Gale Banks and LokJaw Steal the show at SEMA 2023

LokJaw was back in Las Vegas this week for the 2023 SEMA Show. Our one dollar hauler was posted up front and center at the AMSOIL booth along with Scott Birdsall’s 2JZ-GTE powered Toyota Hilux (also sporting triple Banks iDash DataMonsters to bring the truck into the modern age). Thousands made their way through the crowded show floor to see LokJaw’s supercharged Duramax and meet Gale Banks in person. Their excitement was palpable as they neared the display, eager to catch a glimpse of the truck and the legendary hotrodder.

The team at Banks Power put in long hours to get LokJaw ready, and it was all worth it to see the crowds reaction. Plenty of big names in the industry also came by to gawk at our slammed C20, including: Andre from TFL Truck, Stacy David, and Avery Shoaf. We managed to get a few genuine reactions on video, and the more people looked, the more they found little details on the truck that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. But whether their favorite part was the split bed or the 3.8-liter supercharger, they all walked away loving the Banks creation.

One SEMA attendee we knew would love our truck was Westen Champlin. If you haven’t seen his YouTube exploits, Champlin is known for his unique brand of redneck science, which could involve shoving a 1500 HP Cummins into a late model Mustang or trying to road trip in old military vehicles. When he found his way to the AMSOIL booth, Champlin was in awe of our Gen-5 Whipple-fed Duramax, not just for the sheer lunacy of it all but for the craftsmanship. Champlin also found himself astounded by the interior work, but Westen ultimately wanted to take LokJaw for a joyride. Fortunately, Gale is familiar enough with Champlin’s content to know that would be a bad idea.