WALCOTT, Iowa — Howes Products used the backdrop of the 44th Iowa 80 Truckers Jamboree in Walcott, Iowa, to announce its ninth Hall of Fame member and her big rig.
“Representing restored trucks everywhere, ‘Cherry Pie,’ a 1973 Kenworth, along with owner and restoration enthusiast Kate Whiting, will be joining a distinguished list of inductees made up of people, places and things that make the trucking industry so vibrant,” a news release stated.
Whiting described owning and operating a rig like “Cherry Pie” as special.
“There’s just something so rewarding that comes from being able to bring these epic giants back to life,” Whiting said. “I know in my case, once I laid eyes on ‘Cherry Pie,’ I could see her potential, her hidden charm. Over time, lots of time, and with the help of many other special people, I was able to get her back in action.”
Originally owned by Mike Orton, who purchased the then-brand-new Kenworth W925 in 1973, the truck worked hard for 30 years before its retirement.
It spent the next eight lonely years parked on the grass before Whiting found it.
Along with the help of friends and others inside the restoration community, she worked hard to get the truck where it is today. After showing it off for over two years, earning accolades and awards from shows across the country, including recent recognition from Kenworth’s 100-year celebration, Whiting has plans to put the truck back to real work.
“’Cherry Pie’ will be heading back into service hauling livestock for me at my company KW Pony Express,” she said. “We know she’s in great shape and her power has never been stronger.”
Howes started its Hall of Fame in 2020, inducting notable members from the trucking and farming industries.
“Traveling to shows large and small, we recognized quickly just how passionate truckers are about the beauty of restored trucks, their rich histories and the unique stories that each one can tell,” said Rob Howes, president of Howes Products. “Meeting Kate and seeing the pride, camaraderie and sheer talent she and others used to restore ‘Cherry Pie’ was inspirational, but even more fascinating was her appreciation and knowledge of where ‘Cherry Pie’ had come from.”
Howes added that “Cherry Pie’s” story and Whiting’s role in her resurrection “made both perfect representations of restored trucks and their restorers, respectively. We’re so excited that through them, we are able to pay tribute the restoration industry as a whole.”
The Howes Hall of Fame showcases the stories of all its inductees in an interactive digital environment. To visit the hall of fame online, click here.
HOWES HALL OF FAME MEMBERS
- Ellen Voie – Women In Trucking
- Iowa 80 Truckstop
- Tony Justice
- Peterson Farm Brothers
- Truckers Against Trafficking
- Billy Stone
- Eric Harley
- Angelique Temple
For more information on the restoration community and trucking’s history, visit the American Trucking Historical Society at https://aths.org/
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
