Guilty by Association Truck Show
Why are people making such a big deal about a truck show?
This thought ran through my mind as stood in line at the Walmart Supercenter, listening to the people in front of me talking to the cashier about their plans to attend the Guilty by Association Truck Show (GBATS). Sure, I’d seen and heard advertisements for this event around town, but I hadn’t given it much thought – until I kept crossing paths with people talking about it, and the buzz became so deafening that I knew I had to check it out for myself.
It turns out that this truck show is a really, really big deal.
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-lopez-night.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=240&q=80&w=320&s=16d193e85c6e331903b37518cf9859ef 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-lopez-night.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=405&q=80&w=540&s=410d866f7a0e047dc1a6a6cba5459470 540w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-lopez-night.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&q=80&w=768&s=a896b1f767fed09bcab33a8bfb274e1b 550w)
One of the world’s longest truck convoys is part of the GBATS two-day event. Each year, this convoy (bobtails only) begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday evening at 4 State Trucks, located on Highway 43 just off of I-44 near the Joplin 44 Petro. It then travels north to downtown Joplin, where approximately 400 drivers will park their trucks, turn on their lights, and enjoy an evening of camaraderie with their fellow drivers at a party on Main Street.
Some advice to anyone trying to drive across town on the night of the convoy: get to where you need to go before the convoy begins. Better yet, pack a folding chair and watch the convoy yourself. That’s what we did.
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-ellsworth-service-center.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=7ac413107d7ec0c988a353b43e4f03f3 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-ellsworth-service-center.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=d8915662882ffbd2dcb4e51f6fd368cf 540w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-ellsworth-service-center.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=874778f532b4e304dc61762d40953312 550w)
It’s incredible how quickly the number of trucks participating in the convoy has grown over the years. In 2010, the first year of the event, there were 17 trucks; in 2015, there were more than 370!
Why do drivers participate in this convoy? The main reason is because the money raised from it goes to Special Olympics Missouri’s program for sports training program and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. In recent years, the convoy has raised over $70,000 for this cause.
Plus, 40 drivers have the privilege of having a Special Olympian riding along with them in the convoy.
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-pink-cancer.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=1efc6e402e424f4c834a0071c5fde341 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-pink-cancer.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=4bb87d3b64536210850f6cb6e32d2c05 540w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-pink-cancer.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=ffa59fb6722fef85a2f0925699229c88 550w)
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-arthurs-legacy-day.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=240&q=80&w=320&s=e92102ba5103c3a8a51a362469ac5aea 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-arthurs-legacy-day.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=405&q=80&w=540&s=f7898888928c49af077281c236f07c25 524w)
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-military-night2.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=240&q=80&w=320&s=4ec5fd91d4ff7d281189438c90177962 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-military-night2.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=405&q=80&w=540&s=f2984ebb5c7f60b44d1aa65e34566940 540w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-military-night2.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&q=80&w=768&s=1366d4eadcf597f3227c0a89147e69c6 550w)
The convoy we saw arrived Joplin's 26th Street between Cunningham and Mercy Parks just as the sun set.. Drivers turned on their truck lights and 26th Street transformed into an enchanted parking lot.
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-main-street-night.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=f9f6d52c7a59b76e12bbc57a7510b94a 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-main-street-night.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=253e8e6c9bdc1a3ff6fa4e3dfa59cb2b 525w)
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-ripped-day.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=240&q=80&w=320&s=37c85e85285debc131b1fad5d8ced168 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-ripped-day.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=405&q=80&w=540&s=d2b647f5a5a66ecb973bb67ad80e6ee6 511w)
Day
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-ripped-night.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=240&q=80&w=320&s=8bb1e8cbb94c3251d20326c796a41ca8 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-ripped-night.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=405&q=80&w=540&s=a7e22ffdc6b3055298f656ea4c4b15f9 537w)
Night
The parked trucks provided an impressive backdrop for the street party, which was a family-friendly event. There were food vendors and musical performances from bands like South of Vertical and Tony Justice.
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-semi-near-mural-1.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=b03c65d5c60375bdbf7f07aba0dd2dc0 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-semi-near-mural-1.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=33974a016a458ade8364c364f279ad29 540w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/guilty-semi-near-mural-1.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=9ca6dda33dfbe6b0e70a8c7b3bd45eee 550w)
This was just the 26 Street portion of the GBATS. There were a variety of activities going on in south Joplin at 4 State Trucks all day Friday and Saturday (prior to the convoy) including an open house, a swap meet, big rig burnouts, a motorcycle stunt rider show, and semi truck and trailer pulls.
Keeping with the family-friendly theme, there were also food vendors and children’s activities, plus a fireworks display to end the Friday night festivities.
There’s a lot to see and do during the GBATS two-day event. I now understand why I heard so many people talking about it.
It is a big deal.
For more information on GBATS, click here.