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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
46°
Partly Cloudy
7:17 am7:54 pm EDT
SatSunMonTueWed
59/30°F
54/41°F
66/54°F
73/64°F
73/43°F

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
46°
Partly Cloudy
7:17 am7:54 pm EDT
SatSunMonTueWed
59/30°F
54/41°F
66/54°F
73/64°F
73/43°F