Grain Valley, Mo., Sept. 9, 2013 – The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and Lucas Oil will play hosts to legendary American progressive rock band Kansas as part of a series of free concerts and music scheduled during the Heart of America Trucking Show. OOIDA, a national association for professional truckers, will be celebrating its 40th anniversaryOct. 18-19, 2013. The weekend’s events at the Kansas Speedway will be open to association members, nonmembers and the public.
Celebrating 40 years of achievements
Attendees can plan on a weekend of gatherings, education, contests, truck beauty competitions, concerts, food, vendors and all-around good fun in celebrating the Association’s 40 years of fighting for the rights of truckers. Safety and wellness will be featured throughout the event with a Wellness Pavilion, a health walk, highway safety demonstrations, driver awards and also trucking business seminars.
Musical entertainment
The band Kansas gained worldwide popularity in the 1970s with hit singles such as “Carry on Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind.” Coincidentally, this year marks the band’s 40th anniversary as well. Kansas will perform Friday night on theLucas Oil stage along with opening band and Kansas City favorite, Rock, Paper, Scissors, starting at 7 p.m. Rock, Paper, Scissors features three-time Kansas Rock Hall of Fame recipient, violinist Janet Jameson. On Saturday night, the music will continue on the Lucas Oil stage with Leland Martin followed by Eagles tribute band Seven Bridges Road. Inside the show area, Lindsay Lawler will perform during the daytime show hours as well as Kansas City’s Beatles tribute band, Liverpool, and local blues band Doghouse Daddies. For more information on entertainment at the show click here.
Truckers for Safety
A highway safety demonstration area will be hosted by the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Kansas Motor Carriers Association. Attendees will be able to learn about the dangers of a truck’s blind zones, watch inspections, experience the Touch-a-Truck display, observe truck brake tests and watch a rollover simulator. There will be information on driver training and other efforts of Truckers for Safety, which was launched by OOIDA as part of its overall, proactive highway and trucking safety agenda. More info at www.truckersforsafety.org.
Health Walk
To promote healthy living habits, the Trucking Solutions Group will host a 1.5-mile walk during the show on Saturday.Health Walk Registration
Truck Beauty Contest
See the proudest and most polished big rigs in the country. The truck beauty contest begins Friday and the winners will be announced during a trophy ceremony on Saturday afternoon. More click here.
The location for the celebration, the Kansas Speedway, annually hosts national NASCAR events, including two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events. The speedway is located at the intersection of I-435 and I-70 in Kansas City, Kan., about 15 miles west of downtown Kansas City and less than an hour west of OOIDA’s Grain Valley, Mo., headquarters.
Preregistration is required in order to attend the trucking show free of charge and can be done at the show website. A $10 charge will apply to those who do not register before Sept. 30
SHOW HOURS: Friday – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
OOIDA was founded in 1973 and has grown into an association with more than 150,000 members, most of who own and drive their own long-haul commercial trucks. Over the decades, OOIDA has successfully represented the interests of truck drivers and small-business truckers in regulatory, legislative and court-related issues. OOIDA is the largest national trade association representing the interests of professional truck drivers and is headquartered in the Greater Kansas City, Mo., area.
Follow this link to review a timeline of the Association’s accomplishments throughout the years: OOIDA Accomplishments