They don’t call it Grand for nothing

GRAND BEND, Ont. — Show’n’shine; test’n’tune, then drink’n’dance.

Sounds like a recipe for a fantastic summer weekend, no?

We’re talking the annual Grand Bend Big Rig Nationals Truck Show, slated for Friday, Aug. 27, Saturday, Aug.28 and Sunday, Aug. 29.

(For those of who you had a wasted adolescence and therefore never partied at Grand Bend; a.k.a., the Malibu Beach of Southern Ontario, the event is at the Grand Bend Motorplex, highway 81, south of Grand Bend, which is just north of Sarnia on the shore of Lake Huron.)

Truck and Trailer and highwayStar magazines, both operated by Newcom Business Media, the same people who bring you this website, are co-sponsors of the Big Rig weekend.

The fun starts at noon Friday with a trade show. That’s also when the "Show&Shine" Judging gets underway. Entrants will be judged in more than 20 categories.

For those more interested in performance than beauty, the "Test&Tune" (Sorta like the Miss Congeniality) judging will also start Friday evening.

The highlight of the weekend of course, is the racing.

The Saturday racing line-up includes the Thunder and Junior Series with cars, bikes and the Junior Dragsters, plus the Ontario Nostalgia Drag Racers, with cars that rolled off the assembly line in 1974 or before.

Saturday evening will be the time trials for the Official Big Rig Nationals Truck Drags.

That night, Robar Training Specialists sponsor Saturday evening’s party, featuring the "Nowhere Road" band.

On Saturday, gates open at 9:00 a.m., racing starts at 11:00.

On Sunday, gates opens at 9:00 a.m., the official Big Rig Nationals begin at 11:00.

Admission for Friday: $5. Saturday or Sunday: $15. A weekend pass: $30. Kids under 12:, $3 per day.

For more, visit www.grandbendmotorplex.com or call – 519-238-7223.