An assortment of cars, trucks, motorcycles and special-interest vehicles will fill Soden’s Grove on Saturday for the 14th annual Emporia Flatland Cruisers car show. The public may view the show at no charge.
The day-long show will begin at 8 a.m., with registrations closing at noon. The awards presentation will be at 3:30 p.m. From 6:30 to 9 p.m., many exhibitors will take their vehicles on a “Cruise Night” drive to the Flinthills Mall parking lot. The club will sell hot dogs and beverages as a fundraiser in the lot.
Larry Howard, club president, said that during the show, several types of food and beverages will be available, such as tacos from the Hispanics of Today and Tomorrow Club, and Dog Gone Brothers New York-style hot dogs, and a lemonade stand. Merchandise also will be sold.
The local Relay for Life team will be selling barbecued brisket sandwiches. Proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
The club has incorporated Emporia’s sesquicentennial into its official T-shirts this year. The shirt features two cars passing each other on Commercial Street in front of the Granada Theater. Below the scene are the words “Drag the Gut,” a phrase commonly used by teenagers who drove up and down Commercial Street for recreation in the 1950s and 1960s. A sesquicentennial logo is on the sleeve.
This year, show entries will be divided into two categories, 1979 and older and 1980 and newer. The fee to exhibit is $15 per vehicle, and entries will be taken through Saturday.
Proceeds from the show and its events will be donated to charity, Howard said. The club will accept monetary donations from the public for victims of the Greensburg tornado, and will match donations up to $750. Last year the club donated show proceeds to three youth groups: Camp Alexander, Camp Wood, and North Lyon County Youth Association. The show also helps finance the club’s annual sponsorship of a $500 scholarship for an automotive student at the Flint Hills Technical College.
A motor-blow contest is open to the public at $1 per entry.
“Someone donates an old car and we drain out all the old oil and the antifreeze,” Howard said. “Then we start it up and let it run.” The entrant whose guess is closest to the time the engine actually quits — without going over — will win half of the contest entry fees. The club will keep the remainder for its projects.
A total of more than 40 show awards will be given in these categories: major sponsor’s choice, best under 21 years of age, top 20, best paint, best GM, longest distance, best interior, best Ford, best of show, best engine, and best Mopar. Door prizes will be awarded throughout the day to show participants. The first 150 entries will receive dash plaques.
In case of wet grounds or high water, the show will be moved to the Flinthills Mall. More information may be had by calling 366-1959 or 366-1956, or by visiting www.emporiaflatlandcruisers.com on the web.
goneforgood (anonymous) says...
Good job, Larry Howard! What a great job you and your wife do with the club! Keep up the good work!
May 18, 2007 at 10:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
midnight_rider (anonymous) says...
What do you mean great job? What kind of a car club has a president, aka larry howard, who does not even own a car to show. i have never seen larry at a car show or cruise night with a vehicle of any kind to show. and if you call his house to get information about the show, no one could be more rude then his wife. if the flatland crusiers ever want to have a car show that amounts to anything they should get rid of larry and get a president that knows something about cars and car shows. the fact is that for this show to be occuring for 14 years and have only a little over 100 cars participating, is a joke. attendance is on the downhill slid and larry should be ashamed and resign.
May 19, 2007 at 9:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )