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2

Published on 2 Comments on Central Ohio Car Shows, Cruise-Ins, and Meet-ups for July 10 – 16, 2023
1973 Ford Mustang (Home built and Painted) - Owner: Kim Rodgers

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NEWS AND NOTES

Fourth of July Car Shows:

  • Champaign Cruiser's Firecracker Car, Truck, & Bike Show - The Champaign Cruiser's Car Club hosted its 25th annual Firecracker Car Show at Skelley Lumber Company in Urbana, Ohio. The show registered 677 cars this year. The Best of Show award went to Scott Trogolo and his 1948 Buick Road Master.
  • Union County Fairgrounds Annual Fourth of July Show - The annual Fourth of July car show at the Union County Fairgrounds in Marysville, Ohio registered 50 cars. The event advertised 25 awards but only presented 15. Thanks to some very wet spots from heavy rains on Sunday, one participant spent a good part of the show cleaning mud off his car. Kevin Foust and his 1940 Dodge WC40 Military Pickup received Best of Show.
  • VFW Post 8794 After the Parade Car Show - Our friend, Kenny G, received the Most Patriotic Award at the Whitehall, Ohio VFW Post 8794 After the Parade Car Show hosted by the C-Town Cruisers.

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

The Der Dutchman Cruise-In was canceled this past Thursday because the field was extremely wet from heavy rains earlier in the week. Hopefully, things will dry out and the cruise-in will be back this week.

Chesrown Class Car Cruise-In:

The rain cleared out Thursday evening just in time for the 9th Annual Classic Car Cruise-In at Chesrown Chevrolet Buick GMC in Delaware, Ohio.

Miss Ohio was there admiring all the cars.

Anyone hungry or thirsty could purchase food and refreshment from Graeter's Ice Cream, Dos Hermanos, and Slap Yo Self food trucks.

Just as in past years, the band Conspiracy provided live entertainment.

As for the cars, there didn't seem to be as many this year. I think the weather forecast might have had something to do with it and the fact that the cruise-in was announced later than usual. Still, there were well over 100 cars in attendance and of course lots of spectators.

Toy Barn American Car and Bike Event:

This past Friday, the Toy Barn in Dublin, Ohio started a weekly series of meets-ups at the dealership. The series will run through September 2nd. Each week will be a different category of cars. This week was American Cars and Bikes. Next week will be BMW Night. You can register for any of the series here.

Approximately 20-25 cars turned out for the American Car and Bike event. As you might expect, most were late-model Mustangs, Camaros, and Corvettes. A few older classic American cars did stop by. Somehow a couple of McLarens turned up in the mix.

The coolest vehicle at the meet-up was a 2022 RAM TRX pickup with a supercharged, Hemi engine and the entire body covered in Rhino lining. How much fun would that be to pick up a load of mulch or a few 2x4s in a 707 HP pickup?

Here are more cars from the Toy Barn American Car and Bike meet-up:

Chubby Hawaiian Grill Car, Truck, & Bike Show:

Frank Russell and the Crossroads Events team were in Baltimore, Ohio on Saturday for a car show hosted by Chubby Hawaiian Grill.

The show registered 58 cars. Thanks to a line of showers moving through the area, the 35 awards were presented early so everyone could get home before the rain.

The Larry Bickers Daily Driver award went to Bubba Hettinger and his 1978 Chevy K10 Stepside.

Derek Hayes and his 1983 Zimmer Gold Spirit took home the Best of Show honors.

Goodguys After-Hours Parties:

I spent a few hours Saturday evening hopping back and forth between the Goodguys after-hours parties at the Crown Plaza and Polaris Hilton hotels. This year I even managed to get a little closer to the burnouts at Quaker Steak and Lube. It looked like a third of the Columbus Police Force was at the restaurant monitoring the action.

I put together a small slideshow from the photos I took at the festivities.

Lewis Center Wings and Rings Car, Truck, & Bike Show:

On Sunday, the Crossroads Events team traveled 45 miles north from Baltimore to Lewis Center, Ohio for the monthly show at the Wings & Rings Sports Bar.

This month the show registered 45 vehicles.

The Larry Bickers Daily Driver award went to Pauline Robson with a 2018 Dodge Challenger R/T Plus.

The manager of Wings & Rings selected David Elliott's 1957 Chevy Bel Air as Best of Show.

Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals:

Another Goodguys is in the books. The Central Ohio car community is very lucky to have an event like this in our backyard. There are only three Goodguys events east of the Mississippi River. These take place in Raleigh, NC, Lebanon, TN, and Columbus, OH.

Congratulations to Arch Mayer, Clayton Noggle, and Tony Oliver. All three of their cars received Goodguys All-American Sunday awards.

I was able to recognize the cars of a few more local Goodguys Award winners.

I want to thank everyone who sent me Goodguys photos or tagged me on Facebook. I went through more than 1000 photos and picked the ones that I thought best illustrated what Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals weekend is all about. Hope you enjoy it!

These folks helped put together this week's News and Notes:

  • Jeff Shankle
  • Chad Herrick
  • Dave Bratton
  • Phil Monroe
  • Frank Russell
  • Kenny G
  • Arch Mayer
  • Russ Annis

A big thanks to every one of them for their contribution.

I hope everyone has a good week! I'll see you next week with a new report.

Central Ohio Forecast
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7:42 am5:06 pm EST
5 pm6 pm7 pm8 pm9 pm
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Weather forecast Columbus, OH ▸

28

Published on 28 Comments on Central Ohio Car Shows, Cruise-Ins, and Meet-Ups Recap of the 2022 Season

It's that time of the year when the weather turns cold, the cars are put away for the winter, and we impatiently sit and wait for the next car show season to start. Reminiscing about the season that just finished is a great way to pass some of the time.

Before we begin our journey back through 2022, I must state the usual disclaimer that the opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone. They reflect the events I attended and the cars I saw in 2022. If you disagree with anything I post, please feel to express them in the comments section. If you encountered something particularly good or bad during the past season, please post that in the comment section as well.

With that out of the way, let's begin the journey back through 2022.

Some Statistics:

  • More than 6000 photos of your cars, trucks, and motorcycles were posted to carshowtalk.com in 2022.
  • From March through November, carshowtalk.com listed 995 events in the Central Ohio area which includes Marion on the north, Springfield on the west, Chillicothe on the south, and Newark on the east as boundaries.
  • August had the most events with 232. November had the least with 18.
  • I personally traveled to 21 different locations to participate in a car event. Der Dutchman in Bellville and the Historic Clifton Mill were the two farthest. Both exceeded 50 miles.
  • There were 116,175 visits to carshowtalk.com from March through October. The week of August 22-28 had the most visits with 4845. It kind of goes along with August having the most events.

I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for supporting carshowtalk.com in 2022. It was the best year yet for the website.

Favorite Cruise-Ins/Meet-ups:

  • Der Dutchman Cruise-In - I doubt anyone will argue that the weekly cruise-in at the Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City, Ohio isn't the best cruise-in in all of Central Ohio. This year 5449 cars attended the cruise-in from May through September. The weekly average of 259 vehicles was an all-time record. Wayne and Luella Nisly along with the restaurant staff do a great job of making the cruise-in a fun and relaxing way to spend a Thursday evening during the summer.
  • Columbus Cars and Coffee Arena District Meet - There's something about seeing hundreds of classic, exotic, and muscle cars lined up in front of Nationwide Arena. This turns out to be my favorite Columbus Cars and Coffee meet each season. I got so carried away this year that I took close to 300 photos - most of any event.
  • Jax Wax Street Madness - I didn't go to the two meet-ups this year, however, those that did go reported that the "Street Madness" name is by far the best description for the event. It's crazy and loud! The event has gotten so big the fall/Halloween meet moved from the airport to National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio. How you feel about the event will likely depend on your age. If you're under 40, you'll love it. Over 40 and you'll probably never go to another one again.
  • Goodguys After Hours at the Crown Plaza, Hilton, and Quaker Steak and Lube - No discussion of cruise-ins/meet-ups would be complete without mentioning the after-hours gathering at these three locations during Goodguys weekend. There's definitely a party atmosphere at the Crown Plaza. The Hilton is a little more subdued and Quaker Steak and lube is just plain madness.

Favorite NO Registration Fee Judged Shows:

  • Rod Knockers Car Club - The club's monthly show at the Rural King in Marion, Ohio continues to be the king of this category. If there's decent weather on the first Saturday of the month from April through October, you can expect well over 100 cars in attendance The club presents around 30 awards each month that always represent a different theme. There are door prizes and 50/50 raffles and music from the 50s/60s along with classic rock. You owe yourself to attend at least one Rod Knockers show during the season. It will only cost you the gas to get to Marion and back.
  • Cruisin' with the King in 2022 - Runner-up in this category is the monthly show hosted by the Mid Ohio Cruisers Car Club at the Burger King on Rt 31 in Marysville, Ohio. On a good Saturday, attendance will push the 100 mark. At the end of the show, awards are presented to the club's "Favorite" 15 cars, trucks, and motorcycles. There are door prizes and 50/50 raffles and music from the 50s and 60s. And if you're hungry, there's Burger King right there.
  • Summer Jubilee Car Show - Kuhlwein's Farm Market & Deli and the Vienna Door Company sponsored a registration-free judged show this summer at Kuhlwein's Farm Market in Hilliard, Ohio. With assistance from the Empty Pockets Cruisers Car Club, the event attracted 117 cars. Twenty-four awards were presented at the end of the show. Live entertainment was provided by Madeline Rose and the Thorns. There were several food trucks on site. However, the big hit was the free bratwurst sandwiches given out by Lehnerts Meats. I'm told by reliable sources Kulwein's and the Vienna Door Company plan to sponsor more shows like this in 2023.

Favorite Registration Fee Judged Shows:

This was a tough category for me to pick this year. As I looked back over the year, there were a lot of good shows in this category.

  • Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals - Obviously Goodguys has to be included at the top of this list. It is the largest and most prestigious show in the area. We are blessed to have an event like this to look forward to every year. Receiving an All-American Sunday Award with my Camaro made this year's event even more special.
  • Empty Pockets Cruisers Trunk or Treat - This show makes my Favorite list year after year. It seems to bring out the Halloween spirit in everyone that attends. More folks dress up in costumes and decorate cars than any other Trunk or Treat show in the area. The volume of children trick or treating is also impressive. This year my 350-piece bag of candy was emptied in record-setting time.
  • Vettes, Rods, and Classics - This is another show that ranks at the top of my list every year. The Capital City Corvette Club does a great job as a host. Creekside in Gahanna, Ohio is a cool venue for a car show. There are a lot of places to sit and eat. The club presents 80 plus awards. I like that the Corvettes and rods and classics are judged independently of each other and that each category has its own Best of Show winner. This year saw the return of the band Reelin' In The Years for live entertainment. The Capital City Corvette Club can chalk up another successful show with lots of great cars.
  • Spring Fling All Corvette Show - After a two-year hiatus due to Covid, the Spring Fling All Corvette show returned to Quaker Steak and Lube in Columbus, Ohio this past May. Hosted by the Chosen Few Corvette Club, the show attracts Corvette owners and clubs from all over the country. This year the show registered more than 300 Corvettes and presented 130 awards. If you own a Corvette, this is a show you'll want to attend.
  • Auto Smarts Radio/C-Town Cruisers - I would be remiss if I didn't mention Boots and Auto Smarts Radio Cruise and Ride and Big Dawg and the C-Town Cruisers. Those two groups were involved in 50 Central Ohio car events in 2022. Add in the new kid on the block, Frank Russell, and Crossroad Events, and you have over 60 shows hosted by those three groups. Having 60 additional shows to choose from each season is a massive bonus for our area. I'm told it's unique to Central Ohio.

Favorite Ten:

Each year I pick my 10 favorite cars, trucks, and motorcycles I saw during the season. I try to limit the picks from Goodguys since one could easily select all ten from there. This year my favorite 10 only includes one car from Goodguys. The rest were all from local shows and cruise-ins.

Without further ado, here are my ten favorites in no particular order.

1970 Oldsmobile 442 - Owner: Aaron Denny (Summer Jubilee)
1966 Corvette Stingray Restomod with GM LT5 engine - Owner: Michels Auto Design (Goodguys)
1968 Chevy Camaro - Owner: Scott Mayo (Arthritis Show)
1957 Porsche Speedster - Owner: Laurie Hartley (Battle of the Brands)
1959 Ford F-100 - Owner: Kristin Finnerty (Battle of the Brands)
1966 Internation Scout - Owner: Unknown (Powell Cruize-in and Pig out)
2011 Harley Davidson Street Glide - Owner: Coryell Stephenson (Performance Charity Car Show)
2022 Yenko/SC Chevy Camaro - Owner: Bill Reno (Der Dutchman)
1934 Packard - Owner: Ray Gosnell (Vettes, Rods, and Classics)
1991 Chevy Camaro Z/28-1LE - Owner: Dan Varner (Chesrown Classic Cruise-In)

The Unusual, Unique, and Odd:

Each year vehicles show up at shows and cruise-ins that some might describe as unusual or unique while others call them odd. Here are some of the vehicles in 2022 that fit those descriptions.

Not sure what was up with this Jeep
The Jeep's interior was just as intriguing
2001 Panoz Esperante
Camaro + El Camino = Camarmino
Unusual, unique, and odd
Kevin's Towing Heavy Rescue
2008 Ssangyong Actyon Sport
Two 1949 Plymouths (Which is the front, which is the rear?)
Totally air Brushed pickup honoring our military and police
LS Engine in a Porsche
Built by someone with too much time on their hands
Ford F450 Superstretch 8 Door
Subaru Sambar
Home made Woody
Click or tap on a photo to enlarge it

R.I.P.

This year we lost a number of fellow Central Ohio cruisers. They will all be missed.

Mike Gibson
Doug Leopard
Jerry Davies
Patrick Petrime
Billy Dean Peterson
Don Newland

Cruisers of the Year:

  • This year's Cruiser of the Year Award goes to Jeff Tolley. Jeff participated in more than 170 events this season. And I thought my 80 was pretty good.
  • Runner-up Cruisers of the Year goes to Jeff Shankle and Dave O'Brien. Both attended just under 160 events. Jeff also receives Photographer of the Year. It wasn't even a contest.

Other Notables:

  • Best Restrooms - Delaware Christian Church
  • Best Hamburger - Tolles Car and Craft Show
  • Best "Live" Entertainment - Vettes, Rods, & Classics
  • Worst Weather - The thunderstorms that roared through Central Ohio on July 23rd
  • Best Door Prize - The bottle of booze that was part of the grand prize basket at Richwood Bank's Coffee and Cars.
  • Tallest Best of Show trophy - Still Electric Mods, Rods, & Classic Car Show and Auto Smarts Radio Westerville Moose Lodge Car Show
  • Most expensive collection of cars at an event not counting Goodguys - $20 million plus at the Unveiling of the Triple F Collection's newest supercar

Final Thoughts on 2022:

I want to thank all those who shared photos and information from events I wasn't able to attend. A special thanks goes to regular contributors Jeff Shankle, Dale Pearce, and Dave Bratton. Their weekly contributions helped carshowtalk.com reach a whole new level this year.

I'm going to take a few months off. I'll be back in February with the first edition of Save the Dates for 2023. The weekly list of events will resume again in April.

I wish everyone a happy and safe Holiday Season. I'll be leaving for my winter home the day after Christmas.

I'm going to end the year with the final lines from Ohio State University's Alma Mater:

The seasons pass the years will roll
Time and change will surely show
How firm thy friendship...OHIO!

The same can be said about a season of car shows. The friendships we make and the experiences we share with each other will roll on long after the season ends.

This slideshow captures my favorite moments from 2022. Enjoy! I'll see everyone next year.

6

Published on 6 Comments on Central Ohio Car Shows, Cruise-Ins, And Meet-ups for July 11 – 17, 2022
1963 Plymouth Fury Convertible
Owner: Dave Taylor

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NEWS AND NOTES

Fair warning, the focus of this week's news and notes is Goodguys and Goodguys-related events. Everyone I know was at Goodguys at least one day this past weekend including myself.

Classic Car Cruise-In at Chesrown:

The only non-Goodguys event to report on this week is the Classic Car Cruise-In at Chesrown Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Delaware, Ohio.

It was a packed house at the dealership on Thursday evening. Parking spots were at a premium.

There were food trucks, live music from The Conspiracy Band, prizes, and lots of great-looking cars.

I finally got to see Dan Varner's pristine, and I mean pristine, 1991 Camaro Z/28 1LE.

A rare one-of-a-kind El Camaro made an appearance at the cruise-in.

For more photos from the Chesrown Cruise-In, CLICK HERE.

Goodguys, Goodguys, and more Goodguys:

Here are some local highlights from this year's Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio.

  • Dan "Boots" Longenette from Auto Smarts Radio won the burnout contest on Saturday.
  • Over the four day event, Jeff Shankle took 1500 photos on his phone -- half of them selfies. 😎
  • Reported attendance on Saturday approached the 40,000 mark. I heard it was wall-to-wall people.
  • My 2017 Camaro ZL1 received an All American Sunday award.
  • Somewhere in the neighborhood of 4500 vehicles registered for the four day event.

Saturday Evening at the Crown Plaza, Polaris Hilton, and Quaker Steak and Lube:

I have always wanted to check out the after-show events at the host hotels but never got around to it until this year.

I stopped by the Crown Plaza first. There was already a pretty good size crowd of people and cars when I got there at 5:30 pm Saturday evening.

There was a food buffet, live music, adult beverages, and nice weather. All the right ingredients for a good party.

Next, it was on to the Polaris Hilton. A much smaller crowd and a bit low-key compared to the Crown Plaza. Still, some very nice cars in the parking lot.

It turns out rubber burning is all it took to make Quaker Steak and Lube the craziest venue of them all. It had traffic backed up on Polaris Parkway in both directions. Columbus police eventually had to close down Lyra Drive into the restaurant because of the excess traffic. I heard it was a two and half hour wait for a table. A lot of people parked at the Hilton and then tried to cross Polaris Parkway (not a very safe move). Needless to say, I didn't even attempt to make it to Quaker Steak and Lube.

If you'd like to see more photos from the Crown Plaza and Polaris Hilton, CLICK HERE.

Back to Goodguys:

I'm going to finish out this week's report with a few of the cars that received awards at Goodguys. You can CLICK HERE to see a bunch more automobiles (warning pic heavy) from the event.

Special thanks to Jeff Shankle for sharing some of his 1500 photos for this report.

Central Ohio Forecast
37°
Cloudy
7:42 am5:06 pm EST
5 pm6 pm7 pm8 pm9 pm
37°F
37°F
37°F
37°F
37°F
MonTueWedThuFri
39°F / 27°F
48°F / 25°F
41°F / 21°F
43°F / 25°F
48°F / 32°F
Weather forecast Columbus, OH ▸

17

Published on 17 Comments on 2021 Central Ohio Car Show Season in Review

After the finish of every season, I like to take a look back at what I think was good and what I think was not so good about it. The opinions expressed are my own and apply only to the events I attended. If you disagree with me or have an event you thought was particularly good or one not so good, please feel free to post a comment. With that said, lets get on with the review of the 2021 Central Ohio car show season..

From April 17 through November 12, I participated in 77 car shows, cruise-ins, and meet-ups and was a spectator in another nine. I took 5500 photos of classic cars, muscle cars, exotics, trucks, and motorcycles. I drove over 2600 miles round trip to report on local car events. This may all sound very impressive until you find out Jeff Tolley and his friends participated in 180 events this season. That's pretty much one every single day!

The Good:

Let's start with some good. The 2021 car show season pretty much returned to pre-pandemic normals. To my knowledge, not a single public health agency forced the cancellation of a car event this season because of Covid. Even the Governor allowed Goodguys to return to the Fairgrounds despite banning the public from attending the Ohio State Fair.

Shaun "Big Dawg" Saunders' C-Town Cruisers and Dan "Boots" Longenette and Pepsi's Auto Smarts Cruise and Ride had a full slate of events this season compared to last year. The two combined to host more than 50 shows in Central Ohio!

Following a two and three-year absence respectively, the cruise-in at Chesrown Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Delaware, and the car show formerly known as On the Rocks in Dublin returned in 2021.

Unfortunately, not every event came back. Missing this season was the USA Days Car Show in Centerburg, Cruisin' For a Cause, one of my favorites, at the Discover Church in Dublin, the downtown Lithopolis show on Memorial Day, the Canal Winchester Labor Day car show, and the Spring Fling (it plans to be back in 2022) just to name a few of the missing shows this year.

The biggest shocker of the season came in June when it was announced after 12 years that Colo's Classic Car Show at the Columbus Zoo was canceled. A lot of rumors floated around as to the reason for the cancellation but the Zoo never put out an "official" statement as far as I know.

After hosting no shows in 2020, The Rod Knockers Car Club out of Marion and the Mid Ohio Cruisers Club out of Marysville returned with their monthly car shows. The Mid Ohio Cruisers show had a new home at the Burger King on Route 31. It took a few shows for everyone to get adjusted to the new location. No question, both clubs continue to put on the best no registration fee car shows in Central Ohio.

The weekly Thursday cruise-in at the Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City continued its reign as the king of Central Ohio cruise-ins. The cruise-ins started two weeks earlier this year. It was attended by more than 300 cars seven times during the summer. It set an all-time attendance record of 439 cars on the last cruise-in of the year. A whopping 2900 vehicles were registered in 2021.

Looking back over the year, I can't say there were any shows I attended that were truly outstanding. At the same time, I can't say I attended any that were horrible, either.

The Empty Pockets Cruisers hosted four shows this year instead of their usual three. All four shows were well done. Their Trunk or Treat show continues to be one of my favorites. I always say it takes car people to put on a good car show.

Shows that I participated in for the first time included the All Corvette Gathering, Hosanna Lutheran Church Car Show, Mechanicsburg First Responders Car Show, Blackwing Shooting Center Summer Blast, Farrows Hot Rods and Handlebars, and Tolles Career and Technical Center Car and Craft Show. I was a spectator at my first Italian Gathering and Kreiger Ford Mustang and All Ford Show.

Buckeye Cruzin' at Ohio Stadium gets the award for the most expensive registration fee. Although to be fair, the $175 fee went to support the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer. It was a fun event until the engine revving got out of hand and forced me to leave.

The most chaotic event this year was the Jax Wax Street Madness in July. The title gave a pretty good description of the event. Between the steady line of cars trying to get into the parking area and the hundreds of car audio systems blaring, I had a pounding headache by the time I left.

Heels and Wheels at the Vanity Gentlemen's Club was the most "adult" car show I attended. The Mayor had a couple of huge assets that were hard to overlook. Those who attended the show will know what I'm talking about.

Frank Sanborn gets this year's most miles traveled award. Not only did Frank attend shows in Central Ohio, but he also traveled to events in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Fairmount and Gas City Indiana, and Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Not So Good:

Some not-so-good news this year was the loss of some of our car show community members. Larry Bickers passed away in May. Many of you will remember Larry from his 2003 Mustang "Daily Driver" with more than 190,000 miles.

In September, we lost Jim Matheny. I never met Jim, but I'm told he helped organize and run lots of car shows in the Newark/Heath areas. He held positions with the Super Chevy Car Show Organization and Let's Go Cruising Magazine. For many years, he served as chairman for "Lite the Nite" and operated Jim Matheny Kar Shoz.

And finally, Terry McReynolds passed away in October. Terry was the Pace Truck Driver at Columbus Motor Speedway for more than 20 years. He was also an integral part of Pepsi's Auto Smarts Cruise and Ride team and a close friend of Dan "Boots" Longenette.

All three will be very much missed as will others who passed away this year.

This was my tenth year attending car shows and the first time experiencing a collision at one. A car leaving the North Hills Church of God Car and Bike Show in September pulled out in front of an oncoming car and caused it to flip around 360 degrees hitting a motorcycle and car participating in the show. This added a bit more excitement to the show than expected.

Another first in 2021 was my banishment from the Ohio Car Shows and Cruise-ins Facebook group in July. The reason for being banished was my disagreement with their decision not to approve the list of Central Ohio car events for the week of July 12-18. They decided not to publicize any events that might compete with their group car show at Knox County Fairgrounds that Saturday. Seriously? The group's stated purpose is to promote car shows and cruise-ins in and around the state of Ohio.

After 12 years of meeting on Saturday mornings, Columbus Cars and Coffee at Lennox Town Center was abruptly canceled in May after some participants leaving the meet displayed some very poor judgment. In November, the group started meeting on Saturdays again at The City Apartments -- formerly the old University City shopping center.

I know some of you may disagree with me -- especially everyone at the Vettes, Rods, and Classics show in August when a monsoon passed through Gahanna during the awards ceremony. But I thought the weather wasn't as big a factor this season as in prior years. Out of the hundreds of events scheduled only 15 were canceled or postponed becasue of weather. And most were postponed to a later date.

Speaking of postponed. Thanks to a forecast that turned out to be totally wrong (big surprise), the Performance Charity Car Show in downtown Delaware, Ohio was postponed from July to October. And boy did that turn out to be a good move. The weather on the October date was about as perfect as one could expect for a car show. The organizers liked the October date such much, they've decided to hold the 2022 show in October.

Top Ten:

At the end of every season, I post my ten favorite vehicles I saw at a show or cruise-in. Here are the ones that made me stop and take a second, third, or sometimes fourth look.

No. 10 - 2016 EZ Go Golf Cart model "Tow Mater" - Owner: Julie Brown


No. 9 - 1937 Humber Pullman Limo - Owner: Ryan Patten

No. 8 - Restomod 1969 Chevy Camaro - Owner: Unknown

No. 7 - 1959 Desoto Fireflite Sportsman - Owner: Kaylee Bickel

No. 6 - 1950's Jaguar XK 120 Coupe - Owner: Unknown

No 5. - 1947 Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan - Owner: Clement Thurn

No 4. - Restomod 1967 Chevy Camaro - Owner: Ed Stizza

No. 3. - 1962 Dodge Dart - Owner: Steve Brown

No. 2 - 1948 Chevy Pickup - Owner: Sam Parks

No. 1 - Legends of Rock Custom Built Motorcycle - Owner: Unknown

Favorite Photos:

Take 5500 photos and there's bound to be some favorites. Here are the ones that I think best capture the season.

Click or tap on a photo to enlarge and enter slideshow mode.

Final Thoughts:

2021 turned out to be another great year for car events in Central Ohio. Because of the reduced number of events in 2020, the sheer volume of events this season was staggering. There were a lot of Saturdays with more than 15 events on the schedule.

What I really enjoyed most about this year was the opportunity to get to know many members of the car community a little better. The people you meet and the friends you make are the main reasons car cruises are so special.

2021 also gave me a sneak peek at the future. The next generation of car enthusiasts is alive and well. They may not seek awards like our generation. And their autos may not be Chevys, Fords or Dodges, but they're proud of their rides and they like to hang out and talk cars just like we do. And that's what counts.

I want to take a moment to thank some folks who helped me compile the weekly reports. They reported on shows I didn't or couldn't attend (I still haven't figured out how to be in multiple places at once). Without their help the weekly News and Notes would not have been anywhere near as detailed.

My sincerest thanks goes out to:

  • Jeff Shankle - I know for a fact he took more car photos than I did
  • Dale Pearce - If Dale doesn't know about a show, it ain't happening
  • Dave Bratton - Great resource for show information
  • Mark & Cathy Krist - Did a great job of reporting in between planting and harvesting vegetables.
  • Dan Varner - Seems have the scoop before anyone else.

Unless there's some late-breaking news to report, I'm going to take some time off to recharge. I'm leaving for Florida at the end of December. I'll be back just in time for the start of the 2022 car show season. Look for the first installment of "Save the Dates for 2022" sometime in February. The list is already growing.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Holiday season. I look forward to seeing everyone again next year.

If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top of the page. This is a non-profit website. Rest assured your email address will NEVER be sold to marketers. There's no risk of more spam mail in your inbox if you subscribe.

Published on
1969 Plymouth Sport Fury Convertible
Owner: Dave Erickson

It's the Big One! It's Goodguys week! I thought it was going to be canceled again this year when the Governor closed the Ohio State Fair to the public. Just goes to show what I know. I guess cars trump cows, horses, and pigs.

The Crowne Plaza Columbus North-Worthington and Hilton Polaris are the host hotels so expect a lot of action at these locations after show hours.

Even if you're not planning on attending Goodguys, there are still plenty of Central Ohio events to choose from this week.

NEWS AND NOTES:

Der Dutchman:

With the threat of rain Thursday evening, only 114 cars showed up at the Der Dutchman Cruise-In in Plain City, Ohio. There was no food service. If you wanted something to eat you had to go into the restaurant. I don't know for sure but possibly management didn't think it was cost-effective to send out food and servers for only 100 cars. Something to watch out for as the season progresses. On the bright side, everyone who attended the cruise-in on Thursday was offered a free cup of ice cream to make up for the lack of food service.

Delaware First Friday:

Again this month, the organizers of First Friday in downtown Delaware, Ohio closed off a block of Sandusky Street just south of East William Street (Rt 36) for classic cars. About 50 cars participated in the event on Friday. You couldn't ask for a better evening of weather.

4th of July Show at Tony's Bar & Grille

Sixty-Four cars celebrated the 4th of July at Tony's Bar & Grille Friday evening in London, Ohio.

Our good friend, Russ Annis, took Best of Show honors with his 1967 Chevy Chevelle.

For more photos from the 4th of July Show at Tony's, click here.

Rod Knockers July Show - Marion, Ohio

The Rod Knocker's July show in Marion, Ohio registered 104 cars Saturday evening. It turned out to be a good evening for the Longenette vehicles. Stacie's 1948 Chevy pickup received a Top 25 award and Boots' Badd '57 Chevy was this month's Club's Pick.

To see more cars from the Rod Knockers show, click here.

Ye Olde Mill Rod Run - Utica, Ohio

The Newark Rodders Car Club held their annual Ye Olde Mill Rod Run on Saturday at the Velvet Ice Ye Olde Mill in Utica, Ohio. The club registered 103 cars. Click here for photos from the show.

Champaign Cruisers Firecracker July 4th Show - Urbana Ohio

As I mentioned last week, the biggest show of the weekend was going to be the Champaign Cruisers' Firecracker July 4th Show at Skelley Lumber Company in Urbana, Ohio. Not only was it the biggest show of the weekend, but it also set a new attendance record with 677 cars!

The Best of Show Award went to Dennis Miller with a 1937 Chevy Sedan.

Here are a few more cars from the Firecracker Show.

Special thanks this week to Jeff, Dave, and Russ for sending in car show photos.

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The mid-engine Corvette Reveal Tour at Chesrown Chevrolet-Buick-GMC in Delaware, Ohio featured the all-new hardtop convertible.

A steady crowd of Central Ohio car enthusiasts got a chance to touch, feel, sit in and ask questions about the new C8 Corvette.

Even yours truly got the opportunity to set his rear end in the car for a few moments.

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Published on 2 Comments on The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of 2017

As the end of the year rapidly approaches, It's a good time to take a moment to look back at the 2017 car show season.  I had planned to write this year-end recap  back in November, but family commitments, Thanksgiving, my spouse convalescing from a total knee replacement, and updates to the website delayed this by a few weeks.

Now that things have started to settle down a bit, let's look back at the good, the bad and the ugly of the 2017 season.

I managed to attend 80 events from January through November.  Of the 80 events, only six did I attend as a non-participant.

The list below reflects my opinion of the events I attended. In no way does it encompasses ALL the events that took place in Central Ohio during the season.  If you attended a show or cruise-in not on my list that you thought was exceptionally good or bad, please share it in the comments.  Feel free to also post a comment if you disagree with any of my choices.

Ok, so let's get started with the Good.

BEST REGISTRATION FEE CAR SHOWS:

  1. Champaign Cruisers 4th of July Car Show at Skelley's Lumbar Company in Urbana, Ohio.  You can tell the Cruisers have been doing this for 20 years.  The show is extremely well-organized. The club even goes as far as to mark off parking areas in the grass with spray paint.  There were plenty of food vendors,  nice door prizes, a unique venue, and great mix of vehicles from Ohio and Indiana.
  2. Vettes, Rods and Classic Car Show at the Creekside district in downtown Gahanna, Ohio.  Hosted by the Capital City Corvette Club, this show has grown steadily every year.  The Creekside district makes a unique venue for a car show.  There are plenty of restaurants in the district to meet most everyone's culinary tastes.  Judging is based on a point system, and awards are presented in two categories, one for the Corvettes and the other for the rods and classics.
  3. Cruisin' for a Cause at the Discover Church in Dublin, Ohio.  This show raises money for a different cause each year.  This year the cause was Duchene Muscular Dystrophy.  In addition to the cars, there's also a craft show and model car contest going on simultaneously.  Each year the show offers unique custom hand-made trophies.  All vehicles are thoroughly judged and awards are based on a point system.

Honorable Mention: The Purple Door Cruise In at the Grove City United Methodist Church, Spring Fling All Corvette Show at the Polaris Parkway Quaker Steak and Lube, and Cabela's Charity Car Show and Cruise In at the Cabela's store on Gemini Place in Columbus, Ohio.

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DER DUTCHMAN

After rain cancelled the previous week's cruise-in,  the fall-like weather on Thursday fueled a record 103 automobiles at the weekly Der Dutchman cruise-in in Plain City, Ohio.  This is the second cruise-in this season to see 100 or more vehicles.  This week also saw 18 participants new to the cruise-in.

Here's a sampling of autos from Thursday evening.

 

Host, Wayne Nisely, and his wife, Luella, raffled off 14 deserts and a $30 gift card at the  end of the cruise-in.  No question the Der Dutchman cruise-in is turning into a popular event on Thursday evenings.

CHESROWN FRIDAY NIGHT CRUISE

For the third year in a row, Chesrown Chevrolet, Buick, GMC held a cruise-in at their dealership on Rt. 23 the Friday evening before the Delaware downtown car show (formerly known as Blast from the Past) .

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