American Truckers Relives Epic Smokey and the Bandit Beer Run

SPEED Channel wants to overhaul is program lineup as it enters its 15th year of existence. One of the new programs that is scheduled is called American Truckers and is hosted by Rob Mariani. With its main focus set on iconic rigs past and present, plus the routes and people that make the industry so famous, the first installment of the series will feature a recreation of the epic 1,800-mile beer run from Smokey and the Bandit.

“On Thursday, Hal Needham's southern bootlegger movie, Smokey & the Bandit, takes center stage. This blue-collar classic was a box office smash, grossing revenues second only to Star Wars in 1977, and starred some of Hollywood's biggest names in Burt Reynolds (The Bandit), the late Jerry Reed ('The Snowman'), the late Jackie Gleason (Buford T. Justice) and Sally Field playing the ‘Frog’,” states the official SPEED pres release.

Since this is a show and a channel dedicated to motoring, the most important part is going to be the vehicles. Bud Brutsman, producer of Rides and Overhaulin', has managed to get his hands on 1974 Kenworth W900 Snowman tribute truck. Meanwhile, Year One handed over the keys to a restored 1978 Pontiac Trans-Am. The Bandit car is gas a meaty 605-horsepower on tap thanks to a LS7 engine coupled with a five-speed transmission, Baer six-piston calipers on 14-inch front and rear rotors and a roll-cage with a five-point racing harness.

"We found out in our research they never really did it (the actual trip) in the movie," said Brutsman, talking about the show's main premise. "Obviously, why would they, as they did all the traveling shots, the road shots and did them within a 30-mile radius of Atlanta. Well, that didn't seem very fun..."