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1957 Ford Fairlane 500 - Owner: Gary Simpson

This week the Trunk or Treat shows begin in full force. Better stock up on bags of Halloween candy.

Monday (October 16):

  • No Events Found

Tuesday (October 17):

  • No Events Found

Wednesday (October 18):

Thursday (October 19):

Friday (October 20):

Saturday (October 21):

Sunday (October 22):


For the most comprehensive list of events for the remainder of the season in Central Ohio, check out the "Save the Dates for 2023" page. There's also a quick link in the menu at the top of the page.


If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. 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.


NEWS AND NOTES

I have to start out this week's News and Notes by announcing the passing of several Central Ohio car community members.

Don Kirk passed away on October 7th at the age of 89. Many of you will recognize Don by his orange 1970 Chevy Nova. Don and his sons, Chuck and Dan, have been regulars on the Central Ohio car show scene for years. Don was still participating in car shows right up until his passing. Our condolences go out to the Kirk family.

Last year Max Spraque helped organize a car show at SVG Motors in Washington Court House to help raise money for Julie Posey. Julie was a veteran in need of a double lung transplant. Unfortunately, Julie passed away on October 10th. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family.

Creative Auto Sales/Advanced Auto Parts Monthly Car Show:

Creative Auto Sales and the Advanced Auto Parts store in Marysville, Ohio hosted their October car show this past Friday.

With an evening of perfect weather, the show had 25 cars in attendance and raised $175 for the Milford Center Food Pantry.

This month the show awarded trophies to its six "Favorite" cars:

The last Creative Auto Sales/Advanced Auto Parts show of the season with be on Friday, November 3rd. Please note this is the FIRST Friday in November instead of the usual second Friday. Jeff Shankle is leaving right after the show for warmer weather in Florida. How dare he!

Performance Charity Car Show:

It was a wet Saturday for the 29th Annual Performance Charity Car Show in downtown Delaware, Ohio.

By noon there were 150 to 160 cars in attendance. Total attendance reached 168 by the end of the show. The number of pre-registered cars was in the 260 range so a good number of people stayed home because of the rain.

Some folks got very creative trying to keep their cars dry.

Dan Varner's 1960 Cadillac DeVille received the Best Cadillac Award.

Rod Scott received the Best Mopar Award for his 1958 Dodge D100 pickup and a Top 100 Award for his 1958 Desoto Firedome Sportsman.

At the awards presentation, it was announced that the 2024 show will again be the second Saturday in October.

KSM Youth Sports Trunk or Treat:

KSM Youth Sports out of Powell, Ohio hosted its first-ever trunk or treat car show on Sunday. Proceeds from the event went to support the Cure Starts Now, a grassroots effort to cure ALL cancers.

Chad Herrick and I attended the show not sure what to expect. Turns out the show was more treat than the trunk. The organizers said they had registered around 700 kids and I believe it. I went through a 350-piece bag of candy in under an hour.

The cars that were there had decorated trunks with bowls full of candy to give out. Chad had his crew of skeletons set up. Liberty Township even brought one of its fire trucks to the event.

The show presented nine trophies, six for the cars and three for costumes. Chad went home with the Best Theme and Attendees Choice awards. All in all, it was a fun afternoon for both the adults and kids.

Car, Truck, and Bike Show @ Walmart:

Doreen Baker and company held its last show of the season on Sunday at the Walmart in London, Ohio. This last show was a trunk-or-treat Halloween theme.

There were just under 40 cars in attendance. Cadillac Mac's 2015 Ford Coyote received the Best of Show award.

Dale Pearce's 1950 Chevy 3100 pickup took home the People's Choice award.

David Elliot's 1957 Chevy Bel Air and Russ Annis's 1967 Chevy Chevelle SS received Top 20 awards.

Wooden Nickel Cruise-In:

DJ Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman proceeded over the annual Wooden Nickel Cruise-In on Sunday at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center in Springfield, Ohio. An estimated 200 plus cars were in attendance.

For those not familiar with the wooden nickel, you can purchase one for a dollar at any show throughout the season when Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman is the DJ. The money collected from the sale of the nickels is then raffled off in increments at the Wooden Nickle Cruise-in at the end of the season.

This year there was a total cash giveout of $3850. There were 20 envelopes containing $100 and 37 envelopes with $50.

Jeff Shankle and Dave Bratton were kind enough to share their photos from the cruise-in. CLICK HERE to see the some of vehicles that attended the event.

Other Area Shows:

Unfortunately, the rain and cold temperatures this past weekend kept attendance low at many shows.

I'm going to finish this week's report with some photos from the Madison County Senior Center Cruise-in and the Central Township Firefighters Car Show.


A big thanks to the following people for sending photos and info for this week's News and Notes:

  • Dave Bratton
  • Dale Pearce
  • Jeff Shankle
  • Russ Annis

I hope everyone has a good week! Stay safe. Next Monday, look for a new list of Central Ohio car events and a News and Notes report. There are not too many weeks left in the season.

Central Ohio Forecast
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2001 Pontiac Firebird - Owner Thomas Longfellow

Monday (September 11):

Tuesday (September 12):

Wednesday (September 13):

Thursday (September 14):

Friday (September 15):

Saturday (September 16):

Sunday (September 17):


For the most comprehensive list of future events in Central Ohio, check out the "Save the Dates for 2023" page. There's also a quick link in the menu at the top of the page.


If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. 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.


NEWS AND NOTES

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

Light sprinkles kept attendance down on Thursday. The total number of cars reached 120 cars by the end of the cruise-in. A lot of those cars came after 6 PM when the threat of rain subsided. Six of those cars were first-timers.

Only three more Thursday evening cruise-ins left in the season. This Saturday morning will be the annual Coffee and Donut Cruise-In. If you haven't had a chance to make it out this year, time is running out.

Creative Auto Sales/Advanced Auto Parts Car Show:

Creative Auto Sales and the Advanced Auto Parts store in Marysville, Ohio held their September car show on Friday evening.

The show registered 25 cars and raised over $100 for the local food pantries.

This month four cars received "Favorite" trophies. Three were selected by the manager of the Advanced Auto Parts store and one was selected by Jeff Shankle's grandson, MJ.

MJ's pick went to Ben LaWarre and his 1950 Chevy Truck.

The manager's "Favorite" picks were Chris and Ange Z. with a 1969 Ford Mustang, Jeff Guyer and his 1963 Ford Galaxie 500, and Nicholas Mathews with a 2016 Dodge Charger SRT.

Bud "Pockets" Carter Memorial Car Show:

Relatives of Richard "Bud, Pockets" Carter hosted a memorial car show in his honor on Saturday at the Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City, Ohio.

Bud, who passed away last November, was a lifelong "car guy". He was a member of Goodguys and the NSRA. He was a regular at the Der Dutchman Cruise-Ins on Thursdays.

The show in Bud's memory registered 62 cars. Everyone who registered a vehicle received a door prize ticket. There was also a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle.

Awards included 20 "Favorite" trophies plus trophies for Best Rat Rod, "Piston Man", Best Interior, Best Paint, and Best of Show. The Best Rat Rod and Piston Man trophies were handmade from car parts and tools.

Here are the "Special" Award winners:

The Best of Show went to Scott Varney and his recently completed Oldsmobile Super 88.

Springdale Baptist Church Hot Rods and Hot Food:

Springdale Baptist Church in Marysville, Ohio hosted its annual Hot Rods and Hot Food cruise-in on Saturday evening.

Approximately 20 cars stopped by during the evening. Hot dogs, chips, and water were available for a small donation.

It was a pleasant low-key evening relaxing with friends and talking cars. You need those kinds of car events every now and again.

Empty Pockets Patriot Day Car Show:

The Empty Pockets Cruisers Car Club hosted its Patriot Day car show on Saturday.

There were about 60 cars in attendance.

The DJ's Choice went to the 1969 Dodge Charger R/T (General Lee) owned by Josh Wilkerson.

The Best of Show pick went to Kenny Hugues and his 1978 Lincoln Continental.

Hocking Township Firefighters Association Car Show:

With the help of the Lancaster Car Scene (LCS), the Hocking Township Firefighters Association hosted a car show at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds in Lancaster, Ohio. The show had 60 cars in attendance on Saturday.

The Old Goats Car Club received the Top Club Award. The club members also took home a good bit of hardware.

Mark Robinette and his 1972 Chevy Chevelle SS took home the Best of Show honors.

Marysville Walmart Car Show:

The Walmart in Marysville, Ohio hosted its 10th Annual Car Show on Saturday evening.

All proceeds from the show went to the Union County Military Family Support Group (www.ucmfsg.com).

Sixty-five cars attended the show.

Steve and Carol Atwell's 1928 Ford Model A 2dr Sedan received the Manager's Choice Award (aka Best of Show). The Award also included a 50-inch flat-screen television.

The Capital City Church Classic Car/Bike Show and Fish Fry:

The Capital City Church in Lockbourne, Ohio held its 6th Annual Classic Car/Bike Show and Fish Fry On Saturday.

There were sixty entries.

Judging was done using a points system. Here is the sample judging sheet.

Awards were presented to the "Favorite 25" along with several "Special" Awards.

Best Bike went to Randy Armentrout with a 2017 Harley Davidson.

Don Kirk's 1970 Chevy Nova received the Pastor's Choice. Don is 90 years old and still "rowing gears"!

Carol Benson and Her 1963 Chevy C10 pickup was selected Runner-up Best of Show.

The Best of Show honors went to Craig Grunkenmeyer and his 1967 Corvette convertible.

Lite the Night Car Show:

The Lite the Nite Car Show took place on Saturday in downtown Newark, Ohio. The show has been a tradition in Newark for 38 years.

The event is organized by the family of the late Jim Matheny and the Newark Rodders Car Club. Proceeds from the show help support the lighting of the Licking County Court House during the holidays.

Four-foot and six-foot trophies are awarded to the most popular vehicles on display. Sponsors of the trophies assist with the judging.

This year the event registered 540 cars with 40 more cars participating that did not register. There were 30 four-foot and 40 six-foot trophies awarded at the end of the show.

Our good friend, Dale Pearce, and his 1950 Chevy 3100 pickup received one of the six-foot trophies.

Corvette Gathering:

The Alliance of Ohio Corvette Clubs held its 18th Annual Corvette Gathering in downtown Lancaster, Ohio on Sunday.

The event is one giant cruise-in for Corvettes. Everyone received a commemorative plaque and door prize ticket with their $15 dollar registration fee.

There was also a silent auction and hourly 50/50 raffles. Vendors of parts, accessories, and services were also present.

With the weather on Sunday just about ideal, the Gathering registered 420 Corvettes.

Here's a little slide show from the Corvette Gathering. It was almost as fun checking out the vanity license plates as it is seeing all the Corvettes.

The Point on Main Street Patriot Day Car Show:

Shaun "Big Dawg" Sanders and the C-Town Cruises were once again at The Point on Main Street hosting their monthly show at the Sports Bar and Grill in Columbus, Ohio. This month the show was in honor of Patriot Day recognizing those who had lost their lives on 9/11.

There were 56 cars in attendance on Sunday.

Jeff Ward's 2002 Chevy S-10 Lowrider received the Most Patriotic award. Jeff also won the 50/50 raffle.

The Best of Show award went to Bart and Stephanie Triplett and their 2018 Ram 1500 Sport R/T with a supercharged Hell Cat engine.

Old Goats members took home some of the "Top 30" awards.

Crossroads Events Saturday and Sunday Car Shows:

The Crossroads Event team hosted two shows this past weekend. On Saturday, the team was at Deer Creek State Park. They were back in Lewis Center on Sunday for the monthly show at the Wings and Rings restaurant.

Dave Muller and his 1960 Rambler Classic received the Best of Show honors at the Deer Creek State Park show.

The "Spotlight" car for the Wings and Rings show was all Pontiac vehicles. GM and Pontiac expert, Steve Schaeffer, helped pick the Spotlight car.

Steve Wallace's 1976 Pontiac Trans Am took home the Spotlight Award.

The Larry Bickers Daily Driver Award went to the 1968 Chevy II/Nova of Ben Shirley.

David Elliot's 1957 Chevy Bel Air was picked Best of Show.

Steve Schaffer received a Special Lifetime Achievement Award for his years of dedication and service to the Central Ohio car community. Thank you, Steve!

All Ohio Ford Show:

The last show to report on this week is the 13th Annual All-Ohio Ford Show. Hosted by the United Ford Owners (UFO) Car Club, It took place on Sunday in Plain City, Ohio at Pastime Park.

There were 72 Fords in attendance.

Every car that wanted to be judged had to drive through a designated judging area where seven judges looked over each car. I don't know about you, but I like the idea of a judging area. No one can complain that the judges didn't look at your car.

Our good friend, Arch Mayer, and his Saleen Mustang received a Top Three pick and went home with a nice three-foot trophy.


That's it for this week's News and Notes.

A big thanks to the following people for sending photos and info about this past week's events:

  • Jeff Shankle
  • Dale Pearce
  • Arch Mayer
  • Chad Herrick
  • Frank Russel
  • Craig Grunkemeyer
  • Kenny G

I hope everyone has a good week! Stay safe. Look for a new list of Central Ohio car events and a News and Notes report next Monday.

Central Ohio Forecast
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Partly Cloudy
7:32 am5:08 pm EST
7 am8 am9 am10 am11 am
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1960 Ford Thunderbird - Owner: Don Davis

August in Central Ohio means lots of car events. This week is no exception. There's a big slate of shows Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

PLEASE NOTE: There has been some confusion regarding the LHS Class of 69 Car Show at the Moose Club on Sugar Grove Rd in Lancaster, Ohio scheduled for this Saturday. The event is marked "Canceled" on the Events tab of the Ohio Car Shows and Cruise-Ins Facebook group. The son-in-law of the person putting on the show has assured me that it is still on for Saturday and is NOT canceled.

Monday (August 14):

Tuesday (August 15):

  • No Events Found

Wednesday (August 16):

Thursday (August 17):

Friday (August 18):

Saturday (August 19):

Sunday (August 20):


For the most comprehensive list of future events in Central Ohio, check out the "Save the Dates for 2023" page. There's also a quick link in the menu at the top of the page.


If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. 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.


NEWS AND NOTES

This past weekend was one of those rare occasions where TWO different cars received Best of Show awards on two consecutive days. Read on to find out what cars got back-to-back BOS awards.

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

Der Dutchman had 231 attend this past Thursday's cruise-in. I was a little surprised more cars didn't turn out. The weather was great.

Creative Auto Sale/Advanced Auto Parts Car Show:

Creative Auto Sale, LLC and the Advanced Auto Parts store in Marysville, Ohio hosted its August car show Friday evening. There were 27 cars in attendance. The show raised $200 for the Milford Center Food Pantry.

This month the Advanced Auto Parts store manager picked his four favorite vehicles to receive a trophy. One of the trophy winners, Eddie and Rita Hampshire, drove from Indiana to attend the show.

Here are the manager's picks:

Gary Zuck Memorial Car Show:

The American Legion Post 677 in Lithopolis, Ohio hosted the very first Gary Zuck Memorial Car Show on Saturday.

Gary passed away in May of 2022. He was a member of Post 677. Over the years, he was instrumental in organizing car shows at the American Legion Post there in Lithopolis. Gary was also a member of the Lancaster Old Car Club and acted as Technical Advisor for the '55 Fords in the Crown Victoria Association.

The show on Saturday registered 84 cars. There were awards for the Top 30 vehicles, five awards for years 2000 and up, eight specialty awards, and a best of show.

Judging was done on a scoring method with the top score being 40 points. Two pairs of judges looked at every car and determined its point score.

Here are the "Just Because We Like It" specialty winners:

The Best of Show award went to our good friend Russ Annis and his 1967 Chevy Chevelle.

Honor Flight Vance Outdoors Car Show:

Auto Smarts Radio and Vance Outdoors teamed up on Saturday to host its annual car show in Obetz, Ohio.

The show had more than 125 cars in attendance.

All the proceeds from the show go to Honor Flight. This year the show raised $123,500 for the organization.

Here are some of the vehicles from the show:

Dale Pearce received the Ladies Choice award for his 1950 Chevy 3100 pickup.

The Best of Show honors went to the 1955 Chevy 210 belonging to Bob Kraft.

Tomato Fest Car and Bike Show:

Ohio seems to have a plethora of festivals over the course of the summer. There's the Pumpkin Festival, the Strawberry Festival, The Walleye Festival, and the Bratwurst Festival just to name a few.

Reynoldsburg, Ohio bills itself as the Birthplace of the Tomato and has held an annual festival in honor of the fruit since 1966.

Part of the festivities is a car and bike show which as in previous years is hosted by the Big Dawg and the C-Town Cruisers.

This year the show registered 60 cars. Awards were presented to the Top 30 plus Best Truck, Best Motorcycle, Most Potential/Rat Rod, Junior Cruiser, and Best of Show.

The Best of Show award went to Barry McPeek and his 1932 Ford Five Window Coupe.

To see more cars and bikes from the Tomatofest show, CLICK HERE.

Dub Pub Car Show:

The Dub Pub Restaurant in Dublin, Ohio hosted its second Annual Car Show on Sunday.

The show registered 122 cars. Up from 78 cars at last year's inaugural show.

Proceeds from the show went to support the Back the Blue K9 Unit of Dublin, Ohio.

Awards were presented to the Top 35 vehicles plus Best GM, Best Ford, Best Mopar, Best Corvette, Best Import, Runner-Up Best of Show, and Best of Show.

These are the "Best of" award winners:

Runner-up Best of Show went to Mark Evans and his 1969 Chevy Camaro SS.

Russ Annis and his 1967 Chevy Chevelle SS for the second day in a row took home Best of Show honors.

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

The Crossroads Events team was in Lewis Center, Ohio on Sunday for the monthly car show hosted by the Buffalo Wings & Rings Restaurant.

The Camaro was the Spot-Light car for this month's show. Mark Lester's 1967 Chevy Camaro RS-SS was the Spot-Light Car winner.

The Larry Bicker Daily Driver award went to the 1981 Chevy Camaro belonging to Tim Richards.

Tim Raines and his 1951 Ford F-1 Restomod went home with the Best of Show award.

Real Church Car & Bike Show:

There were 86 cars that registered for the Real Church Car & Bike Show in Pickerington, Ohio on Sunday. The show helped raise money for the charity "God's Garage".

Chad Herrick's 2018 Dodge Charger Dayton 392 received a Top 10 pick.

For the second day in a row, Bob Kraft's 1955 Chevy 210 took the Best of Show honors.

Hot Summer Nights Cruise-In:

Downtown Bellefontaine, Ohio on Saturday evening was the site of the Annual Hot Summer Nights Cruise-In. More the 300 cars were in attendance.

The cruise-in presented plaques to the "Favorite 50" cars. There was no best-of-show award.

Here is just a small sample of the cars that attended the cruise-in.

42nd Mopar Nationals:

I can't conclude this week's report without mentioning the 42nd Mopar Nationals that took place at National Trail Raceway all weekend and some of the after hours parties.


A big thanks to the following folks for sending photos and info about this past week's events:

  • Jeff Shankle
  • Dave Bratton
  • Chad Herrick
  • Frank Russell
  • Frank Sanborn

I hope everyone has a good week! I'll see you again next week with a new list of car events and News and Notes report.

Central Ohio Forecast
19°
Partly Cloudy
7:32 am5:08 pm EST
7 am8 am9 am10 am11 am
21°F
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23°F
28°F
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ThuFriSatSunMon
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46°F / 37°F

1968 Ford Torino GT Convertible Indy Pace Car - Owner: Phil Chmelovsky

If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. 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.


NEWS AND NOTES

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

After a week's hiatus because of standing water in the field from heavy rains, the weekly cruise-in returned on Thursday with 206 cars in attendance.

Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts Car Show:

Creative Automotive and the Advanced Auto Parts store in Marysville, Ohio hosted their July car show on Friday.

The show had 26 cars in attendance and raised $110 for the local food pantries.

The big hit of the evening was the little dog that stood guard over its owner's motorcycle while he looked at the cars. It rode on the bike between the handlebars and windshield.

The store manager's three picks this month were Scott Haring's 1964 Chevy Impala SS, Hunter Collier's 1990 Chevy S10 pickup, and Mel DeJarnette's 1950 Ford F1 panel truck.

Auto Smarts Radio Cruise and Ride at Ten Pin Alley:

Dan "Boots" Longenette and the Auto Smarts Cruise and Ride team hosted the first of two car shows at Ten Pin Alley in Hilliard, Ohio.

Approximately 60 cars attended the show on Friday evening.

The Best of Show award went to Wesley Bach with a 1952 Chevy Pickup. Wesley is the Grandson of the Late Cal Rowland who passed away in April. Wesley inherited his Grandfather's 1952 Chevy and 1987 GMC Pickups and has begun taking them to shows this summer.

Here are some of the other cars from the show photographed from a different perspective by Dave Bratton's daughter, Kelly.

Cruise-In with the King Car Show:

The Mid Ohio Cruisers Car Club hosted its July car show Saturday evening at the Burger King off State Rt 31 in Marysville, Ohio.

Scattered showers around the area for much of the afternoon and evening kept attendance down. The club registered 20 cars with probably another 10 showing up that didn't register.

Each month the club presents award plaques to its "Favorite 15" that register.

Here are this month's "Favorites".

Picktown Palooza Car, Truck, and Bike Show:

Jeff Duncan and his 1970 Chevy Nova received the Best of Show honors at the Picktown Palooza Car, Truck, and Bike Show in Pickerington, Ohio on Saturday afternoon.

Jeff is from the Marion, Ohio area. On his way home from the Picktown show, he stopped by the Burger King in Marysville. As any GOOD reporter would do, I took the opportunity to take a photo of Jeff, his car, and the Best of Show trophy.

The wet afternoon forecast didn't deter 50 cars from attending the Picktown Palooza show.

Lancaster Car Scene (LCS) Car Show:

Outerbelt Brewing in Carroll, Ohio was the scene of the Lancaster Car Scene (LCS) show on Sunday.

The show registered 56 cars. Awards were presented to the "Top 30" along with Ladies Choice, Best Truck, Best Import, Best Muscle, Best Motorcycle, Top Club, and of course, Best of Show.

These were the "Best of" winners:

Jason and Deb Blankenship's 1959 Chevy Apache also received the Best Truck award at Picktown Palooza on Saturday.

The Top Club award went to the Hi-Way Starz.

John Picken's 1931 Ford Roadster took home the Best of Show award.

Choctaw Lake Car Show:

The biggest event on Sunday was the first annual Choctaw Lake Car Show in London, Ohio.

The show was organized by the Sheriff deputies of the Madison County Sheriff's Office.

With the lake as background, the show registered 167 vehicles.

Food and refreshments were provided by 5-6 food trucks which included one from Schmidt's Sausage Haus.

The show presented 12 awards. The two biggest were Best of Show and the William "Bill" Wolfe Memorial Award.

The Best of Show award went to Gary Vance with a 1933 Ford Victoria. Dave Bratton's 1937 Wild Rod Convertible received the William "Bill" Wolfe Award.

Here are some more cars and scenes from the show:

Other Area Shows:

  • The Plumbwood Church of Christ in London, Ohio hosted its annual car show on Saturday. There were approximately 20 cars in attendance. There was a rare sighting of Jimmy Carmean wiping off his car. It paid off as Jimmy's car received the Pastor's Choice Award.

  • The OP Bar and Grill in Marysville, Ohio hosted its first annual Cruise-In on Sunday. There were 31 cars in attendance. The top three winners received gift cards to the bar and grill. The top gift card went to Tim Inscho and his 1968 Chevy Camaro.

  • The first annual Bob Helsel Car Show took place on Sunday at the Buckeye Lake Moose 2434 Lodge in Thornport, Ohio. The show registered 94 cars. Judging was by People's Choice.
  • The Miami Valley Steam Threshers were at Pastime Park in Plain City, Ohio for its Vintage Truck & Car Show. The show had an excellent turnout. The tractor and truck pulls looked like a lot of fun.


Whew! There was a lot to report on this week even with the rain on Saturday.

Here are the folks who helped put together this week's News and Notes:

  • Jeff Shankle
  • Dave Bratton
  • Kelly Bratton
  • Tim Inscho
  • Dale Pearce

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

Central Ohio Forecast
19°
Partly Cloudy
7:32 am5:08 pm EST
7 am8 am9 am10 am11 am
21°F
21°F
23°F
28°F
32°F
ThuFriSatSunMon
54°F / 41°F
46°F / 45°F
54°F / 39°F
55°F / 39°F
46°F / 37°F

1964 Cadillac Coupe DeVille - Owner: Jeff Tolley

If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. 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.


NEWS AND NOTES

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

The King of Thursday evening cruise-ins had another big turnout this week. Breaking last week's number by one car with 323 in attendance.

Dan "Boots" Longenette from Auto Smarts Radio brought his brand new 2023 Corvette Stingray to the cruise-in.

Mark your calendars. There will be a celebration of life for Wayne's late wife, Luella, on Thursday, June 8. Wayne would love to see 500 cars attend.

Friday Night Cruise-In Hilliard NAPA Autoparts:

About 40 cars showed up on Friday evening for the cruise-in in front of the NAPA Autoparts store on Main Street in Hilliard, Ohio.

There was a nice mixture of classic, muscle, domestic, and imported cars.

Empty Pockets Armed Forces Day Car Show:

The Capt. Nicholas J. Rozanski VFW Memorial Post 4931 in Columbus, Ohio was the site of the annual Empty Pockets Car Club Armed Forces Day Car Show on Saturday.

Rain showers in the morning got the show off to a slow start. The final registration number reached 66 cars. There were door prizes and two 50/50 drawings. Food for sale was provided by the VFW post.

The club presented 45 "Favorite" awards, four "Special" awards, and a Best of Show.

The "Special" awards included Sponsor's Choice, DJ's Choice, Post Pick, and Most Patriotic.

The Best of Show award went to Michelle O'Sullivan with a 1956 Desoto Firedome.

Cruisin' with the King:

The Mid Ohio Cruisers Car Club hosted its second show of the season Saturday evening at the Burger King in Marysville, Ohio.

The club registered 53 cars with about a dozen or more in attendance that did not register.

There were door prizes, a 50/50 raffle, and a guess the number of candy pieces in the jar contest for the kids.

Each month, the club picks its "Favorite" 15 from the cars that registered. Here are this month's Favorites:

Boy Scout Troop 412 Car & Bike Show:

Boy Scout Troop 412 hosted a car & bike show in Grove City, Ohio on Saturday. Just like the Empty Pockets show, things got off to a slow start because of the morning rain.

The scout troop registered 48 cars and presented 24 awards.

Gus O'Day and his 1932 Ford Tudor Sedan went home with the Best of Show award.

VFW Post 8794 Car Show:

Shaun "Big Dawg" Sanders and the C-Town Cruisers were in Whitehall, Ohio on Sunday to host the VFW Post 8794 Car Show.

Fifty-eight cars attended the event. Awards included the VFW Post's top 30 picks and Best of Show.

The Best of Show award went to Jerry Keck and his 1941 Willys Coupe.

2023 All Ford Show:

The Mustang Club of Ohio held its annual All Ford Show at the Kreiger Ford dealership in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday. Registration was limited to 200 cars and was SOLD OUT well ahead of the event.

I'm excited to report that one of our good friends, Arch Mayer, and his 2004 Ford Mustang convertible Saleen Edition took the overall Best of Show honors. Congratulations to Arch!

Martinsburg Activity Center Car Show:

The 13th Annual Martinsburg Activity Center Car Show took place in Martinsburg, Ohio on Sunday.

The event had a larger-than-expected turnout of 130 cars. Even though registration was "officially" from 8 AM to Noon, some cars got there as early as 6:30 in the morning.

Scott McClure who is the general manager of Westerville Automotive and a regular on the Auto Smart Radio Show was the MC and organizer of the show.

The show awarded a total of 53 trophies. Included in the 53 awards were a Firefighters pick and Best of Show.

The Firefighters pick went to Paul Burkett with a 1948 Chevy pickup. The 1957 Chevy Bel Air belonging to Cliff Warner took the Best of Show honors.

British Car Days:

Quaker Steak and Lube on Polaris Parkway in Columbus, Ohio was the site of the Annual British Car Day Show on Sunday. This year the show registered 181 cars.

Tim Hooten's 1964 MG B Roaster received a First Place award in the MG-B-Chrome class.

I'm going to conclude this week's News and Notes with a little slide show of some of the cars that participated in this past week's Central Ohio events. Other than some rain showers Saturday morning, the weather was great. Watch closely, you might see your car or truck.


A big shout out to Dale Pearce, Dave Bratton, Anthony Musick, Tim Hooten, and Jeff Shankle for their contributions to this week's report. You guys are the best!

Note: Next week's list will be out on Tuesday because of the Monday Holiday. Everyone have a safe Holiday weekend.

Central Ohio Forecast
19°
Partly Cloudy
7:32 am5:08 pm EST
7 am8 am9 am10 am11 am
21°F
21°F
23°F
28°F
32°F
ThuFriSatSunMon
54°F / 41°F
46°F / 45°F
54°F / 39°F
55°F / 39°F
46°F / 37°F

6

1985 Chevy Monte Carlo - Owner: George Felton

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NEWS AND NOTES

Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts Car Show:

Creative Automotive and the Advanced Auto Parts store in Marysville, Ohio hosted its first car show of the season on Friday evening.

The show had 36 cars in attendance and raised $235 for Cindy and JP Culp Jr who lost their father, Doug, to cancer last week.

This first month's "Favorite" picks went to:

Cruisin' with the King:

The Mid Ohio Cruisers Car Club held its first Cruisin' with the King show of the season Saturday evening at the Burger King on Route 31 in Marysville, Ohio.

The club registered 70 plus cars. Awards were presented to the club's 15 "Favorite" cars from those that were registered. There were door prizes and a 50/50 raffle. And if you got hungry and/or thirsty, Burger King was right there.

Here are a few of the cars from Saturday's show:

Columbus Cars and Coffee at the City:

It was another packed parking lot on Saturday morning for Columbus Cars and Coffee at the City Apartments. This week had a little more excitement than normal as two cars decided to blow hoses. One blew the power steering hose and sprayed power steering fluid all over a hot exhaust causing quite a bit of smoke. The other car blew its radiator hose and dropped coolant all over the parking lot.

Fortunately, most of the cars on Saturday morning kept their hoses intact.

Special Request:

If anyone planning to attend the Import Face-Off next Sunday would like to send photos and a brief write-up about the event, I will be sure to include it with next week's report. Email photos and write-ups to hawk02@carshowtalk.com.


I want to thank Jeff Shankle, Dave Bratton, and Dale Pearce for their help with his week's report.

I'll close with some of the cars that attended the Car Guys Sonic Friday Nights in Hebron, Ohio, and the Columbus Cars & Coffee at Starbucks in Westerville, Ohio on Sunday morning.

Central Ohio Forecast
19°
Partly Cloudy
7:32 am5:08 pm EST
7 am8 am9 am10 am11 am
21°F
21°F
23°F
28°F
32°F
ThuFriSatSunMon
54°F / 41°F
46°F / 45°F
54°F / 39°F
55°F / 39°F
46°F / 37°F

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: