The Brotherhood Behind the Custom Truck Scene

STREET TRUCKS STAFF . February 11, 2026 . Department .

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Come Together

Each truck show is a like a regional family or high school reunion, except there’s usually a better outcome. Friends sometimes come together only once a year at the king of custom shows, SEMA, with a smattering of Facebook comments and well wishes throughout the year. But that doesn’t matter because everyone seems to pick up right where they left off with stories, jokes and antics that have outsiders, and sometimes security personnel, raising their eyebrows.

These are the friends that you wouldn’t hesitate to call in the middle of the night if you were in trouble; the same you could ask to help finish a project at the last minute. And it’s those friends that will likely help pack too many people into a limo, sit at a dive bar for hours and cause a little bit of havoc; the ones who can be counted on to back you up.

In the past month a lot of this has rung true, for better or worse. With SEMA approaching and with Kris Birtciel’s passing, I was reminded of the time more than a year ago when Courtney passed away and friends old and new came together to honor a great friend and mentor. These friends got together to finish, in his memory, the creation Courtney had started before he passed. The friends spent many late nights and weekends working furiously to complete the truck in time for SEMA. It was a great thing to see the camaraderie shared while friends old and new worked together to achieve a common goal. The same seems to be happening now with Kris’ passing; friends everywhere are working together to finish his projects and keep his memory alive.

During the hustle and bustle of life, don’t forget to take time to celebrate old friendships and build new ones. The only thing any of us leave behind are the memories that we make with those we love. ST

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