When it comes to appreciating and displaying F-100 trucks and panels, the Supernationals in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is the ultimate truck-entertainment package. It’s a growing four-day affair that’s been organized by the Pat Ford family for the past 23 years, with special recognition in the form of F-100 Oscars and Jan Ford’s Backbone of the Organization awards.
Every year, the contest for the Overall Truck of the Year award—the Supernationals’ highest honor—fuels a tooth-’n’-nail tussle. This year’s winners, Kelley and Teresa King from Quesnel, British Columbia, employed Lake Elsinore, California–based builder Bobco to prepare an immaculate yellow ’56 F-100. The Ford family also presents a very prestigious Truck of the Year award and Trucker’s Choice award, as the overall quality of the vehicles on display continues to escalate, making the judges’ task of selecting the best F-100s increasingly difficult. After a close contest between several top-quality trucks, David Kimmerle’s Vermont Green ’56 pickup from Phoenix, Arizona, took home the Trucker’s Choice award, thanks to the hard work of Arizona Street Rods and handler Harold Nicely.
With about 850 Fords filling the Grand Resort Hotel parking lot, there certainly were plenty of trucks to admire, but despite the size of the event, cooperation was outstanding among participants and spectators alike. The positive spirit of F-100 enthusiasm and fellowship was no doubt due to the manner in which the Pat Ford family makes everyone in attendance feel like part of their family during the four-day event. You should be part of it too—mark May ’02 (the weekend after Mother’s Day) off on your calendar.