Going to great lengths for truck shows is what this scene is all about. Whether the goal is to attend one or to go all out to put one together as a means of raising money for charity, there is merit for both efforts. Without either of these types of people, our scene would be nothing like it is now. Modern shows, as we know them, would be very minute without the dedicated souls.
Brandon LeBlance of Gator Drag fame was, and still is, one of those individuals who travels to a show in order to have a good time. After years of going out to events, he and his friends sat around one night and reflected on how there was a lack of shows in the Louisiana area. They recalled back to a show called the Cajon Mini Nationals in Jennings, Louisiana, that went on in the early '90s, which ended shortly. Brandon called the promoter of the show and asked if he could take over the name. It was too hard to get ahold of all the old staff to come to an agreement on using the name for a new show, so the name Gator Drag was chosen instead.
James Cranford's '02 Chevy...
James Cranford's '02 Chevy Tahoe was rolling tall on 53-inch tires. Its 35-inch lift was hand-fabricated by the crew at B&C Offroad.
Retro-styled and gleaming...
Retro-styled and gleaming flake paint made Chris Caldwell's '94 Suburban a sight to see.
Close to its finishing stages,...
Close to its finishing stages, this clean body-dropped Blazer made an impressive appearance at the show.
The next thing on the list before a show could happen was to convince the city of Jennings to let them throw the event. This was a pretty easy task, since Brandon planned on donating all the profits to charity. When he was in high school, Brandon had a friend named Christi Gasspard who had lost her mom to breast cancer. Since then, her family dedicated their money and lives to the research to eliminate the tragic disease. The foundation they worked for is named Relay for Life, so, in trade for the show profits, the charity helped with manpower for the show.
It's diesel, 'bagged, and...
It's diesel, 'bagged, and has cool a paintjob from Kustom Werx-what else could you ask for in a tow pig?
Anthony Baird's S-10 made...
Anthony Baird's S-10 made its debut with a bright-orange paint covering as much surface area as possible.
Trey prides himself on having...
Trey prides himself on having one of the cleanest blue and copper fullsize Chevys.
Three years ago when the show was first revived, the amount of people in attendance blew everyone away. The show was to be just a simple gathering, and it went way overboard. This year's show had grown out of proportion, as the vehicle registration line grew three hours long down the city streets. Of course, the local law enforcement didn't like this and patrolled the area while handing out an abundance of citations.
L.A. Dave is one of those...
L.A. Dave is one of those guys you might not trust with a hatchet, but he does work well with a truck. Check out his old-school Ford Ranger, dubbed the Red Baron.
Cory Scott's '85 Chevy was...
Cory Scott's '85 Chevy was inspired by all OE specs, with the exception of billet wheels and airbags.
Yeah, this super-low Dodge...
Yeah, this super-low Dodge is owned by a chick, and she even helped assemble the truck to its completion.
In an effort to make a better show for everyone, the staff is currently working on improvements. For the '07 Gator Drag show, the event will be held in a new venue to make sure everything goes well. And of course, the event will still help the Relay for Life, and it will be there for everyone who comes to enjoy themselves. For information about next year's show, visit www.gatordrag.com.