The Prince Albert Exhibition tried something new on the last day of the Exhibition on Saturday, Aug. 3.
Instead of the traditional demolition derby the Exhibition hosted a Semi Truck Show and Shine and Semi Truck Drag Races on the Grandstand track.
Shaun Harris of the Prince Albert Exhibition Association and the sponsor of the event with his company Shaun Harris and Sons Logging and Transport explained that with chuckwagon and chariot races running all five days the board tried to find something new.
“With the wagons running all five days this week, we weren’t able to have the Demolition Derby, so we wanted to have a fill that gap with something, truck related, car related to satisfy the gearheads in the crowd,” Harris said.
He explained that with the demolition derby was successful at drawing car enthusiasts and they wanted to fill that gap.
“The demolition Derby was a very popular event, so we thought this would be a good way to fill that, that, that void. So, we first started, we thought we’d have semi races because we had done it here 24 or 25 years ago,” Harris said.
“I think the semi races are going to be a huge hit, maybe even more than the demolition derby,” Harris said.
Harris said that the Exhibition ran races in 1999 and 2000.
“I raced in both of those events and it was very successful, it was a hit,” he said.
Harris explained that the concept was dropped because of timing issues and that nobody was interested in taking care of the event.
“So we thought it would be a really great thing to revive and try. And then once we had the races planned, then we thought maybe we’d have a show on shine as well,” Harris said.
The racers each brought their truck into the entrance of the grandstand where people could vote for the Fan’s Choice Award for the best looking semi. There was also a board selected best truck and each racer came away with some sort of prize and trophies were awarded to winners.
“These guys do take great pride in their rides and all these trucks in the line up today. They all work, they’re all going to work again on Tuesday and they take great pride in it. So they want to come and show them,”
According to Harris for the race the trucks lined up side by side at the turn just before the home stretch.
“Whoever wins the race moves on to the next round. The loser will go down to a B side,” Harris said.
The winner of the B side moved up to the top four after the top three trucks were decided. There were then two semifinal heats, with the winners squaring off in the finals.
“And whoever hits the finish line first wins it all,” Harris said.
“It’s been a huge hit. We’ve had a huge crowd here this morning for the show and shine,” Harris said.
Harris hopes to see the races and the show and shine expand if it comes back next Exhibition.
“I would hope that it’s probably going to double or triple in size next year. It’s been very popular. We have trucks here from all over northern Saskatchewan, from Tisdale to Saskatoon, Martensville, Lloydminster, we have drivers here from all over northern Saskatchewan. It’s very popular,” Harris said.
Harris also had two sons competing in the drag races.
“So we’re going to have fun,” he said.
