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11

1977 Ford Bronco - Owner: Tera Womack

Another Central Ohio car show season has come to an end. As we put the cars away until next spring, it's time to look back at the memories that were made during the season that just ended.

As always, I must state the usual disclaimer. The opinions expressed in the following paragraphs are mine. They are from the events I attended and the vehicles l saw. If you agree or disagree with anything I've written, please free to post in the comment section. I'd love to know your thoughts.

THE STATS:

Okay, let's start off with some statistics about this past season.

  • From January through November, there were 1108 Central Ohio car events posted to carshowtalk.com. Clearly enough to keep anyone that loves cars very, very busy.
  • The month with the most events was July with 222.
  • The month with the least events was November with 16. No surprise there.
  • The week with the most events was August 14 -20 with 56.
  • There was a new post on carshowtalk.com 36 out of 52 weeks this year. Yes, the website kept me pretty busy.
  • There were reports or mentions on 274 of the 1108 events listed on carshowtalk.com.

PARTICIPATION AWARD:

I participated in 89 events in Ohio this year and I was a spectator at another four. This pales in comparison to the number of events these three Central Ohio cruisers participated in.

Jeff Shankle made it to 160 events breaking his personal best. Jeff Tolley did 240 car shows, cruise-ins, and swap meets. Dave O'Brien did a few more at 243 and says he still has some more to attend.

Left to Right: Dave O'Brien, Jeff Tolley, Jeff Shankle

I'm pretty confident no one else attended more events this year than those three. For Dave O'Brien and Jeff Tolley, it was almost a car show or cruise-ins every day.

CAR SHOWS, CRUISE-INS, MEET-UPS

Of all the car shows, cruise-ins, and meet-ups I attended this season, One stands out far above the rest. It was the Der Dutchman Cruise-in on June 8th celebrating the life of the late Luella Nisly, wife of Wayne Nisly.

That Thursday evening 617 cars and close to 1000 people were in attendance. The support from the Central Ohio car community for Wayne, Luella, and the cruise-in was amazing. Looking back at the crowd of people during the raffle drawing gave me goosebumps. It will be a cruise-in I will never forget.

Continuing with Der Dutchman, twice this year heavy rains overnight caused either cancellation of the cruise-in or partial closer of the main field because of standing water. This is the first time in the twelve-year history of the cruise-in that happened.

The Capital City Corvette Club's annual Vettes, Rods, and Classics in Gahanna, Ohio continues to be one of my top shows in the area. The Creekside District makes a great venue for a car show. Sprinkle in some "live" entertainment from the band Reeling in the Years. Then add in lots of community support, a great cause, and beautiful Corvettes and classic cars and you've got all the ingredients for a successful car show.

The Rod Knockers Car Club out of Marion, Ohio still managed to put on the best no-registration fee monthly car show in the area. The club did this despite a change in management at the Rural King which wasn't particularly car show friendly.

Sadly, the club announced after the last show in October that it had decided to take some time off to re-evaluate its direction moving forward. This means no more monthly car shows at the Rural King in Marion for the foreseeable future. These monthly shows will definitely be missed by a lot of folks in 2024.

Organized and promoted by Glayton Noggle, the Friday evening River Pop-up meets at Griggs Reservoir in Upper Arlington, Ohio turned out to be very popular by season's end. Clayton's military background made sure everyone followed the rules and it resulted in more people feeling comfortable enough to participate in the meet-ups. Attendance at the August 25th meet-up was estimated to be between 200 - 250 cars. Very impressive for a meet-up.

It's easy to take for granted Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals since it comes to town every year (2020 being the one exception). We are truly blessed to have an event like this in our backyard every July.

For anyone who loves cars, the show and the after-hours parties at the Crown Plaza and Polaris Hilton are like a kid in a candy store.

When it came to Goodguys Awards, Central Ohio was well represented this year.

Looking back, I participated in 14 events this year for the very first time. The one that stands out from the group is the Antique Car Show and Petroliana Swap on Memorial Day in Mt Victory, Ohio.

Cars parked all over people's lawns are something you don't see at many cruise-ins. Factor in the opportunity to view the oil and gas memorabilia in the outbuildings on Don Houchin's property and you soon realize the Mt Victory event is rather unique. I plan to go back next year.

Events that were my favorites in previous years, continued to be favorites again this year.

There's just something special about the cars, the crowd, and the venue that makes Columbus Cars and Coffee Arena District Meet something special.

If you own a Corvette or are into Corvettes, The Ohio Corvette Club Alliance Corvette Gathering in downtown Lancaster, Ohio is one of those events you definitely need to attend. It's essentially a BIG Cruise-in for Corvettes. This year the Gathering registered more than 400 Corvettes.

In July, the Toy Barn in Dublin, Ohio started hosting weekly meet-ups at the dealership. Each meet-up featured a different vehicle. One week it was All American Cars and Trucks. The next week it was BMW Night. After that it was Bourbon and Exotics, then Viper Night -- you get the picture.

I attended two of the meet-ups -- the All American Cars and Trucks and Corvette Night. Corvette Night turned out to be one of the most enjoyable events I did in 2023. I hung out that evening with Arch Mayer and Greg Hopkins, enjoyed a cold beer, and saw some beautiful Corvettes. Doesn't get much better than that in my book.

...continue reading "2023 Central Ohio Car Show Season in Review"

4

1938 Dodge 2 Dr Sedan - Owner: Bill Blackburn

The 2023 Central Ohio car show season has officially ended as far as judged shows. It was just posted on Facebook that there will be a cruise-in at Earthworks Cafe and Lounge in Newark, Ohio on November, 18th. If you're dying for one more car event before you put your car away, here you have it.

Here are the News and Notes from the final five Central Ohio car shows of 2023.

Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts Car Show:

Often referred to as the "Wheelbarrow Fire Pit" car show, Creative Automotive Auto Sales and the Advance Auto Parts Store in Marysville, Ohio hosted its final show of the year on November 3rd.

There were 26 cars in attendance and $145 was raised for the Marysville Food Pantry.

Here are the six "Favorite" car picks for this month:

In addition to the car awards, Jeff Shankle presented awards for Cruiser and Co-Cruiser of the Year.

Rex Dillion, Tim Inscho, and I received Co-Cruiser of the Year awards. The three of us only missed one show. I was in Florida for the April show so I had a good excuse.

Left to Right: Rex Dillion, yours truly, and Tim Inscho

The Cruiser of the Year award went to Jimmy Carmean and Rick Jones. They both attended all eight Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts shows this year. Rick has been Cruiser of the Year four out of the last five years.

Miller's Swap Meet and Car Show:

The 16th Annual Miller's Fall Swap Meet and Car Show took place on Saturday, November 4th at the Ross County Fairgrounds in Chillicothe, Ohio.

With plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the 60s, the car show registered 171 vehicles.

I didn't go far into the swap meet area but from what I was told by those that did it was huge.

The car show presented a total of 40 award plaques -- "Top 20" for cars '87 and older and "Top 20" for cars '88 and newer. In addition to the plaques, there were 13 "Special" trophies and two Best of Shows -- one for '87 and older and one for '88 and newer.

The club participation award went to the Street Kingz Car Club.

Here are the "Special" trophy winners:

The Best of Show winners:

  • '88 and Newer - Custom 1995 Chevy Camaro - Owner: Bob Kirst

  • '87 and Older - 1967 Chevy Nova SS - Owner: Charlie Seymour

Notice that Charlie is standing with two trophies. The one with "Best of Show" at the top will stay with the show promoter. Each year the cars and owner names that received Best of Show will be added to the base of the trophy.

Final Thoughts: This was my first Miller's Swap Meet and Car Show. It was worth the hour's drive from Columbus. I liked splitting the awards into older and newer cars. In my opinion, it gets more people to participate in the show and adds a larger variety of cars. No one can argue that is a bad thing.

...continue reading "Central Ohio Car Show News and Notes for November 2023"

2

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.

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1969 Plymouth Road Runner - Owner: Jason McKendrick

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NEWS AND NOTES

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

Despite the poor air quality caused by the Canadian wildfires, the weekly cruise-in at the Der Dutchman restaurant in Plain City, Ohio still drew 280 cars this past Thursday.

Auto Smarts Cruise & Ride at PCC Transportation:

Dan "Boots" Longenette and the Auto Smarts Radio team were in Circleville, Ohio on Saturday hosting a car and bike show at PCC Transportation.

Rain showers throughout much of the show caused an early end. The show registered 41 cars rain and all.

The Honor Flight Pick went to Chad Herrick and his 2018 Dodge Charger Daytona 392.

Rhonda Taylor's 1967 Ford Mustang GT 500 "Eleanor" Edition received the Best of Show honors.

Street Elite Corvette Club Open Car Show:

The Street Elite Corvette Club hosted its annual "open" car show at Foundation Park in Pataskala, Ohio on Saturday.

The show registered 65 cars and managed to stay relatively dry for the entire event.

Dale Pearce's 1950 Chevy 3100 pickup received the Chief of Police's Choice award.

The Best of Show award for classic cars went to Greg Spangler and his 1987 Buick Regal Grand National.

Mick Proxmire's 2002 Corvette received the Best of Show for Corvettes.

Crossroads Car, Truck, & Bike Show at Eldorado's Food & Spirits:

Frank Russell and the Crossroads Events team were in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday hosting the monthly car show at Eldorado's Food & Spirits.

The rain that had been predicted to arrive mid-afternoon never materialized. Everyone and every car stayed high and dry throughout the entire show.

The following are the top Eldorado's Food & Spirits picks for this month:

The owner of Eldorado's Food & Spirits selected the Best of Show winner. Her pick this month went to the 1961 Volkswagon Beetle of Mark Garrett.

The Point on Main Independence Day Car Show:

Another show that the rain skipped on Sunday was the Independence Day Car Show at the Point on Main Sports Bar and Grill.

Hosted by Shaun "Big Dawg" Saunders and the C-Town Cruisers, the show registered 63 cars. The Best of Show went to Mark Evans with a 1969 Chevy Camaro.

Junction City Independence Day Car Show:

Junction City, Ohio held its 24th annual Independence Day car show on Sunday. Wet roads in the morning kept some cruisers at home. The show ended up registering 40 cars.

Our good friends, Anthony Musick, and Dale Pearce, received Best Mopar and Best Truck awards respectively.

The Best of Show award went to Melody Thomas and her 1963 Split-Window Corvette.

I'm going to end this week's News and Notes with a slideshow I put together from the photos Jeff Shankle took at three cruise-in/meet-ups this past weekend. The three were Honda Marysville Motorsports Car & Bike Night, Columbus Cars & Coffee at The City Apartments, and Marysville Motors Monthly Meet-up at Ramsey's Pizza and Pub.


Here is this week's News and Notes contributors:

  • Jeff Shankle
  • Chad Herrick
  • Anthony Musick
  • Dale Pearce
  • Phil Monroe
  • Mark Mitchell

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

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Fourth of July. God Bless America!

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28

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.

R.I.P.

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

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.

4

2008 Chevy HHR Panel - Owner: Chris Wise

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NEWS AND NOTES

There were a lot of final shows of the season this week.

Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts Car Show

Creative Automotive and the Advanced Auto Parts Store in Marysville, Ohio held its October car show on Friday evening.

The show had 19 cars in attendance and raised $155 from door prizes and a 50/50 raffle for the local food pantries.

Here are the three vehicles the manager of the Advanced Auto Parts Store picked for awards.

1948 Chevy Coupe - Owner: Rex Dillon
1977 GMC 4x4 Pickup - Owner: Tim Inscho
1948 Ford F1 - Owner: John Cordell

November 11 will be the Last Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts Car show of the season. I've been told that the wheelbarrow and firewood are ready to go.

Empty Pocket Cruisers Trunk or Treat Car Show

The Empty Pocket Cruisers and the Hilliard Presbyterian Church in Hilliard, Ohio hosted their 9th Annual Trunk or Treat Car Show on Saturday. Not sure what it is about this show, but it really brings out the Halloween spirit in folks to do this to their cars.

The show registered 147 cars. Trick or Treating "officially" took place from 1 -3 PM. And let me tell you there were a lot of trick-or-treaters this year. My 365-piece bag of candy was gone well before the awards were presented!

Speaking of awards, The Empty Pocket Cruisers presented plaques to the "Favorite 40" cars, trucks, and motorcycles along with a Church's Choice, Kid's Choice, DJ's Choice, and Sponsor's Choice. Because of Halloween, there were also award plaques for Best Decoration and Best Costume for both adults and children.

Here are the best-decorated cars:

Here are some of the best costumes:

The Special Award winners:

KID's CHOICE - 2012 Mini Countrymen - Owner: Christina Czekalski
PASTOR'S CHOICE - 1940 Plymouth P-10 - Owners: Phillip & Julie Miller
DJ'S CHOICE - 1946 Ford Coupe - Owner: Bob Kirst
SPONSOR'S CHOICE - 1964 Chrysler 300K - Owners: Anthony & Carol Moye

For the rest of the cars and scenes from the Empty Pockets Trunk or Treat Show, CLICK HERE.

Eldorado's Car, Truck, and Bike Show

On Sunday, Frank Russell and the Crossroads Event team hosted their final show of the season at Eldorados Pizza/Spirits in Columbus, Ohio.

With near-perfect weather for October, the show registered 50 cars. There were door prizes plus a 50/50 raffle. At the end of the show, more than 30 trophies were presented including a variety of specialty categories.

The Best in Show award went to Viki and Don Campbell with a 1934 Chevy Master Sedan. Vicki and Don drove 120 miles one-way to attend the show.

CLICK HERE to see all the specialty category winners and the rest of the cars from the Eldorados show.

Cruis'in O'Reilly Auto Parts 2022

On Sunday, the Pastime Cruisers held its final show of the season at the O'Reillys Auto Parts store on Harrisburg Pike in Columbus, Ohio.

The show registered between 35 -40 cars. Awards were presented to the "Favorite" 25 and a Manager's Choice.

The final Manager's Choice award for 2022 went to the 1947 Cadillac of Craig Coleman.

For more cars from the O'Reillys show, CLICK HERE.

Other Area Shows

  • More than 60 cars turned out for the Mid Ohio Cruisers' final show of the season at the Burger King in Marysville, Ohio on Saturday evening.
  • Two Rusty Lug Nut members received awards at the New Beginnings Church Cruise-N-Shop Show in Ashville, Ohio on Saturday. Dale Pearce received the Furthest Driven and People's Choice awards and Anthony Musick received the Best Mopar.
  • Sunday Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman held his annual Wooden Nickel Cruise-In at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center in Springfield, Ohio. There were almost 200 cars in attendance.
  • The 1965 Ford Falcon belonging to Steven DeMatteo took home the Best of Show honors at the FOP Associate Car Show in Whitehall, Ohio on Sunday.

Special thanks to Jeff Shankle, Dale Pearce, Brian Thompson, and Dave Bratton for their help in preparing this week's report.

Central Ohio Forecast
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7:32 am5:08 pm EST
8 am9 am10 am11 am12 pm
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4

2002 Chevy Corvette - Owner: Mick Proxmire

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NEWS AND NOTES

Wednesday Evening Cruise at Grace Chapel

Jeff and Pam Shankle and Dan "Boots" Longenette from Auto Smarts Radio stopped by the Grace Chapel Church in Westerville, Ohio on Wednesday evening for its weekly cruise-in. About 50 cars were in attendance this week. Boots drove his award-winning "burn out" machine.

The Pastor announced that the church will continue to host the Wednesday cruise-in until the end of October. A food truck is on-site most Wednesdays for anyone wanting food and refreshment. Times for the cruise-in are typically 6 - 9 PM.

Der Dutchman Thursday Cruise-In

Attendance is creeping up at the Thursday evening cruise-in at Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City, Ohio. Two weeks ago attendance was 302 cars. Last week it was 309 and this week it was 340. With any luck, the 400 mark will be broken before the cruise-in ends in three weeks.

This week's "Unique Vehicle" award goes to Jim R. and his Ultima RS. The car's power plant is GM's LT5 engine which was only available in the 2019 Corvette ZR1. Jim's car is making close to 800 HP to the rear wheels!

Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts Car Show

The September Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts Car Show in Marysville, Ohio on Friday evening featured 32 cars.

The event was the first car show for Carol and Steve Atwell's 1928 Ford Model A 2 Dr Sedan.

The show raised $210 for the Marysville and Milford Center food banks.

This month's picks were:

1969 Chevy Chevelle - Owner: Cliff Small
1928 Ford Model A 2 Dr Sedan - Owners: Carol & Steve Atwell
1957 Ford Thunderbird - Owner: Jimmy Carmean

Columbus Cars and Coffee Meet at Esoteric

Per usual, the Columbus Cars and Coffee meet at Esoteric Fine Auto Finishing in New Albany, Ohio had another great turnout of cars and spectators Saturday morning.

The meet had a nice mix of classic, muscle, and exotic cars. Just like the Toy Barn show two weeks ago, the arrival of the Lamborghinis attracted a crowd.

To see more from Saturday's Columbus Cars and Coffee meet, CLICK HERE.

Delaware Christian Church Car, Truck, & Motorcycle Show

The Delaware Christian Church in Delaware, Ohio hosted its second annual Car Show on Saturday. Last year the church registered a little over 50 cars. This year the number of registered cars reach 71 with another half-dozen or so attending but not registering. The registration fee was whatever you wanted to donate.

There were door prizes and a 50/50 raffle. Awards were presented to the Top 25 along with three special awards. The special awards were Pastor's Choice, Best of Show motorcycle, and Best of Show car/truck.

The Special Award winners included:

Pastor's Choice Award - 2021 Ford F150 - Owner: Joe Lyons
Best of Show Motorcycle - 2009 Harley Davidson - Owner: Tony Ford
Best of Show Car/Truck - 1964 Chevy Nova II SS - Owner: Diana Chalfant

CLICK HERE to see the rest of the automobiles from the Delaware Christian Church show.

Auto Smarts Radio Cruise and Ride At Columbus Auto Resale

Dan "Boots" Longenette and the Auto Smarts Radio Cruise and Ride crew were at Columbus Auto Resale on Saturday. The show registered 38 cars.

Our good friend Jeff Shankle took Best Interior with his 1950 Ford F1 pickup.

The Best of Show award went to the 1967 Chevy Chevelle of Craig Massie.

Heart of Grove City Patriots Day Car Show

Shaun "Big Dog" Sanders and the C-Town Cruisers were hosts for the 2nd Annual Heart of Grove City, Ohio Patriots Day Car Show.

The show registered a little over 60 cars. The Best Truck award went to Loy Oberer with a 1955 Ford F-100 pickup.

The 1932 Ford five Window of Gus O'Day took home the Best of Show honors.

Lite the Nite Car Show

The big event on Saturday was the 37th Annual Light the Nite Car Show at the Courthouse Square in Newark, Ohio. This year the show registered more than 420 cars.

The event helps support the holiday lighting of the courthouse in Newark and other charities. This year the show also honored the late Jim Matheny who helped organize the Nite the Light show for many years.

The awards were four and six-foot trophies. Dale Pearce used every inch of the truck bed in his 1950 Chevy 3100 pickup to bring home his six-foot award.

Wings and Rings Car, Truck, & Bike Show

My original plan was to attend the All Corvette Gathering in Lancaster, Ohio on Sunday. But rain between my house and Lancaster killed that plan. Luckily the showers mainly stayed south and east of my location.

Plan B was to find a dry car show relatively close to home. This turned out to be the Crossroads Events show at the Wings and Rings in Lewis Center, Ohio.

This was the second show at the restaurant this year. Both this show and the previous show have faced less-than-ideal weather. A final show of the season is scheduled for October 9th. Hopefully, "third times a charm" will kick in and give them a beautiful day of weather.

With 23 cars, trucks, and bikes in attendance, the Best of Show awards went to Steve Barry with a 1999 Harley Davidson Heritage Springer and "DW" Warren Dorilen with a 2014 Maserati Ghibili.

Riverside Dairy Car Show

The Riverside Dairy Car Show in Mount Vernon, Ohio was originally scheduled for August 21st but was postponed to Sunday because of the weather.

The show registered 45 cars. Awards were presented for 3rd place, 2nd place, and Best of Show for both cars and trucks. Not only was there a trophy for each award winner but also a cash prize. The Best of Show winners received $100. Second and third place winners received $75 and $50 respectively.

Best of Show Car went to Harry Squires with a 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS.

Steve Andrix's 1948 Chevy Pickup received the Best of Show Truck award.

Jeff Shankle's 1950 Ford F1 received the 2nd Place Truck award so drinks are on Jeff this week.

Other Area Shows:

  • The Empty Pockets Cruisers had over 120 cars in attendance for its Patriots Day Car Show in Hilliard, Ohio on Saturday
  • Despite the rain, 200 plus crazy Corvette owners turned out for the All Corvette Gathering in Lancaster, Ohio.
  • Our good friend Dale Pearce took home the Mayor's Choice and the Kid's Choice awards at the 17th Annual Gahanna Community Church Car Show

Whew! That's it for this week. A big thank you to Jeff Shankle, Dale Pearce, and Mark Mitchell for their help in preparing this week's report.

Central Ohio Forecast
21°
Fair
7:32 am5:08 pm EST
8 am9 am10 am11 am12 pm
21°F
23°F
28°F
32°F
34°F
ThuFriSatSunMon
54°F / 41°F
46°F / 45°F
54°F / 39°F
55°F / 39°F
46°F / 37°F

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