My brothers calls at 8 this morning and tells me about an international car show in the area. I find the flyer on line and it says the cars will be classed by country of origin, which I though sounded different and kinda of interesting. The show was put on by the local British Car Club, they had different sections for different countries marked off with flags of the countries. I pull in and the guy automatically puts me in the American section, I tell him the car was actually built in Germany but he says they had to go by the make. I didn't really care all that much so I went in the American section but, it did kinda ruin the whole concept of the show for me though.

As I'm packing up the car to leave they start giving out the awards and that's where it really got stupid. The flyer said there were two awards for each country but, since there were no cars in the Canada, France, Mexico, Korea or American motorcycle they had about ten extra awards. He starts calling names of winners, no classes, no car types, no countries just names. Now all the people whose names he just called are at the tables waiting for their awards and he has no idea who gets what trophy or what class they were in. Thirty plus years I have worked at shows, judged at shows even organized shows and I have never scene anything like this in all my days. I am over by my car and I could not stop laughing, but it actually gets dumber.

After about a half hour they sort everything out and there are those ten extra awards still on the table. The guy handing out the awards looks around the lot spots a red Corvette, says I like that car come up and get a trophy. That's how he gave away all ten extra awards, and that's when some people got a little hot under the collar. When I pulled out there were six or seven people around this guy that appeared quite angry.

I went thinking that this was a different concept that I though seemed like a good idea and left shaking my head in disbelief. Apparently he did not like the Crossfire because I came home empty handed.

 

Car shows are getting pretty bad around here as well. I have learned, if they are done by a car club, forget about taking your XF. They will side with what their club likes. Charitable event car shows seems to be more fair. They just like all cars and pick what they like for whatever reason. Or, shows that have a 'modern muscle" category seems to work as well. But, I am sick of rat rods and old muscle cars. I grew up with old muscle cars, not impressed with that anymore. It's good to go see them, but the judging is the same. It's better to go and have fun and not worry about a win or not, so I only do charitable shows now. At least my entry fee goes to a good cause.

 

I am with you there Doc, five of us went with our Xfires to a local car show in June and all the winners were known by their first names to the MC when the prizes were awarded. The club members had all voted amongst themselves, outsiders never had a chance.
What the heck, it was the same the previous years. Last year some kid with a ratty old Honda 50cc bike won in some motorcycle class, I'm surprised any bikes showed up this year.

The good thing is that there is a huge draw for other prizes, who needs a ratty trophy anyway. Four of us won five prizes between us with one person not winning.
If he's reading this I have a sign for him.

LOL

 

I have a sign for you too Dave............guess?

 

I wondered if you would come across that post.
Now they know who the loser is/was.

 

I am with you on going to charity events and just having fun, most of the judges don't really know cars. I have found that the more professionally run the car show is the better I do as far as trophies are concerned. That will never be my main concern but it still is nice to be recognized and they look nice on my mantle.

 

I like to show off my cars, I keep them nice but, they are not show cars. I much prefer cruise-in and cars and coffee events for a couple reasons. I like the non competitive atmosphere plus the fact they are usually in the morning or evening for two or three hours verses five or six hours in the heat of the day, plus they are usually free. This summer I have gone to probably ten or eleven c+c's/cruises compared to three car shows. Something I started doing this year is treating shows like a cruise, on three occasions I have gone to shows, not registered, stayed a couple hours, displayed my cars, checked out the other rides and left. I just tell them I can not stay all day and no one has had problem with that.

I went to my first show in 1981 and there have been days I came home with awards that I did not think I had a chance at winning and, days that I came home empty handed when I thought I should have won. Such is the nature of the beast, most of the shows over the years have been well organized and run, a few not so much but, nothing as comical as last Saturdays.