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How it all
began...
The idea for B.C. Big Rig
Weekend came from truck driver, Dale Feechuck, who was a member of
the British Columbia Custom Car Association that owns Mission
Raceway in Mission, BC. Dale approached the club with the dream of
a trucker’s family weekend which would include a show and shine,
super truck races and a dance. “Trucker’s get bad press all the
time.” He said, “This will give them and their families a weekend
event where they can celebrate being truckers.”
At first the BC Custom Car
Association didn't want to race Class 8 trucks run on for fear
of damaging the track but Dale was persistent and after two years
they agreed to hold the show.
In December of 2000 Dale
approached Pro-Trucker Magazine with the idea and asked if we would
help the event. We were hesitant at first because the magazine was
very new and the logistics looked overwhelming. We had another
meeting in February of 2001 where Dale’s enthusiasm convinced us to
get involved.
Dale left that meeting with a
huge smile and a promise to call us within a week for another
meeting. We were just going to press at that time so we quickly put
together an announcement of the first Big Rig Weekend. Then, try as
we might, we couldn’t contact Dale. Six weeks later we found out
that he had died. Apparently he had gone to his doctor right after
our meeting and had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He had
passed away within the month.
When we found out what
happened we didn’t know if we could continue with the show but the
decision was made to go ahead and hold it in memory of “the old
Ukrainian.” That’s where the name BC Big Rig Weekend, “A Trucker’s
Dream” came from.
Every year the winner of the
Best in Show Canada trophy also has his/her name placed on the Dale
Feechuck Memorial Trophy. (A perpetual trophy that is kept in
Pro-Trucker Magazine’s office)
In 2003 we expanded the show
into Alberta. The first year it was held at Leduc south of Edmonton
and the next year it was moved to Race City Motorsport Park in
Calgary where it has been held ever since.
In July of 2006, just one
week after attending the BC Big Rig Weekend, Don Glen, the original
owner of Glen Transport and avid supporter who had attended all the
Alberta Shows, suddenly passed away. There is now a perpetual
trophy kept in Don’s memory. The name of the Alberta Best in Show
trophy winner is inscribed on this trophy and it is on permanent
display at the Glen families’, Diesel Foolz Classy Chassiz office
in Fort MacLeod, Alberta.
This year will be the 7th
Annual B.C. show and the 5th Annual Alberta show. Come out and see
what we proudly call…
Dale
Feechuck
Don
Glen | 