Tawa Texas Truck Rodeo : Alternative Awards

edited by Madelyn Miller with lots of help from other TAWA members

Each year, Automotive manufacturers bring their best trucks and top communications experts to be test driven and evaluated by the Texas Automotive Writers. The stakes are high. Being named a top truck in a category can help the bottom line of marketing those vehicles.

The mood is a little tense. The writers try to experience the trucks they have not yet driven. The experts try to corral them to give them as much info as possible. In twelve hours, there is an opportunity to test about 55 trucks and crossover vehicles. There are 40 some writers to impress. Over 80 automotive reps to promote their brands and trucks.

The official TAWA awards are presented on November 14 in Waco at Texas Rangers Hall of Fame Museum.

In the meantime, several of the writers joined me in creating alternative awards.

ALTERNATIVE AWARDS

BEST COWBOY HAT
Harold Gunn, Texas Auto Writer President

MOST VISIBLE TEAM AT 8 AM
Dodge in bright red shirts

MOST SURPRISING NAME FOR A VEHICLE
Tiguan--a cross between a tiger and an iguana

MOST POLITICALLY CORRECT SWAG
Planting seeds embedded in recycled paper in the shape of Texas from GM

MOST TEXAS LOOKING DEMO CAR
Subaru

FUNNIEST REP WHEN SOBER
David Boldt

MOST FUN TO DRINK WITH
Harold Gunn

BEST BARTENDER
Duhrl Causey

OLDEST HISTORIC TAWA RELIC
Several people asked if this category meant a senior TAWA member

MOST WELL REPRESENTED FAMILY
Alan Gell, Judy Gell, and Charity Boosier
(tie) Marlon Hanson, Carmella Hanson and son Alex Hanson

BEST CORPORATE SELLOUT
Steve Kursar to Ford

MOST VOCAL
Ford Truck
(and I wonder if they can sing, too)

MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS
The TAWA Board and Vicki Cosgrove

BEST PLACE TO CHECK EMAIL
Ford Smart Truck

BEST TRACK SNACK
Homemade Cookies

WHAT EVERYONE WANTED MORE OF
Peanuts in the hospitality suite

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who is becoming passionate about cars and trucks. Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.comwww.yogayaya.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.comwww.coffeeatlas.com, and a soon to be launched site on cheese