Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
At the 2026 ATHS National Convention, we caught up with Charlie Bates Jr. from Goodman, Missouri, a third-generation truck driver with deep family roots in the trucking industry.
Charlie shares the incredible story behind his rare 1980 Kenworth W900A Extended Hood Gold Nugget, believed to be the only extended hood Gold Nugget ever built. According to Charlie, the truck was ordered new through Kenworth in Springfield, Missouri, and due to a factory ordering mistake, it slipped through as an extended hood version instead of the standard Gold Nugget configuration.
This truck is Gold Nugget number five and has lived its life in Missouri, mostly pulling hopper bottom trailers. Charlie talks about how he chased the truck for years, finally bought it, put it back together, and chose to keep it working instead of parking it as a collector piece.
We also take a look at the truck’s original Gold Nugget interior, hear stories about the rare upholstery, and talk about what trucking means to Charlie after 30 years behind the wheel. He also shares his thoughts on today’s trucking industry, including freight rates, safety, fuel costs, e-logs, and why trucking is still a lifestyle for those who truly love it.
#BigRigVideos #Kenworth #W900A #GoldNugget #ATHS #ClassicTrucks #OldSchoolTrucking #TruckingLife #SemiTruck #TruckShow #OwnerOperator #LargeCar #ChickenLights #DieselLife
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©Copyright Big Rig Videos, LLC. / Produced By: Christopher E. Fiffie
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At the 2026 ATHS National Convention, we caught up with Charlie Bates Jr. from Goodman, Missouri, a third-generation truck driver with deep family roots in the trucking industry.
Charlie shares the incredible story behind his rare 1980 Kenworth W900A Extended Hood Gold Nugget, believed to be the only extended hood Gold Nugget ever built. According to Charlie, the truck was ordered new through Kenworth in Springfield, Missouri, and due to a factory ordering mistake, it slipped through as an extended hood version instead of the standard Gold Nugget configuration.
This truck is Gold Nugget number five and has lived its life in Missouri, mostly pulling hopper bottom trailers. Charlie talks about how he chased the truck for years, finally bought it, put it back together, and chose to keep it working instead of parking it as a collector piece.
We also take a look at the truck’s original Gold Nugget interior, hear stories about the rare upholstery, and talk about what trucking means to Charlie after 30 years behind the wheel. He also shares his thoughts on today’s trucking industry, including freight rates, safety, fuel costs, e-logs, and why trucking is still a lifestyle for those who truly love it.
#BigRigVideos #Kenworth #W900A #GoldNugget #ATHS #ClassicTrucks #OldSchoolTrucking #TruckingLife #SemiTruck #TruckShow #OwnerOperator #LargeCar #ChickenLights #DieselLife
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCWVH1gwSYZwMZFqCspdw2Rw/join
©Copyright Big Rig Videos, LLC. / Produced By: Christopher E. Fiffie
Click to Subscribe! ►youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=TheAsphaltDragon
Big Rig Videos Store ► store.bigrigvideos.com/shop
Facebook ► facebook.com/bigrigvideos
Website ► bigrigvideos.com
Instagram ►instagram.com/cfiffie
