Nothing says "truck show" quite like the grand-daddy of them all, the Mid-America Trucking Show. Held in March every year in Louisville, Kentucky, the trucking industry converges on the largest city in the Bluegrass State, taking over the Kentucky Exposition Center for 3 days to show-off everything that's the newest, biggest and best in the industry. From the truck manufacturers showing off their newest models, suppliers showing off their latest parts and accessories as well as just about every trucking company known to man in North America trying to recruit drivers and owner-operators to join their fleets, there's something for everyone.

While all the equipment and other stuff inside the Exposition Center is great, many attendees head to Louisville every year for another reason though. A huge part of the Mid-America Trucking Show is the Paul K. Young Truck Beauty Championship. And nothing says "the best of the best" quite like several acres of semi trucks with gleaming paint, polished aluminum and stainless steel and other custom accessories and trucks so clean, you could eat off any of these immaculate rigs!

Hailing from Denver, Pennsylvania, Mark Hollen, owner of Denver Truck Painting (DTP), had his latest show truck on display this past March. Named "She Gives Me The Blues", Mark's custom two tone blue 2014 Kenworth W900L was the fan favorite and earned top honors, winning the Best of Show People's Choice award as well as one of the top three Kenworths at the show.

While "She Gives Me The Blues" is one of the best show trucks in the country, the truck began its life far from the gorgeous ride it is today. The W900L was initially built as a day-cab tractor and had been involved in an accident, with Mark telling us "The truck was a customer wreck and a complete loss. After it was totaled by the insurance company, I saw an opportunity and decided to purchase it."

Even though Mark told us he saw an opportunity, "The W900L was a bit outside our normal, as the majority of the show trucks we build at DTP are Peterbilts," Mark explained. "That's even how the truck earned its name, since it was out of our norm, it was a different build for us and she gave us the 'blues' during the build" as Mark continued.

With over 3500 hours invested from September 2018 through March 2019, when the truck rolled out of the shop, this once average W900L now sported a 290" wheelbase and an old school look, harping back to the days of the early W900 "A" model Kenworth trucks with its classic hood, two piece windshield and iconic Kenworth MK I Aerodyne Sleeper.

Currently the truck has just over 378,000 miles on it and while "She Gives Me The Blues" is a 2014 model with a retro look, it's not stock. As with just about every show truck, custom goodies adorn it, both inside and out. Some of which include: a custom air-ride front axle, custom front bumper, custom W900A model battery boxes, 120 gallon fuel tanks, all aluminum wheels, a vacuum system, custom W900 "A" model interior panels in both the cab and sleeper, as well as the entire cab and sleeper have been fitted with Hush Mat Insulation to help keep the noise to a minimum. Under the hood, the W900L is powered by a 1999 Caterpillar 3406E 2WS pushing 475 HP through an Eaton-Fuller 18-Speed Transmission and on to 3:73 rear-ends.

When "She Gives Me The Blues" is on display, Mark may get the accolades for it, but he told us that: "I need to thank my employees for always giving all they have. My company (DTP) and this truck and the other work we do wouldn’t be what it is today without each and every one of them!"