SELMA, Texas — This year’s Shell SuperRigs competition attracted some of the most beautiful trucks from across the US and Canada, but at the end of the day, judges and visitors alike agreed on the winning entry.

Kiegan Nelson of Richfield, Wis. captured Best of Show and the People’s Choice award for his 1985 Peterbilt 359 and 2014 Mac trailer. He won $10,000 from Shell Rotella and $5,000 from Mac trailers.

“It was an amazing experience to compete against all these trucks and to come out on top is a great feeling,” said Nelson. “There were a lot of cool trucks here and to take home the top title is incredibly surreal.”

Best of Show runner-up went to Phil Miller of Amargosa Valley, Nev. He also took top prize in the Best Engine category with his 2010 Pete 389. Best of Show second runner-up went to Marciano Esparza Sandoval of Salinas, Calif. and his 1991 Peterbilt 379.

In total, about $25,000 in cash and prizes were awarded. This was the 33rd year for the Shell SuperRigs competition, which travels throughout the US and awards owners of the nicest working trucks in the industry. There’s a separate category for show trucks, but they don’t qualify for perhaps the most prestigious honour of all, being included in the Shell SuperRigs calendar.

Twelve trucks were chosen for the calendar at the San Antonio-area event.

Other first place winners also included: Bobby Delon of Von Ormy, Texas in the Tractor/Trailer Division for his 2004 Peterbilt 379; Billy Griffin of Irving, Texas in the Tractor Division with a 2011 Peterbilt 389; Daniel and Phyllis Snow of Harrison, Ark. won in the Classic Division with their 1996 Freightliner Classic XL. The Most Hardworking Trucker award went to Paul Rissler, of California, Mo. who drives a 1996 Peterbilt 379.

Trucknews.com attended the first day of SuperRigs last week and found a lone Canadian entry, though word was more were on the way. Drivers can arrive at the competition and submit their truck for judging at any time over the course of the event. Jade Transport, a regular at this show, had one truck entered, even though it meant travelling all the way from Winnipeg, Man. (See picture, below).

Judging such high-calibre trucks is no easy matter. Longtime judge Jami Jones explained some of the things they’re looking for.

“You talk about SuperRigs, these are your top-shelf trucks, so it’s almost impossible to find the flaws,” she said. “If they painted the frame, is it all the way through? Is it consistent? Do they have the stripes matching? The lights, are they symmetrical? Whatever their theme is, did they follow it through from start to finish? That’s probably the biggest key to it, in addition to just keeping it up. These are working trucks, so you can tell the guys who bring it off the road and clean it on a daily basis.”

The competition now uses an electronic database as well to ensure the trucks entered are working trucks. Judges can use an app to check on the mileage from year to year if the truck has been entered in the past and they can also run DOT numbers to ensure the truck is still licensed to haul freight.

Asked if the cash prizes or a spot in the calendar are more meaningful to drivers, Jones said “Face it, the calendar immortalizes you. The calendar’s definitely a big deal but I think also it’s a big deal to have that $10,000 cheque at the end of the day. This is the biggest prize money out there on the show truck circuit, so these guys are out there to compete.”

Putting on the SuperRigs is an enormous undertaking, and is Shell’s way of giving back to the professional drivers who make the industry tick. It is held in a different location each year and organizers have taken steps in recent years to make it a public spectacle that draws interest from the local communities. Activities such as free concerts, a light show, truck parade, etc. are held to bring a festival atmosphere to the show.

If you couldn’t make it, there’s still time to enter the Shell Rotella Virtual SuperRigs contest. Just upload a picture of your rig on Instagram between now and July 3 using @ShellRotellaT and the hashtag #VSR2015Contest in the post for a chance to win $500. Here is the complete list of winners:

Complete 2015 Shell Rotella SuperRigs Results

Best of Show

$10,000 from Shell Rotella and $5,000 from Mac Trailer

Place in the 2016 Rotella SuperRigs Calendar

Kiegan Nelson

Richfield, Wis.

1985 Peterbilt 359 Trailer: 2014 Mac

Best of Show 1st Runner Up

$4,000 from Shell Rotella and $3,000 from Mac Trailer

Phil Miller Livestock

Amargosa Valley, Nev.

2010 Peterbilt 389 Trailer: 2015 Wilson Livestock

Best of Show 2nd Runner Up

$2,000 from Shell and $2,000 from Mac Trailer

Marciano Esparza Sandoval

Salinas, Calif.

1991 Peterbilt 379 Ext Hood Trailer: 2003 Fontaine 53’ Flatbed

Working Truck – Limited Mileage

$250

Eric Adams

New Bethlehem, Penn.

2015 Peterbilt 289

Most Hardworking Trucker

$500

Paul Rissler

California, Miss.

1996 Peterbilt 379 Trailer: 2008 Great Dane

People’s Choice

$250

Kiegan Nelson

Richfield, Wis.

1985 Peterbilt 359 Trailer: 2014 Mac

Show Truck

$250

Ramon R. Rodriquez

Salinas, Calif.

2015 Peterbilt 389 Trailer: Western 2015 Step Deck

Best Engine

Phil Miller Livestock

Amargosa Valley, Nev.

2010 Peterbilt 389 Trailer: 2015 Wilson Livestock

Best Lights

Ray French Jr.

Crosby, Texas

2002 Peterbilt 379

Best Chrome

Joe Regalado

Von Ormy, Texas

1997 Peterbilt 379

Best Theme

Dustin Pope

Greenville, Texas

2003 Kenworth W900L Trailer: 2010 Utility 3000R

Best Interior

Daniel and Phyllis Snow

Harrison, Ark.

1996 Freightliner ClassicXL

1st Place Tractor/Trailer Division

$1,500

Bobby Delon

Von Ormy, Texas

2004 Peterbilt 379 Trailer: 2014 Rango

2nd Place Tractor/Trailer Division

$1,000

Dustin Pope

Greenville, Texas

2003 Kenworth W900L Trailer: 2010 Utility 3000R

3rd Place Tractor/Trailer Division

$750

Shawn Cielke

Haugan, Mont.

2007 Kenworth T600 Trailer: 2014 Wabash Reefer

4th Place Tractor/Trailer Division

$500

Truett Novosad

College Station, Texas

2007 Peterbilt

5th Place Tractor/Trailer Division

$250

Duane Hostetler

Belleville, Penn.

2006 Peterbilt 370 Trailer: 2005 Reitnour

1st Place Tractor Division

$1,500

Billy Griffin

Irving, Texas

2011 Peterbilt 389

2nd Place Tractor Division

$1,000

David Foster

Joplin, Mo.

2005 Kenworth W900L

3rd Place Tractor Division

$750

Humberto Cano

Boerne, Texas

2014 Peterbilt 389

4th Place Tractor Division

$500

Ramon R. Rodriquez

Salinas, Calif.

2000 Peterbilt 379 Ext Hood

5th Place Tractor Division

$250

Caleb Eilers

Odessa, Texas

2000 Peterbilt 379

1st Place Classic Division

$1,500

Daniel and Phyllis Snow

Harrison, Ark.

1996 Freightliner ClassicXL

2nd Place Classic Division

$1,000

Justin Querry

Shirleysburg, Penn.

1998 Kenworth W900L

3rd Place Classic Division

$750

Walt Kurz

Central Point, Ore.

1997 Peterbilt 379

4th Place Classic Division

$500

Michael LeJeune

Church Point, La.

1999 Peterbilt 379

5th Place Classic Division

$250

Richard Rodriguez

San Antonio, Texas

1974 White Freightliner COE