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NEWS AND NOTES
I have to begin this week’s News and Notes on a somber note. Richard McPeek passed away on September 12, 2025. Richard was a familiar face at car shows in and around the Newark and Licking County area, where he proudly showed his 1934 Ford Sedan. He will be deeply missed by all of us in the car community.
Der Dutchman Cruise-In a Special Evening for Wayne:
Thursday’s second-to-last Der Dutchman Cruise-In of the season was a memorable one for Wayne Nisly, who has managed the event since its beginning. Wayne was honored with the second annual Lifetime Achievement Award from the Speak for the Unspoken Car Show in recognition of his tremendous contributions to the Central Ohio car community.
Under Wayne’s leadership, the cruise-in has grown from just seven cars at its very first gathering in 2012 to an impressive 394 cars this past Thursday. More importantly, he has created a welcoming place where enthusiasts can share their passion for unique and beautiful cars, reconnect with old friends, and forge new friendships. His dedication has left a lasting impact on the Central Ohio car scene—this award was a heartfelt way of saying thank you.
Just a reminder — this week’s cruise-in will be the last one of the season. The following week is the annual end of the season banquet. If you haven’t signed up for the banquet, Thursday will be your final chance to do so.
Ford Vs Ferrari Car Show:
Valley Ford of Columbus hosted its 2nd Annual Ford vs. Ferrari Car Show on Friday evening.
Registration was $10, with all proceeds benefiting QFM96’s Red, White & Q Fund. While no official car count was taken, most attendees estimated between 150–200 vehicles, with Mustangs making up about 90% of the field.
Special guest Steve Saleen, the legendary designer behind Saleen Fords, was on hand signing autographs.
The event also featured a wide variety of food trucks—including some serving adult beverages—that kept the large crowd of spectators and participants well fed.
At the conclusion of the show, six awards were presented:
- Best Saleen Mustang
- Best Modern Classic
- Ladies’ Choice
- Mechanics’ Choice
- Dealer’s Choice
- Best of Show
Here are the six winners:
Best Saleen Mustang: Mathew Bates - 2004 Saleen Mustang
Best Modern Classic: Bob Foutty - 2001 Mustang SVT Cobra
Ladies' Choice: Chris Zakrzewski - 1969 Ford Mustang
Mechanics' Choice: Matt Goff - 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass
Dealers' Choice - Mike Charles - 1990 Saleen Sports Truck (Not Pictured)
The Best of Show honors went to Todd Damon and his 1966 Ford GT 40 Mark 2
While the winning cars were all impressive, the most eye-catching vehicle of the evening wasn’t a Mustang, Ford GT, or Ferrari—it was a one-of-a-kind 2007 Valarra Corvette, featuring a ProCharged LS2 motor and massive 25-inch, 405-series rear tires!
Although the show welcomed all makes and models, the overwhelming presence of Mustangs and the strong Ford turnout gave the evening a distinctly Ford-focused vibe—just what you’d expect from an event hosted by a Ford dealer.
Spectrum Support Car, Truck, and Bike Show:
The Hi-Way Starz Car Club hosted its second annual Spectrum Support Car, Truck, and Bike Show on Saturday at the Newark Eagles F.O.E. in Newark, Ohio. Registration was just $10, with all proceeds from entries, door prizes, and the 50/50 drawing benefiting Autism.
This year’s show featured the largest collection of door prizes I’ve seen anywhere, and the winning share of the 50/50 grew to an impressive $500 by the end of the day. Poppy’s Roadside Diner was also on site, serving up food and refreshments.
The Club registered 118 cars—16 more than last year—and presented an incredible 94 awards.
Among them were two special memorial awards: the Richard McPeek Memorial Award went to Bob Evans with his 1947 Chevy Coupe, while Mike Holcombe’s 1980 Ford Shay Reproduction of a 1929 Model A Roadster received the Mark Sheets Memorial Award.
1947 Chevy Coupe - Owner: Bob Evans
1980 Ford Shay Reproduction of a 1929 Model A Roadster - Owner: Mike Holcombe
The custom-made “Specialty” Awards included Best Bike, Best Truck, Best Mopar, Best Custom, Best Hot Rod, Best Chevy, Best Ford, Sexiest Ride, Best Import, Best Rat Rod, Best Work in Progress, and Best of Show.
Here are the "Specialty" Winning vehicles.
Steve and Nancy Kidwell took home the Best of Show honors with their 1938 Chevrolet Coupe—and judging by Steve’s expression, those custom awards were seriously heavy!
With great cars, a record turnout, and strong community support, the event not only celebrated automotive passion but also made a meaningful difference for Autism awareness and support.
Sons of the American Legion Post 11 Car Show:
The Sons of the American Legion (S.A.L.) Post 11 in Lancaster, Ohio, hosted its 5th Annual Car Show on Saturday. This year’s event drew 64 cars and trucks along with a handful of motorcycles. Judging was divided into classes by model year, with five trophies awarded per class, plus two Specialty categories for Best Rat Rod and Best Motorcycle. The Best of Show winner also earned $100 to go with the trophy.
Rod Scott captured the Best Truck award with his 1958 Dodge D100 Sweptside pickup, while the top honor of Best of Show went to Ken and Thelma Farmer for their 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback.
A special thanks goes out to Rod Scott for sharing his photos from the show.
Free Will Baptist Church Car Show and Cruise-In:
The Free Will Baptist Church in Reynoldsburg, Ohio hosted its car show and cruise-in on Saturday.
Here is Dave Bratton's report and photos from the show.
By my count, 21 cars and one motorcycle turned out for the show. Both food and registration were free, with donations accepted—and most people were happy to contribute.
The lineup featured the usual variety of vehicles, including a Mazda Miata with the largest Ford motor you could imagine crammed under the hood, and an off-road rig that looked like it had just come straight off the trails.
Awards were handled a little differently than at most shows. At 1:00 p.m. sharp, the pastor made his way around the lot, placing trophies in front of each winning vehicle. With no window cards to go by, it was a challenge to catch every award. Best of Show went to Randy Lovelace for his bright yellow 2002 Corvette.
Dr. Ron Rogers earned Best Truck with his 1950 Ford.
Pastor’s Pick landed with me.
The other three winners I wasn’t able to note.
All told, I enjoyed the format—short, simple, and wrapped up early.
Coughlin Chevrolet of Pataskala Car Show:
With free registration, free t-shirts, free food and drinks, and 100 custom awards, it’s no surprise this was the largest-attended Central Ohio car event of the weekend, drawing around 250 vehicles. For those interested, Rick Conti has posted a video of the show on his YouTube channel.
Speak for the Unspoken Car Show:
The Willis Spangler Starling Law Firm, in collaboration with the Columbus Mustang Club of Ohio, hosted the 4th Annual Speak for the Unspoken Car Show on Sunday. All proceeds benefited Speak for the Unspoken Rescue, a foster-based rescue group dedicated to helping dogs with special needs.
This year’s show featured 159 vehicles, with 79 of those pre-registered. Grandad’s Pizza kept attendees fueled with food and refreshments, while Ronni Hunter from 99.7 The Blitz once again served as master of ceremonies. Participants and guests enjoyed a wide range of door prizes along with a 50/50 raffle, which raised a total of $490. In a generous act, winner Rod Scott donated his half of the raffle back to the rescue.
A total of 70 awards were presented, including trophies for the Top 14 Mustangs, Top 40 Non-Mustangs, and 16 Specialty Awards.
The Specialty Awards included:
- Best Truck
- Best Ford
- Best Mopar
- Best GM
- Ronni's Pick
- Sponsor's Pick
- Puppy's Pick
- Best Engine
- Best Motorcycle
- Best Interior
- Best Foreign
- Best Paint
- First Responders Award
- Runner-up Best in Show
- Best in Show
Here are the Top Mustangs and Specialty Award Winners:
Runner-up Best in Show went to Chris & Ange Zakrzewski with their 1969 Ford Mustang.
Best in Show was awarded to Rod Scott for his 1958 DeSoto Firedome Sportsman.
The fourth annual show was the best yet in my opinion, and once again proved that a love for cars can help change the lives of dogs with special needs.
Other Area Car and Bike Events:
- Around 35 cars turned out on Saturday for the Columbus Auto Resale Car Show hosted by Auto Smarts Radio. Dale Pearce’s beautifully restored 1950 Chevy 3100 pickup earned him the Best Paint Award.
- On Sunday, Dale traveled to Washington Court House for the Scarecrow Festival Car Show, where he earned a Top 25 award out of roughly 50 cars in attendance.
- The Delaware Area Vintage Motorcycle and Coffee meet-up at Coastline Coffee in Delaware, Ohio enjoyed an excellent turnout on Sunday. With good weather, good company, and plenty of bikes to admire, folks stayed around longer than usual.
That’s a wrap for this week’s News and Notes. With today marking the official first day of fall, the summer car show season is undoubtedly starting to wind down. Still, fall brings its own special charm to the shows, along with the always-popular Trunk or Treat events.
Contributors this week include Dale Pearce, Jeff Shankle, Dave Bratton, and Rod Scott. A big thank you to each of them for their contributions!
Stay safe, stay cool, and keep those wheels rolling!