Celebrity pit stop
POST FALLS — When a star of History Channel's "Ice Road Truckers" made a pit stop in Post Falls on Tuesday, Thomas Torvik made a break to meet her.
The Coeur d'Alene man was among those who went to Love's Travel Stop and Country Store to meet Lisa Kelly.
Torvik said he's been watching the show from its start and admires Kelly for driving the narrow roads of India in Season 1.
"She’s got guts, I tell you," Torvik said.
"Ice Road Truckers" is a TV program about truckers who brave frozen lakes in heavily loaded vehicles to deliver supplies to the most remote locations in Alaska and Canada.
Kelly is one of seven drivers, only two of whom are women, on the 10-season show.
Kelly made the stop to kick off the Delo Game-Changers campaign and road trip with Chevron Products Co. She’ll travel across the country, making stops at 19 different Love’s locations to spread the word about Chevron’s Delo 400 product line and to appreciate innovators in the agricultural, trucking and construction industries.
Kelly was joined at Love's by Discovery Channel’s "Deadliest Catch" star Captain Edgar Hansen.
Post Falls was the first stop on the three-month tour. Fans who visit events register to win a free oil change from Delo as part of the 120th anniversary of the diesel engine’s creation.
Erin and Clint O’Keefe, of St. John, Wash., stopped to meet the stars on their way to the airport.
"I’ve always liked trucks and I’ve always liked fishing," Clint said when asked why he enjoys the TV shows.
The two have watched "Deadliest Catch" since the beginning, but Erin said "Ice Road Truckers" is her favorite.
Chevron approached Kelly to ask her to join the tour because she’s a long-time Delo user and considered a "game changer" in the trucking industry.
Kelly said many women approached her to say she inspired them to enter the male-dominated industry.
Eric Roth, Love’s corporate marketing manager, said choosing Kelly to represent Delo just made sense.
see TRUCKERS, C6
"They already use Chevron products so when you want to find somebody to endorse something, you don’t have Shaquille O’Neill selling Buicks," Roth said. "It’s real people doing real jobs out there to make a difference and get things moving... and they’re wonderful people on top of it, too."
Chevron partnered with Love’s a year ago after Love’s started offering oil changes at their travel stops nationwide with Delo oil.
Kelly said she’s happy to get the opportunity to travel and represent the two companies.
"I’m excited to go some places I’ve never been before," she said. "It’s really cool to be included in this because this is a huge thing for Chevron and Delo so to be invited is an honor."