If you are a fan of motorsport living in the northern Netherlands, then you are almost certainly well acquainted with the Assen TT Circuit. Dubbed the Cathedral of Speed, the circuit built in 1955 has hosted its fair share of legendary Moto GP races, seeing the likes of Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez, and Angel Nieto lift the Dutch TT trophy in front of a roaring crowd.
From the 29th to the 30th of July, the track swapped speed for size as it hosted the 41st edition of the Truckstar Festival. The festival hosts around 2,300 trucks every year and 57,000 people attend the circuit to check out the newest and most fashionable trucks around the world.
“The owners of these trucks that are competing put so much effort to make the most beautiful trucks in the Netherlands. That’s amazing because in the end, these trucks are still trucks that have to work every day,” said Robert Servaas, chief editor of the Truckstar Festival since 2018.
Servaas hopes to continue seeing “happy people who are enjoying themselves and when they leave, they are smiling and saying ‘see you next year,” during the two-day event.
A History of the Truckstar Festival
As the 41st edition came to a close, it was incredible for Servaas to see the growth of the festival from its humble beginnings.
“It all started when Truckstar was founded some 40 years ago and it started as a small festival in a festival hall,” said Servaas. It was immediately a hit with the crowd, and the second edition had to be hosted by the larger race circuit in Zandvoort due to high demand.
“By 1992, the circuit of Zandvoort was not big enough anymore, so the whole festival moved to Assen,” said Servaas. Ever since, trucks from all around the world have been meeting once a year in Assen to show off their latest modifications and meet fellow truck enthusiasts.
“It’s a place where you can see 2,300 trucks together,” said Servaas. “Not just Dutch trucks, but also from England, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Greece: you name it.” For the first time ever, Servaas stated that a truck all the way from Japan would join, adding to the already established international atmosphere of the festival.
“It’s a good community, very nice people,” said Jorn Yland, an entrant in this year’s competition for the most beautiful truck in the Netherlands. Yland, a Dutch 24-year-old truck driver from Twente, is a previous winner of the competition but feels his excitement comes from seeing fellow truck lovers all gathered in one place.
“It’s a chance to see people you don’t speak to often, only at the festival.”
What is at stake?
The event is not just about meeting other truck fanatics, but also about seeing which truck will be selected as the most beautiful truck in the Netherlands. A competition reserved only for trucks from the country, the nominated trucks can be found in the Truckstar Festival yearly photobook. These trucks are then voted by buyers of the book who are able to see pictures of all of those hoping to hold the coveted title of the most beautiful Dutch truck.
Every truck, whether competing or not, is a truck in service. Although some competitors try to use their vehicles as little as possible in the run-up to the festival, others have no choice.
“I got this truck 14 months ago,” said Yland. “Now it has [driven] 200,000 kilometers! I try to keep it as new as possible. This is the first week the truck has stood still.”
Although the competition is only reserved for Dutch trucks, there are some prizes on the line for those who came from other parts of the world. The most coveted trophy is given to the truck which has come from the furthest distance, so it was no surprise to see Japan picking up the winner’s medal this year.
A jury, made up of interior truck designers, truck paint specialists, and former Truckstar Festival winners then selects the winner of the most beautiful truck in the Netherlands, although the selection keeps getting more and more difficult as time passes.
“They will look at the details because the competition is so fierce now that they have to look at the smallest details to see which one will win,” said Servaas. “The bar is raised so high.”
Yland was not expecting a call-up this year, with his expectations set at going over to the festival to “drink some beer,” but he was nevertheless excited and proud of being nominated.
“I want to show off all the work I put behind it. When you get the call, it’s a big compliment. It is nice to hear,” said Yland. He entered his truck, a Scania S520 belonging to BD Logistics, but has set his expectations way low.
“There are so many nice trucks, you can’t [expect to] win,” exclaimed Yland.
This year’s winner was Arno Visch’s Scania R650, which was announced as the most beautiful truck on Sunday afternoon.
More than just trucks
If you feel that the Truckstar Festival isn’t for you as a non-truck enthusiast, think again: there is plenty happening around the circuit for all types of people to enjoy.
Along with the 2,300 trucks, there are different types of shows running throughout the day on the track, including bike stunts, a truck showcase, and even car football, a football match between beaten-down cars with little remorse for their opponents.
Trucks not competing take the opportunity to tailgate, setting up stages, barbecues, and even swimming pools to create a fun atmosphere throughout the weekend.
Such is the demand for the festival that they even built a campsite for this year’s edition, a first in Truckstar Festival history. The site was built on the side of the track and offered a breakfast buffet, showers, and electricity along with the choice of tents arranged by the festival itself.
“Almost all the spaces were occupied,” said Servaas.
The Assen TT Circuit has long been one of the most exciting areas around Drenthe. Not only is the historic motorcycle race, the Dutch TT, hosted every year but an array of different events can always be found.
Outside of the yearly staple that is the Truckstar Festival, people from near or far can enjoy the likes of supercar shows, American muscle car showcases, and even a classic car race when visiting the track. You can always check out what is coming up by visiting the Assen TT circuit website.
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