Auto writers in the Lone Star State gather outside San Antonio to select the vehicles that deserve such coveted titles as the Truck of Texas--which was awarded to the 2011 Ram Laramie Longhorn edition pickup.

By Steve Statham

One hates to dabble in stereotypes and clichés, but sometimes stereotypes are benign and reflect actual reality on the ground. Here's an example: Texans really, really like pickup trucks.

So, being an automotive journalist in Texas means you could just as easily be called a truck journalist, because that's what Lone Star State readers really want to know about. This is reinforced by the Texas Auto Writers Association, a regional professional organization for the state's automotive writers. (Full disclosure: I'm a TAWA member.)

The organization's biggest annual whoop-de-doo is the TAWA Texas Truck Rodeo, which typically puts three or four dozen journalists behind the wheel of most of the current pickup and SUV offerings for two days of on- and off-road driving. The members then vote on a "Truck of Texas," "SUV of Texas," and other categories. This year, 57 vehicles were entered in the rodeo.