfect show condition, and you couldn't meet a nicer guy. Ryan had to carefully pack the 6-foot trophy in the bed, but the $500 check that came with it presented no storage problems at all. If you'd like a shot at an award of your own and maybe even a check, go to the Web site www.animatedattractionscc.com for details on the 2007 event.