I Thought This Was Purdy Good.

[RustyRatRod]

For all of those that have worked hard to put on a car show or car event (thank you) and for others who have never helped but only complained this is for you!

The Ballad of the Participation Trophy

The car show field was shining bright,Chrome reflecting morning light.The hot rods sparkled, paint did glow,But trouble brewed before Best of Show.

For gathered there in lawn chairs wide,Sat grown men nursing wounded pride.With folded arms and furrowed brow,Demanding justice, here and now.

"I've spent three grand on ceramic coat!"One loudly cried and nearly choked."My Corvette's flawless, can't you see?That trophy clearly belongs to me!"

Another wailed, "This judging's shady!My car's been detailed more than my old lady.The engine bay's so clean and neat,You could perform surgery from the seat!"

One fellow stomped and raised a fuss,"That rusty hot rod beat us?Why should craftsmanship be praised When mine was financed and dealer-glazed?"

Perhaps it's time the shows evolve,And finally help these wounds resolve.

Create a class for Still Under Warranty, Where bravery's measured by the dealership guarantee

Add Best New Car Smell to the list,For those new car owners shaking their fist..

Present a plaque for Lowest Mileage Hero, For those who trailer twenty miles to travel zero.

Let's honor Best White New Balance Shoes,A Corvette driver's favorite when out for a cruise.Judged on brightness, width, and shine,With minus points as a grass stain fine.

Create Most Impressive Window Sticker,For buyers who negotiated quicker.

A special trophy should be made, For every ego left dismayed.A twelve-foot cup, perhaps of gold,For stories exaggerated and told.

"I had one faster back in '98.""I owned six Hemi cars that were great.""I know the judges personally.""I would've won if not for politics, see."

Yet while the grumbling filled the air,The real enthusiasts didn't care.They laughed with friends and shared a tale, and watched upset grown men growing more pale

Because the point was never glory, Nor adding trophies to the story.It's cars, old friends, and gasoline,The finest therapy ever seen.

So if you lose, don't stomp and pout, Or threaten never to come back out.Just smile, shake hands, and enjoy the day—

And pick up your Participation Trophy on your way.

 

[Demonx2]

My wife has a saying every time we go to a show: "There will be 100,000 stories told today amongst all the people here. 100,000!! But 98% of them will be a lie!!"

I think she's right!

 

[Chuter]

The only trophy I compete for is "Least effort put into preparing for the show." So far nobody has offered one. I have fun anyway. One local show is bragging that it is giving away 5 five foot tall trophies. I don't have to worry about how I'd get one home or what I'd do with it once I got there!

 

[RustyRatRod]

I've gone to maybe five car shows since I was a kid. I caught on real quick what it was all about. As dumb as it sounds, The World of Wheels was always hands down the best. Not because of all the flashy famous cars, but because of the atmosphere. Even though there was competition, it wasn't about that at all, but much more about the people. The small town car shows I've found are some of the worst.

 

[timk225]

I remember going to local car shows back in the mid 90s, and thinking how badly I wanted to have a car nice enough to be in shows, never mind the fact that I was an ultra-broke college student who could barely afford to live.

Then one day, as I was leaving a local car show after the award ceremony, I stopped at a gas station not more than a quarter mile away, and it hit me. Right up the street was this seemingly big event happening, and right here, the people didn't know and likely didn't care.

So what would have been the point of it all? All the time, effort, money, etc, and who would even ever know or care?

I haven't given a damn about car shows ever since. I'm the only one who has to like my needs-a-paint-job-and-metal-work 1973 Duster, and that's all that matters.

Even when I did think car shows were something special, I'd see people in their 60s sitting in a lawn chair behind their car, under an umbrella. For a good 4-6 hours straight, which was never my idea of a good time or a way to spend a saturday. With the same old 50s and 60s songs blasting way too loud, over and over!

 

[MrCab]

I remember going to local car shows back in the mid 90s, and thinking how badly I wanted to have a car nice enough to be in shows, never mind the fact that I was an ultra-broke college student who could barely afford to live.

Then one day, as I was leaving a local car show after the award ceremony, I stopped at a gas station not more than a quarter mile away, and it hit me. Right up the street was this seemingly big event happening, and right here, the people didn't know and likely didn't care.

So what would have been the point of it all? All the time, effort, money, etc, and who would even ever know or care?

I haven't given a damn about car shows ever since. I'm the only one who has to like my needs-a-paint-job-and-metal-work 1973 Duster, and that's all that matters.

Even when I did think car shows were something special, I'd see people in their 60s sitting in a lawn chair behind their car, under an umbrella. For a good 4-6 hours straight, which was never my idea of a good time or a way to spend a saturday.

Luckily this is America where you can choose which hobby, entertainment, to pursue to help make you happy
I chose drag racing at a very early age as well as making my street cars faster than most of the other fast street cars. I ended up choosing to race at the local tracks due to most "street racers" spent a lot more time talking about how fast their cars where versus actually racing them on the streets of SO CA back in the late 1960s up though the early 1990s when I quit worrying and trying to "street race". I've never had that issue at the tracks

 

[dr dodge]

in the service went to the base shows,
they were cool, but we all knew each other and got along

a decade and a half later, hanging around the locals shows was ok,
but there was none of the camaraderie of the 70's

 

[BSB67]

I like to participate in stuff less subjective. Either a W, or not.

 

[Illahe]

I've gone to maybe five car shows since I was a kid. I caught on real quick what it was all about. As dumb as it sounds, The World of Wheels was always hands down the best. Not because of all the flashy famous cars, but because of the atmosphere. Even though there was competition, it wasn't about that at all, but much more about the people. The small town car shows I've found are some of the worst.

Oakland Roadster Show was interesting in the 80's. Yet, when there is a Duce propped up on 4 polished Ardun heads it defeats the intent of "Hot Rodding."

 

[Ottmundr]

The only trophy I compete for is "Least effort put into preparing for the show." So far nobody has offered one. I have fun anyway. One local show is bragging that it is giving away 5 five foot tall trophies. I don't have to worry about how I'd get one home or what I'd do with it once I got there!

I bet you could figure how to get this 5' tall Fragilé trophy home!

 

[roadrunnerh]

How does someone go to maybe five car shows in their life and have them all figured out?

Ever been to Carlisle events?

 

[Demonx2]

I like to participate in stuff less subjective. Either a W, or not.


View attachment 1716570378

Great mph for that et!! Big top end charge

 

[BSB67]

Great mph for that et!! Big top end charge

Thanks. Street car, 3.23 gears, 2800 converter, small tire & heavy car = crappy 60’

 

[Pound]

"Only" being 55 years old, I spend most of my time at shows talking to people and looking at cars. People who want to talk to me about my old truck have to catch me coming or going. To me, car shows are about ANY neat collecter car, and the people who own them, or have a good story about one they have experienced in the past. I also really enjoy talking to young people who are excited about whatever they brought.