When complete, over 60 trucks will be exhibited at one time, double the current display.  “We will also be adding air conditioning to the entire Exhibit Hall,” says Meier. “Being able to control the building climate will not only make it more comfortable for our visitors, but will also help preserve of trucks on display.”

Iowa 80 Trucking Museum expects the newly expanded Exhibit Hall to open in December 2012.

“We are fortunate to be partnered with generous companies like Iowa 80 Truckstop and BP that support educating our youth about the trucking industry,” says Randy Schwartzenburg, Trucker Buddy Executive Director.

The Iowa 80 TA Truckstop is located in Walcott, Iowa and is part of the Iowa 80 Group that also owns Joplin 44 Petro, Joplin, Missouri; Oak Grove 70 Petro, Oak Grove, Missouri; Kenly 95 Petro, Kenly, North Carolina; Truckomats in: N. Little Rock, Arkansas; Temple, Georgia; Effingham, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Walcott, Iowa; Joplin, Missouri, Oak Grove, Missouri; Kenly, North Carolina; Hebron, Ohio; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Laredo, Texas; CAT Scale Company, the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum and the IOWA80.COM mail-order trucking accessories catalog and e-commerce web site.

Trucker Buddy International is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization started in 1992 and dedicated to helping educate and mentor schoolchildren via a pen pal relationship between professional truck drivers and children in grades K-8. Every week drivers share news about their travels with their class. Once a month, students write letters to their drivers. Students’ skills in reading, writing, geography, mathematics, social studies, and history are enhanced and learning is fun. To learn more about Trucker Buddy, call 1-800-MYBUDDY or go to www.truckerbuddy.org.

With some time to kill on Friday morning, driver Mike Wallace and veteran crew chief Paul Andrews stopped in to visit Iowa 80 Truckstop in Walcott. After spending some time walking around the World’s Largest Truck Stop, they got in touch with their people to see if they’d be interested in becoming part of the team for the weekend.

“We were literally walking through there looking at everything they had to offer to people,” said Wallace. “We called while we standing right there and they said they’d like to talk, we met with them and laid out what we could do for them.

“I can’t even begin to thank them enough for coming on board with us this weekend. We’re not only going to represent them, but everyone who works there or who has ever stopped in during their highway travels.”

A few hours later, a deal was struck and the No. 01 Iowa 80 Truck Stop Chevrolet will take to the track located down the highway from their massive complex to compete in the Nationwide Series race.

“When they called, we started to talk everything through and it just seemed like a great fit for both of us,” said Heather DeBallie, Marketing Manager for Iowa 80 Truckstop. “They were in the 11^th hour needing sponsorship, we’re part of the Iowa landscape and this race at Iowa Speedway is really a big deal.

“Since we’re the World’s Largest Truckstop, we felt we needed to be part of the biggest race going on in Iowa this weekend. In talking with Mike, we feel he’s going to do a great job to represent Iowa 80 Truck Stop and our 500 employees.”

Opened in 1964, the massive complex is still operated by the same family who opened it 46 years ago. Today, the children and grandchildren running the facility make sure that Iowa 80 Truck Stop is not just a place to stop, but a destination of people’s travels.

The truck stop now boasts the Iowa 80 Kitchen, it’s new 300-seat restaurant with a 50-ft. salad bar, one-of-a-kind Truckers Warehouse Store, 24 private showers, 60-seat Dolby Surround Sound® movie theater, Driver’s Den, two Game Rooms, Embroidery Center, Vinyl Graphics Shop, Barber, Dentist, TA Service Center, Truckomat truck wash, CAT Scale, state-of-the-art Fuel Center, Wendy’s and Dairy Queen in the Food Court and a Blimpie located in the Fuel Center and parking for 800 tractor-trailers, 250 cars and 20 buses.

The Walcott School and Walcott PTA have a goal of installing SMART Boards in all classrooms by 2014 and is currently working to raise the funds needed. “It is important that we utilize technology to enhance the learning experience for our students. We are very grateful that Iowa 80 Truckstop was able to secure this funding for us,” says Dr. Erica Goldstone, Walcott School Principal.  “It is the perfect way to kick off our SMART Board fund drive.”

The Iowa 80 TA Truckstop is located in Walcott, Iowa and is part of the Iowa 80 Group that also owns Joplin 44 Petro, Joplin, Missouri; Oak Grove 70 Petro, Oak Grove, Missouri; Kenly 95 Petro, Kenly, North Carolina; Truckomats in: N. Little Rock, Arkansas; Temple, Georgia; Effingham, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Walcott, Iowa; Joplin, Missouri, Oak Grove, Missouri; Kenly, North Carolina; Hebron, Ohio; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Laredo, Texas; CAT Scale Company, the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum and the IOWA80.COM mail-order trucking accessories catalog and e-commerce web site.

WALCOTT, IOWA –   The 32nd Annual Walcott Truckers Jamboree, will be held next week, July 14-15, 2011 at Iowa 80 Truckstop, I-80 Exit 284, Walcott, Iowa.  Over 175 exhibits; a Super Truck Beauty Contest, Antique Truck Display; Iowa pork chop cookout; Trucker Olympics; carnival games; live bands; fireworks and loads of fun for the whole family!  Admission and parking are FREE!  Shuttles will be provided from the parking area.

This year’s trucker celebration will feature a FREE concert by Marty Stuart on Thursday night, July 14th at 7pm, followed by a fireworks display and Super Truck Beauty Contest light show.  The concert is being presented by Mobil Delvac.  Friday’s events include a 100th Birthday Party for the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum’s 1911 Walker Electric Truck to be held at 2:30 pm.

The Walcott Truckers Jamboree began in 1979 featuring a few exhibits, live music, food and a small display of antique trucks.  That first Jamboree only attracted a few hundred drivers, a far cry from the 30,000 it attracts today.  Even though the size of the Jamboree has changed over the years, its focus has not.  Celebrating America’s Truckers is definitely the Jamboree’s mission.  “Everything we have has been hauled on a truck.  Professional drivers work hard to deliver goods to our businesses, schools and communities,” says Delia Moon Meier.  “We appreciate the work professional drivers do.  The Walcott Truckers Jamboree is a celebration of trucking and our way of saying ‘Thank You’ in a big way.”

WALCOTT, IOWA — Iowa 80 Truckstop, Walcott, Iowa, is pleased to announce it has now added a Caribou Coffee to its list of offerings at the food court.  The new Caribou Coffee will open Friday, July 1^st and is a full-service specialty coffee shop featuring a wide variety of made to order coffee drinks, iced coffee, cappuccino, blended cooler and smoothie drinks as well as teas. The Caribou Coffee also features breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal and assorted bakery items. “We are excited to be able to offer Caribou Coffee to our guests,” says Delia Moon Meier, Senior Vice President. “Whether you want breakfast, a hot coffee drink or a cool drink for summer we have something for everyone.”

Iowa 80 Truckstop’s food court also features Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut Express, Dairy Queen and Orange Julius.

The Better Business Bureau Integrity Award honors those companies who operate at the pinnacle of ethics, honesty and integrity. “You can’t get those qualities from a book or an annual report, but you will get them at Iowa 80 Truckstop,” stated Chris Coleman, President of the BBB. “The Better Business Bureau recognizes The Moon Family and all those at Iowa 80 Truckstop for demonstrating the highest level of service and commitment to their customers. It’s not about what they did today or yesterday – for Iowa 80 Truckstop, it’s for what they do and how they do it – everyday.“

Iowa 80 Truckstop was founded in 1964 in a small building that housed a small truckers store, one lube bay and a restaurant.  Today, Iowa 80 Truckstop is the World’s Largest Truckstop; occupying 75 acres, employing over 500 people and providing professional drivers and travelers with everything they need while on the road.

“We work hard every day to make Iowa 80 Truckstop a place where people want to work and a place where people want to stop”, said Delia Moon Meier, Senior Vice President of Iowa 80 Group. “It is truly an honor to accept this award from the Better Business Bureau.”

“We are pleased that the American Trucker series shines a positive light on trucking and professional drivers, says Delia Moon Meier, Iowa 80 Group Senior Vice President. “And are equally pleased to have the opportunity to share Iowa 80 with Speed Channel viewers.”

Based in Walcott, Iowa, Iowa 80 Truckstop and Iowa 80 Trucking Museum are both part of the Iowa 80 Group that also owns and operates Joplin 44 Petro Truckstop, Joplin, Missouri; Oak Grove 70 Petro Truckstop, Oak Grove, Missouri; Kenly 95 Petro Truckstop, Kenly, North Carolina; Truckomats in: Little Rock, Arkansas; Temple, Georgia; Effingham, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Walcott, Iowa; Joplin, Missouri; Oak Grove, Missouri; Kenly, North Carolina; Hebron, Ohio; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Laredo, Texas; Wytheville, Virginia;

IOWA80.COM mail-order catalog and e-commerce web site based in Walcott, Iowa and CAT Scale Company.
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Note to editor:
Link to the segment. http://www.speedtv.com/programs/american-trucker/watch-video/
Photos of Robb Mariani at Iowa 80 are posted on his web site. http://www.robbmariani.com/

In his new book “King of the Road”, Alex shares tales of his adventures-and misadventures, in the north and explains, in his own entertaining voice, how he got to where he is today; a working class hero, bona-fide celebrity and the improbable star of a smash-hit television show.

The event is free to the general public and all are encouraged to come out to the world’s largest truckstop, meet Alex and see the world’s largest semi tractor.

Tracy Lawrence will perform live on tomorrow night at 7pm, followed by a fireworks display and Super Truck light show. The concert is being sponsored by Mobil Delvac. Friday’s events include a 100th Birthday Party for the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum’s 1910 Avery Farm Truck to be held at 2:30 pm.

The Walcott Truckers Jamboree began in 1979 featuring a few exhibits, live music, food and a small display of antique trucks. That first Jamboree only attracted a few hundred drivers, a far cry from the 30,000 it attracts today. Even though the size of the Jamboree has changed over the years, you can bet that its focus hasn’t. Celebrating America’s Truckers is definitely what the Jamboree is all about. “Professional drivers work hard to deliver goods to our businesses, schools and communities. Everything we have has been hauled on a truck at some point”, says Delia Moon Meier. “The Walcott Truckers Jamboree is our way of saying Thank You for the work professional drivers do; to let them know that we appreciate them and we’re glad they choose to stop at Iowa 80.”

Click here to download the 2010 Schedule of Events.