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September 13, 2012

Get ready to Cruiz

By Andrea McCann Washington Times-Herald

WASHINGTON — The 20th Century Chevy Car Club will host its 35th annual Car Fest and Cruiz-In this weekend at Eastside Park, rain or shine.

Event co-chair Mike McLemore said club members invite community residents to come out and see some cars, have a nice time in the park and support a good cause. He said money raised at the Car Fest is used to help local families and support the city’s parks.

“The Car Fest and Cruiz-In are limited to ’95 and older vehicles,” he continued, adding people bring their cars from a four- or five-state area when the weather is nice. “Weather is a big factor.”

On the third weekend of September since its inception, McLemore said inclement weather rarely puts a damper on the event.

Dave Fry, current president of the 43-year-old, 62-member 20th Century Chevy Car Club, estimates 400 cars will participate in the Cruiz-In and close to 700 will be on the park grounds Sunday.

“You’ll see everything from an original classic car up to an altered car — what’s called a street rod — street machines with custom paint jobs and custom interiors,” McLemore said.

The festivities kick off with the Cruiz-In Saturday. Gates open at 2 p.m. for registration, which lasts until 5 p.m., and the Cruiz-In follows at 5:30 p.m. It’s $15 for car owners who want to participate, whether they’re in just the Cruiz-In, just the show or both.

“It’s a savings if you do both,” Fry said.

Chili is provided for car owners during registration, and McLemore said the public is welcome to come on out to the park to look at the cars during registration or wait and watch them in the Cruiz-In.

The Cruiz-In route begins at Eastside Park and goes north on N.E. 21st St. and Sugarland Road. It jogs over to Wagner Avenue and south to Vista Lane, west on Vista to E. 12th Street, where it goes south to Bedford Road. From there, the cars will take E. 11th Street to E. Walnut Street and turn west, following it to N.E. Third Street. There, they’ll head north again to Viola Avenue, then west to Biddinger Lane, where they’ll travel south to Apraw Road. At Front Street, the drivers will turn south and continue to W. Walnut Street, where they’ll go west to W. 10th Street. When they reach Main Street, they’ll head east until they reach E. 11th Street, where they’ll turn north, drive to E. Walnut Street and take it back to Eastside Park.

The entire loop takes about an hour and a half, bringing everyone back to the park around 7 p.m.

“The band American Pie will play at 7:30 on the bandstand,” Fry said. “It’s free for anybody to come.”

The car club will have a concession stand between the restrooms and the Community Building at the park and will sell popcorn, nachos and cheese, coney dogs and other items.

“The club’s concession stand is open Saturday night for anyone who wants to eat cheap,” Fry said.

Other food vendors will be on hand Sunday, at the edge of the upper lake dam, and will sell barbecue, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, brats, fish, fried pickles and a selection of other foods.

“Gosh, you name it, it’ll be out there,” Fry said.

On Sunday, gates open at 8 a.m. for Car Fest registration, which will last until noon. Judging will begin at 1 p.m., and trophy presentation will be around 4 p.m. on the bandstand — earlier if judging is completed sooner.

“We’ll be giving away 100 top awards and 17 special awards,” Fry said. “All of our 100 awards are sponsored by local merchants in Daviess, Martin and Pike counties.”

He said the special award winners will receive handmade wooden plaques that have been professionally painted.

“They’re pretty unique because of the way they’re done,” McLemore said.

During the judging, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., people can bid on silent auction items in the Community Building.

“There are probably 120 or so items to bid on,” Fry said. “There are gift certificates, T-shirts, a transmission, ladies and mens apparel, golf kits — a lot of stuff for kids to adults.”

Participants and the public also can browse booths where swap-meet vendors will sell everything from automotive items to ladies items.

In addition, the Sixth Annual Cacklefest will take place during the Car Fest. Fry and McLemore explained spectators will be able to see altered cars, front-end dragsters and door-slammer cars. There also will be a nitro-burning funny car — a 1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V owned by Bill Spore of Princeton and raced all over the United States — that makes an unusual sound when started.

“Those cars will fire up at 12:15 and 3:15 by boat ramp,” Fry said, adding fans will be able to get autographs from the drivers, and there will be 200 posters of the funny car given away.

There’s no charge for the public to attend the Car Fest or Cruiz-In, and free shuttle service is provided from the Nasco and former K-Mart parking lots since parking will not be available at Eastside Park.

Fry said the city’s miniature train will transport attendees from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday free of charge.

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