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NEWS AND NOTES
Der Dutchman Cruise-In:
Perfect weather this past Thursday resulted in 322 cars turning out for the Der Dutchman weekly cruise-in in Plain City, Ohio.
Per usual, there was a great variety of fantastic rides. Here is a small sampling.
Click or tap on a photo to enlarge it and enter slideshow mode
Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts Monthly Car Show:
The Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts monthly car show was a little shorter this month thanks to rain that started about an hour into the show. The event still managed to raise $70 for the local food pantries.
This month's Manager's Picks were:
1936 Dodge Sedan - Owner: Rex Dillon1957 Ford Thunderbird - Owner: Jimmy Carmean2010 Dodge Challenger SRT - Owner: Frank Sanborn
Spring Fling All Corvette Show:
Despite morning drizzle, the Chosen Few Corvette Club still managed to have over 200 cars attend its Spring Fling All Corvette Show at Quaker Steak and Lube in Columbus, Ohio.
Bling Amobi Breezy's Corvette received the Manager's Choice Award. The Longest Distance Traveled award went to a Corvette owner from Austin Texas.
Carroll Lions Car Show:
With the help of the C-Town Cruisers, the Carroll Lions Club held its car show in downtown Carroll, Ohio on Saturday. The show had over 40 cars in attendance.
The Best of Show honors went to Brianna and Dylan Elsmore and their 1972 Dodge Dart Swinger.
Conkey Classic Car Show:
The third annual Conkey Classic Car Show took place on Saturday at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Hilliard, Ohio. The event registered 37 cars. The Best of Show award went to Mike Mathews and his 1947 Ford Special Deluxe.
Yabo's Tacos Weekly Car Meet:
Yabo's Tacos in Powell, Ohio had about 25 cars show up Saturday evening for its weekly car meet. The mix of cars included classics, muscle, and imports.
One car owner having an issue with his car's AC unit created the most excitement during the evening when he ran up and over a set of ramps he just happen to have in his car. Another car owner came to the rescue with a car jack. I can't say I've ever seen that happen before at a car event.
Lewis Center Wings and Rings Car, Truck, & Bike Show:
Frank Russell and the Crossroads Event team hosted the only judged show on Sunday at the Wings and Rings Restaurant in Lewis Center, Ohio.
The show registered 35 cars. Mark Lester's 1967 Camaro took the Best Car Award. The Best of Show honors went to Dave Bratton with a 1937 Ford convertible.
1967 Camaro - Owner: Mark Lester1937 Ford Convertible - Owner: Dave Bratton
Here are a few more cars from the show you might recognize:
2018 Dodge Charger Daytona 392 - Owner: Chad Herrick1970 Dodge Cornett Convertible - Owner: Dave O'Brien1959 Chevy Biscayne - Owner: Jeff Tolley2004 Chevy SSR - Owner: Mark Mitchell1963 Ford Falcon - Owner: Brian Z.2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat - Owner: Kenny G.
Due to the rain Saturday morning, the Columbus Cars & Coffee Meet at Esoteric Fine Auto Detailing in New Albany, Ohio has been rescheduled for this coming Saturday (May 20).
A big thanks to Dale Pearce, Bling Amobi Breezy, Dave Bratton, Anthony Musick, Jeff Shankle, and Katie Marie for their contributions to this week's report.
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.
Not sure what was up with this JeepThe Jeep's interior was just as intriguing2001 Panoz EsperanteCamaro + El Camino = CamarminoUnusual, unique, and oddKevin's Towing Heavy Rescue2008 Ssangyong Actyon SportTwo 1949 Plymouths (Which is the front, which is the rear?)Totally air Brushed pickup honoring our military and policeLS Engine in a PorscheBuilt by someone with too much time on their handsFord F450 Superstretch 8 DoorSubaru SambarHome made WoodyClick or tap on a photo to enlarge it
R.I.P.
This year we lost a number of fellow Central Ohio cruisers. They will all be missed.
Mike GibsonDoug LeopardJerry DaviesPatrick PetrimeBilly Dean PetersonDon Newland
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.
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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 Dillon1977 GMC 4x4 Pickup - Owner: Tim Inscho1948 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:
1969 Mercury Cougar XR7 Owner: Ted Tickle1998 Ford Mustang GT Owner: Lionel Deslandes2018 Dodge Charger Daytona 392 Owner: Chad HerrickClick or tap a photo to enlarge
Here are some of the best costumes:
Click or tap a photo to enlarge
The Special Award winners:
KID's CHOICE - 2012 Mini Countrymen - Owner: Christina CzekalskiPASTOR'S CHOICE - 1940 Plymouth P-10 - Owners: Phillip & Julie MillerDJ'S CHOICE - 1946 Ford Coupe - Owner: Bob KirstSPONSOR'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 or tap a photo to enlarge
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.
After the finish of every season, I like to take a look back at what I think was good and what I think was not so good about it. The opinions expressed are my own and apply only to the events I attended. If you disagree with me or have an event you thought was particularly good or one not so good, please feel free to post a comment. With that said, lets get on with the review of the 2021 Central Ohio car show season..
From April 17 through November 12, I participated in 77 car shows, cruise-ins, and meet-ups and was a spectator in another nine. I took 5500 photos of classic cars, muscle cars, exotics, trucks, and motorcycles. I drove over 2600 miles round trip to report on local car events. This may all sound very impressive until you find out Jeff Tolley and his friends participated in 180 events this season. That's pretty much one every single day!
The Good:
Let's start with some good. The 2021 car show season pretty much returned to pre-pandemic normals. To my knowledge, not a single public health agency forced the cancellation of a car event this season because of Covid. Even the Governor allowed Goodguys to return to the Fairgrounds despite banning the public from attending the Ohio State Fair.
Shaun "Big Dawg" Saunders' C-Town Cruisers and Dan "Boots" Longenette and Pepsi's Auto Smarts Cruise and Ride had a full slate of events this season compared to last year. The two combined to host more than 50 shows in Central Ohio!
Following a two and three-year absence respectively, the cruise-in at Chesrown Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Delaware, and the car show formerly known as On the Rocks in Dublin returned in 2021.
Unfortunately, not every event came back. Missing this season was the USA Days Car Show in Centerburg, Cruisin' For a Cause, one of my favorites, at the Discover Church in Dublin, the downtown Lithopolis show on Memorial Day, the Canal Winchester Labor Day car show, and the Spring Fling (it plans to be back in 2022) just to name a few of the missing shows this year.
The biggest shocker of the season came in June when it was announced after 12 years that Colo's Classic Car Show at the Columbus Zoo was canceled. A lot of rumors floated around as to the reason for the cancellation but the Zoo never put out an "official" statement as far as I know.
After hosting no shows in 2020, The Rod Knockers Car Club out of Marion and the Mid Ohio Cruisers Club out of Marysville returned with their monthly car shows. The Mid Ohio Cruisers show had a new home at the Burger King on Route 31. It took a few shows for everyone to get adjusted to the new location. No question, both clubs continue to put on the best no registration fee car shows in Central Ohio.
The weekly Thursday cruise-in at the Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City continued its reign as the king of Central Ohio cruise-ins. The cruise-ins started two weeks earlier this year. It was attended by more than 300 cars seven times during the summer. It set an all-time attendance record of 439 cars on the last cruise-in of the year. A whopping 2900 vehicles were registered in 2021.
Looking back over the year, I can't say there were any shows I attended that were truly outstanding. At the same time, I can't say I attended any that were horrible, either.
The Empty Pockets Cruisers hosted four shows this year instead of their usual three. All four shows were well done. Their Trunk or Treat show continues to be one of my favorites. I always say it takes car people to put on a good car show.
Shows that I participated in for the first time included the All Corvette Gathering, Hosanna Lutheran Church Car Show, Mechanicsburg First Responders Car Show, Blackwing Shooting Center Summer Blast, Farrows Hot Rods and Handlebars, and Tolles Career and Technical Center Car and Craft Show. I was a spectator at my first Italian Gathering and Kreiger Ford Mustang and All Ford Show.
Buckeye Cruzin' at Ohio Stadium gets the award for the most expensive registration fee. Although to be fair, the $175 fee went to support the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer. It was a fun event until the engine revving got out of hand and forced me to leave.
The most chaotic event this year was the Jax Wax Street Madness in July. The title gave a pretty good description of the event. Between the steady line of cars trying to get into the parking area and the hundreds of car audio systems blaring, I had a pounding headache by the time I left.
Heels and Wheels at the Vanity Gentlemen's Club was the most "adult" car show I attended. The Mayor had a couple of huge assets that were hard to overlook. Those who attended the show will know what I'm talking about.
Frank Sanborn gets this year's most miles traveled award. Not only did Frank attend shows in Central Ohio, but he also traveled to events in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Fairmount and Gas City Indiana, and Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Not So Good:
Some not-so-good news this year was the loss of some of our car show community members. Larry Bickers passed away in May. Many of you will remember Larry from his 2003 Mustang "Daily Driver" with more than 190,000 miles.
In September, we lost Jim Matheny. I never met Jim, but I'm told he helped organize and run lots of car shows in the Newark/Heath areas. He held positions with the Super Chevy Car Show Organization and Let's Go Cruising Magazine. For many years, he served as chairman for "Lite the Nite" and operated Jim Matheny Kar Shoz.
And finally, Terry McReynolds passed away in October. Terry was the Pace Truck Driver at Columbus Motor Speedway for more than 20 years. He was also an integral part of Pepsi's Auto Smarts Cruise and Ride team and a close friend of Dan "Boots" Longenette.
All three will be very much missed as will others who passed away this year.
This was my tenth year attending car shows and the first time experiencing a collision at one. A car leaving the North Hills Church of God Car and Bike Show in September pulled out in front of an oncoming car and caused it to flip around 360 degrees hitting a motorcycle and car participating in the show. This added a bit more excitement to the show than expected.
Another first in 2021 was my banishment from the Ohio Car Shows and Cruise-ins Facebook group in July. The reason for being banished was my disagreement with their decision not to approve the list of Central Ohio car events for the week of July 12-18. They decided not to publicize any events that might compete with their group car show at Knox County Fairgrounds that Saturday. Seriously? The group's stated purpose is to promote car shows and cruise-ins in and around the state of Ohio.
After 12 years of meeting on Saturday mornings, Columbus Cars and Coffee at Lennox Town Center was abruptly canceled in May after some participants leaving the meet displayed some very poor judgment. In November, the group started meeting on Saturdays again at The City Apartments -- formerly the old University City shopping center.
I know some of you may disagree with me -- especially everyone at the Vettes, Rods, and Classics show in August when a monsoon passed through Gahanna during the awards ceremony. But I thought the weather wasn't as big a factor this season as in prior years. Out of the hundreds of events scheduled only 15 were canceled or postponed becasue of weather. And most were postponed to a later date.
Speaking of postponed. Thanks to a forecast that turned out to be totally wrong (big surprise), the Performance Charity Car Show in downtown Delaware, Ohio was postponed from July to October. And boy did that turn out to be a good move. The weather on the October date was about as perfect as one could expect for a car show. The organizers liked the October date such much, they've decided to hold the 2022 show in October.
Top Ten:
At the end of every season, I post my ten favorite vehicles I saw at a show or cruise-in. Here are the ones that made me stop and take a second, third, or sometimes fourth look.
No. 10 - 2016 EZ Go Golf Cart model "Tow Mater" - Owner: Julie Brown
No 5. - 1947 Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan - Owner: Clement Thurn
No 4. - Restomod 1967 Chevy Camaro - Owner: Ed Stizza
No. 3. - 1962 Dodge Dart - Owner: Steve Brown
No. 2 - 1948 Chevy Pickup - Owner: Sam Parks
No. 1 - Legends of Rock Custom Built Motorcycle - Owner: Unknown
Favorite Photos:
Take 5500 photos and there's bound to be some favorites. Here are the ones that I think best capture the season.
Click or tap on a photo to enlarge and enter slideshow mode.
Final Thoughts:
2021 turned out to be another great year for car events in Central Ohio. Because of the reduced number of events in 2020, the sheer volume of events this season was staggering. There were a lot of Saturdays with more than 15 events on the schedule.
What I really enjoyed most about this year was the opportunity to get to know many members of the car community a little better. The people you meet and the friends you make are the main reasons car cruises are so special.
2021 also gave me a sneak peek at the future. The next generation of car enthusiasts is alive and well. They may not seek awards like our generation. And their autos may not be Chevys, Fords or Dodges, but they're proud of their rides and they like to hang out and talk cars just like we do. And that's what counts.
I want to take a moment to thank some folks who helped me compile the weekly reports. They reported on shows I didn't or couldn't attend (I still haven't figured out how to be in multiple places at once). Without their help the weekly News and Notes would not have been anywhere near as detailed.
My sincerest thanks goes out to:
Jeff Shankle - I know for a fact he took more car photos than I did
Dale Pearce - If Dale doesn't know about a show, it ain't happening
Dave Bratton - Great resource for show information
Mark & Cathy Krist - Did a great job of reporting in between planting and harvesting vegetables.
Dan Varner - Seems have the scoop before anyone else.
Unless there's some late-breaking news to report, I'm going to take some time off to recharge. I'm leaving for Florida at the end of December. I'll be back just in time for the start of the 2022 car show season. Look for the first installment of "Save the Dates for 2022" sometime in February. The list is already growing.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy Holiday season. I look forward to seeing everyone again next year.
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This will be the last BIG Saturday of events for the 2021 season. The number of events starts to taper off after this weekend. This weekend will also mark the "unofficial" start to the Trunk or Treat season so get those Halloween costumes and candy ready.
CLICK HERE to skip the News and Notes section and go directly to the list of events.
NEWS AND NOTES:
Der Dutchman Cruise-in:
Here's my final word on the Der Dutchman Cruise-in for this year. The banquet was this past Thursday. During the banquet, Wayne Nisly who manages the cruise-in pointed out that the cruise-in registered more than 2900 cars this summer. It sure has come a long way from the 18 cars that showed up the very first time I attended the cruise-in back in 2013.
Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts Store:
This month's Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts show in Marysville, Ohio registered 20 cars on Friday evening. The show raised $144 for the Marysville and Milford Center Food Pantries.
Here are the manager's picks (click to enlarge):
1974 Pontiac GTO Owner: Ron Graham1929 Ford Roadster Owner: Mark Whitmer1968 Chevy Camaro Owner: Tim Inscho
LaRue Fall Bang Car Show:
The town of LaRue, Ohio held its Fall Bang Festival this past Friday and Saturday. For the first time, the Festival included a car show on Friday evening. The show registered between 35 and 40 cars. The organizers hope to make it an annual event.
To see more from the Fall Bang Car Show, CLICK HERE.
Performance Charity Car Show:
The Performance Charity Car Show in downtown Delaware, Ohio was originally scheduled for July 17 but because of weather forecasts calling for all-day showers (which didn't happen by the way), it was rescheduled to this past Saturday. As it turned out, it was a good call. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for a car show.
I predicted the show would be the biggest event of the weekend in Central Ohio and I was spot on. The show registered 460 cars. Counting those cars that showed up but didn't register, there were more than 500 cars during the afternoon in downtown Delaware on Saturday.
The show presented awards to the top 100 cars along with 20 Best of Show trophies. My unofficial "Early Bird" or "Are You Crazy" award goes to Sam and Barbara Parks. They arrived in the dark before Sandusky Street was even closed which was scheduled for 6 AM! The longest distance traveled was a car from South Carolina.
The Best of Show award went to Sherman and Austin Buck and their 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner:
Here are a few other winners:
Best Survivor 1968 Pontiac GTO Owner: Dan VarnerBest GTO 1964 Pontiac GTO Owner: Ron CozzoBest American Muscle 1965 Mustang Shelby GT350 R Owner: Todd Damon
Not pictured:
Best Pontiac - 1959 Pontiac Safare Wagon -Owner: Curtis Conklin
Best Buick - 1970 Buick GSX - Owner: Jeff Fortner
The October date proved to be so successful it was announced the show will be scheduled in October again next year.
Check out the Performance Charity PHOTO PAGE for a ton more cars, trucks, and bikes from the show.
Marysville Car Meet:
Between 75 and 80 cars showed up at the old Kroger parking lot in Marysville, Ohio for a Sunday afternoon car meet. It was definitely a younger crowd. Mustangs were the popular model of the day. There were a few Camaros and Corvettes and a couple of vehicles you don't see every day.
Other Area Shows:
The Hebron Nazarene Car and Truck Show registered 111 cars on Saturday. The 1959 DeSoto Fireflite Sportsman belonging to Jesse and Kaylee Bickel took the Best of Show honors.
Seventy-six cars turned out for the Danville Memorial Park Car Show on Sunday.
Special thanks to Mark and Cathy Krist, Dan Varner, Dale Pearce, and Jeff Shankle for helping make this week's report.
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Here is this week's line-up. Several Patriot Day car shows commemorating 9/11 will take place on Saturday. The Street Elite Corvette Club will host its annual open car show in Sunbury also on Saturday. Motts Military Show and the All Corvette Gathering in Lancaster highlight the schedule for Sunday.
NEWS AND NOTES:
WARNING: Because of the holiday weekend, this week's report is a long one. If you want to jump to the list of events and skip the report, click here.
Der Dutchman:
With weather conditions being close to ideal this past Thursday, attendance at the Der Dutchman cruise-in in Plain City, Ohio jumped back up to more than 300 cars. The weather forecast looks good for this coming Thursday so expect another big cruise-in.
Zucchinifest Car and Motorcycle Show:
On Friday evening the Zucchinifest Car and Motorcycle Show at Fortress Obetz in Obetz, Ohio registered more than 180 cars.
Best of Show went to a 1940 Woody Wagon with a Corvette engine. Our good friend, Dale Pearce, and his 1950 Chevy 3100 pickup received the Mayor's Choice award. Good thing Dale has a truck or it could have been a challenge getting that trophy home.
Richwood Bank Coffee and Cars Cruise-in:
Twenty-one cars spent a relaxing Saturday morning at the Richwood Bank in Delaware, Ohio. I left before the raffle drawing to make the drive over to Mechanicsburg.
Flywheels Annual Car Show:
The Flywheels Hot Rod Club of Marion hosted a car show at the Prospect Community Park in Prospect, Ohio on Saturday afternoon. The Club expected to register around 50 cars and ended up registering 174 vehicles. Talk about exceeding expectations!
The Prospect Lions Club and several food vendors provided refreshments. There were commercial and craft booths scattered around the park. I'm told the park was a great location for a car show. Clean restrooms and plenty of trees to provide shade.
The Flywheels Hot Rod Club plans to make this an annual event. To see more photos from the Flywheel show, click here.
Mechanicsburg First Responders Car Show:
Ohio State's football home opener has generally been the first Saturday of September so I've never been able to attend the Mechanicsburg First Responders Car Show until this year.
The show is held on Main Street (Route 29) north of Route 4 all the way to the Route 29/559 junction. Main Street south of Route 4 is used for overflow parking. And this year the show needed every bit of overflow parking as it registered well over 200 cars.
I arrived in Mechanicsburg around 11:40 AM (registration opened at 11 AM) and I had to park at the very end of Main Street right at the Rt 29/559 junction. It was just about a quarter-mile walk from my car to the fire station to register. My advice is to arrive early if you want to park anywhere close to the action.
I didn't see a lot in the way of food vendors. Although to be honest I wasn't looking for any. I know there was food available at the fire station and there were a couple of refreshment stands. I know this because I bought ice tea at one.
The awards were a combination of custom-made and traditional trophies. There were a good number of special awards like Mayor's Choice, Most Original, Farthest Traveled, Best Engine, etc, along with "Top 45" trophies, a Runner-up Best of Show, and a Best of Show.
Runner-up Best of Show went to Sam Parks and his 1948 Chevrolet Pickup. The orange 1946 Ford Coupe belonging to Robert Kirst from Mansfield, Ohio took the Best of Show honors.
If you'd like to see more cars from the Mechanicsburg show, click here.
Auto Smarts Cruise and Ride at Ten Pin Alley:
Dan "Boots" Longenette and Pepsi's Auto Smarts Radio Cruise and Ride team were in Hilliard, Ohio Saturday at the Ten Pin Alley bowling establishment.
The show registered 82 vehicles. Dale Pearce and his 1950 Chevy 3100 pickup took The Best Truck Award. Best of Show went to Aaron Denney and his 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442.
The Italian Gathering:
On my way to the Dublin A.M. Rotary Classic Car Show on Sunday, I stopped by Wendy's International Headquarters in Dublin, Ohio to take some photos from the Italian Gathering. Boy, could you smell the money!
The event is organized by Evans Automotive and proceeds go to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Wendy's Wonderful Kids.
This is the first year that owners of the British manufactured McLaren could participate in the Italian Gathering. Personally, I think the organizers should relabel it the Exotic Gathering and allow the Porsches, Jaguars, and any other high-end foreign-manufactured cars to participate. I bet it would be a huge event.
Click here to see more photos from the Italian Gathering.
Dublin A.M. Rotary Classic Car Show:
After a year off because of Covid, the Rotary Club of Dublin A.M. held their second annual classic car show on Sunday in the public parking lots off Bridge Park Avenue in Dublin, Ohio.
This year the show registered 103 cars. The DJ again was Jason Nester, who in my opinion is one of the top two or three DJs in the area. Elvis was also in the parking lot along with the Poodle girls. The biggest complaint I heard was the lack of food vendors. If you wanted something to eat or drink the only choices were the restaurants adjacent to the parking lots.
The Dublin A.M. Rotary presented 30 "Favorite" trophies and a Best of Show. The Best of Show Award went to Mark Richmond with a 1967 Volkswagon Karmann Ghia Coupe.
Click this link for more photos from the Dublin A.M. Rotary Classic Car Show.
American Legion Southway Post 144 Labor Day Car Meet:
Big Dawg and the C-Town Cruisers were in south Columbus, Ohio on Monday hosting the Labor Day Car Meet at the American Legion Southway Post 144.
The American Legion Southway Post 144 is one of my favorite venues for a car show. It sits back off of South High Street. There's a long driveway to a big parking lot. You can park on the blacktop or you can park in the grass. There's plenty of shaded areas to escape the sun. What's really nice is the members of Post 144 appreciate the C-Town Cruisers hosting car shows at their establishment.
Getting back to the show, 90 cars registered Monday with another 10-20 cars showing up but not registering. Big Dawg presented trophies to the "Top 40" cars along with a Best Truck Award, a Best Rat Rod/Most Potential Award, a Most Patriotic Award, a Club Participation Award, the Larry Bickers Memorial Award, and a Best of Cruise.
The Larry Bickers Memorial Award went to Mike and Sandy Gibson and their 1947 Buick Super Convertible. The 1957 Chevy Bel Air belonging to Tom and Lynn Verfaillie took the Best of Cruise honors.
To see more photos from the show, click the link below.
I received a few photos from Monday's West Jefferson Ox Roast Car Show that was held in Garrett Park in West Jefferson, Ohio. It looks like the event registered around 140 cars. According to the flyer, there were trophies for the "Favorite" 35 and a Best of Show. If anyone knows who took the Best of Show Award or has information on any other shows in the area this past weekend, please feel free to post in the comments.
