This is the final News & Notes for the 2024 Central Ohio car show season. It covers events from the first two weekends of November.
November 1st - 3rd
Creative Auto Group/Advanced Auto Parts Car Show (November 1st):
The wheelbarrow fire pit made its annual appearance at the final Creative Auto Group/Advance Auto Parts Car Show of the year.
With temperatures dropping into the upper 40s, the wheelbarrow was a welcome addition to the show.
16 cars were in attendance. Door prizes and a 50/50 raffle raised $110 for the Trinity Chapel Milford Center Food Pantry.
Normally three cars are picked to receive an award each month but for the last show, a Best of Show Award was added.
This month's picks were Rex Dillon and his 1936 Dodge Sedan, Tony Lorenz with a 1949 Ford Custom, and Nicholas Mathews with a 2016 Dodge Charger SRT.
The Best of Show Award went to Scott Harring's 1964 Chevy Impala SS.
The final awards presented on Friday evening went to Jimmy Carmean and Marty Ruiz for Cruisers of the Year. Both Jimmy and Marty made it to every show this year but one.
Mark your calendar. The monthly Creative Auto Group/Advanced Auto Parts Shows will resume again in March 2025.
Miller's Swap Meet & Car Show (November 2nd):
The Miller family hosted its fall Swap Meet and Car Show at Ross County Fairgrounds in Chillicothe, Ohio on Saturday, November 2nd.
The morning temperatures were on the "chilly" side, but by noon, they warmed up enough to make it almost a perfect day for a swap meet and car show.
The car show registered 206 cars beating last year's fall car show attendance by 35 cars.
The unique thing about the car show is the Top Awards and Best of Show are divided into two categories - cars 1987 and older and cars 1988 and newer. There were Top 20 plaques for each category (40 total), plus two Best of Show trophies along with 14 "Special" Award Trophies.
The "Special" Awards included:
- Best GM
- Best Ford
- Best Mopar
- Best Import
- Best Race Car
- Best Rat Rod
- Promoter's Choice (x2)
- Best Truck
- Best Sedan/Wagon
- Best Corvette '82 and Older
- Best Corvette '84 and Newer
- Best "Low-Rider"
- Best Street Rod
The two vehicles chosen Best of Show not only receive a trophy to take home, but they also have their name engraved on the John Riley Trophy. John won the Best of Show trophy in 2021 and donated it back requesting that it be carried on year after year. The names only go on it from the fall show.
Here are the "Special" Trophy Winners:
C7 Corvette Z06 - Owner: David Edlin
1968 Volkswagen Maxi Taxi - Owner: Darren Fina
1979 Ford Mustang Pace Car - Owner: Bill Brown
1958 Chevy Panel - Owner: Rod Rice
1969 Corvette - Owner: Jim Hice
1964 Ford Falcon Gasser - Owner: Steve Hatfield
1953 Ford COE (Cab Over Engine) - Owner: Roger Campbell
1957 Chevy Bel Air - Owner: Jeff Hass
2002 Chevy S10 - Owner: Jeff Ward
1969 Dodge Superbee - Owner: J.D. Knisley
1935 Ford Truck - Owner: Piece-N-Grease
1972 Chevy Nova - Owner: Jeff Britton
1955 Chevy Bel Air - Owner: Mark Timberlake
1930 Ford Coupe - Owner: Jay Schott
The Best of Show for 1987 and Older went to Kurt Finton and his 1937 Studebaker "Hellcat" pickup.
Danny McClellan's 2012 "Supercharged" Camaro SS was selected Best of Show for 1988 and Newer.
Here are some Central Ohio Top 20 winners :
2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse
2016 Dodge Challenger
2010 Dodge Challenger
1938 Chevy Business Coupe
1959 Chevy Biscayne
1968 Dodge Charger
1977 Chevy Malibu Wagon
1950 Chevy 3600 Pickup
This is my second year participating in the Fall Miller's Swap Meet and Car Show and I have to say it's one of the better events in the area. I like how they have older and newer categories. It's probably the reason attendance broke the 200 mark this year. The weather also helped.
The Point on Main Street Car Show (November 2nd):
Big Dawg and the C-Town Cruisers hosted their second-to-last show of the season at The Point on Main Street Sports Bar & Grill in Columbus, Ohio.
There were awards for the Top 30, Ladies' Choice, and Best of Show.
Fred Pitz and his 1981 Chevy Malibu was selected Best of Show.
Crossroads Car, Truck, & Bike Shows at Cristy's Pizza & West Church Social (November 2nd & 3rd):
Frank Russell and the Crossroads Events team hosted two shows over the weekend. On Saturday, they were at a new host in Baltimore, Ohio, Cristy's Pizza.
H. Brennan with a 1947 Chevy Convertible received the Veteran Owned Award.
Best in Show went to Scott Varney's 1956 Oldsmobile Super 88.
On Sunday, the team traveled to Newark, Ohio to host the West Church Social Car Show.
The Veteran Owned Award went to the 1963 Chevy Nova belonging to Dave Sidle.
Best in Show honors went to Hod Brennan's 1932 Ford Coupe.
November 9 - 12
Crossroads Car, Truck, & Bike Shows at Steak 'n Shake and Wings & Rings (November 9th & 11th):
Frank Russell and the Crossroads Events team hosted their final two shows of the season this past Saturday and Monday.
The team was at the Steak 'n Shake in Newark, Ohio on Saturday. At the end of the show, 33 awards were presented.
In honor of Veterans Day, two Veteran Owned Vehicle Awards were given out. The first award went to Bob Harmon with a 1955 Ford Thunderbird convertible.
The second Veteran Owned Award went to Darmie and his 2024 Tesla Model 3 Performance.
The Best in Show pick went to Jeff Tolley's 1965 Chevy C-10 pickup.
The show at the Wings & Rings in Lewis Center was originally scheduled for Sunday. However, due to a forecast of rain most of the day, it was moved to Monday.
Along with the usual award categories, this show added a "Best of the Best" category for all the Best in Show winners from all the Crossroad events this season.
I haven't figured out how to clone myself and my cars to be in two places at once and already had committed to the Veterans Day Car Show at the American Legion Post on South High Street. Bummer!
At the end of the Wings & Rings Show, the Crossroads team handed out 73 trophies.
The Veteran Owned Vehicle Award went to Leon Biller with a 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible.
The Best in Show selection was Terry Hommel's 2000 Dodge Prowler.
Steve Kidwell's 1938 Chevy Business Coupe received the "Best of the Best" Award.
American Legion Canteen Post #144 Veterans Day Car Show (November 11th):
The C-Town Cruisers hosted its annual Veterans Day Car Show at the American Legion Canteen Post #144 on South High Street.
Sadly, the Veterans Day Show always marks the last show of the season for the C-Town Cruisers.
Monday's show registered 63 vehicles. The Vienna Door Company once again sponsored the trophies, which included "Top 30" and Best of Show.
The Best of Show honor went to Glenn Frisby and his 1955 Chevy Bel Air.
Here are the "Top 30" winners along with the rest of the vehicles that participated in the Veterans Day Car Show:
Well, that's it, folks. I don't know of any more Central Ohio Car Shows for the rest of 2024. There are still some cruise-ins and cars & coffee around the area weather permitting.
I want to thank Russ Annis and Frank Rusell for contributing content to this News and Notes report.
My final post of 2024 will be a look back at the 2024 season. I hope to have it posted before Thanksgiving so keep an eye out for that.
Stay safe and see you at the next car show or cruise-in.
Awesome man can't wait to see the final reviews on this year. You have truly taken it to a new level . Love the sight and professionalizm you incorperate into it. Had some good times with you this year. Hope the best for you and yours on the upcoming Holidays my Friend. Thanks Buddy ...
Thanks, Dale!
I appreciate all the content you provided this year. With your help we really covered a lot more events this year.
I enjoyed sitting around shooting the breeze with you at many car show. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Holiday. Stay safe my friend. I look forward to doing this again next year with your help.
Thanks for all you do for the car community! I’m the one that fell and broke my arm this season. So this year was kinda a bust for me. However, I still enjoyed all the pictures and videos! Has me looking forward to next season already! I should be in better condition by then. I’m just too old to do my own stunts! So, thanks again! You are definitely appreciated! Till next year! 🫡😎
Hello Bart!
I was at the Conkey show when you fell. That grass area inside the Franklin County Fairgrounds is a terrible venue for a car show. I almost fell several times that day because of all the ruts and roots in that field. If you read my report on the Conkey Classic, you'll see that I wrote that I will never do another car show at that location again. As you unfortunately found out, it's too dangerous for us older cruisers. I sent an email to one of the Conkey family members expressing my displeasure with the venue. She assured me they were looking for a different place to host the show in 2025. Let's hope so.
We certainly missed you and your Venom Pickup this season. I'm glad to hear you're on the mend and will be back for the 2025 season.
I'm also glad to hear you enjoyed the website and that it helped keep you up-to-date with what's going on in the Central Ohio car community.
I know speak for a lot of the community when I say we look forward to seeing you out there next spring.