Central Valley Motorsports
By Paul & Eric Hinkle
Alternative Car Show Do you have that special hot rod or car sitting in your garage that hasn’t been driven for weeks or months? Traditionally, showing your car off at a local show meant hours of detailing paint and chrome during the week, then getting up with the sun and arriving at the show early enough to register and detail your car again. After a long day of sitting in the sun you may or may not take home a trophy, and you may have spent a $100 with entry fees and something to eat. Basically an entire week plus a Saturday or Sunday is devoted to the “ car show”. Car shows serve a very important need, raising money for local clubs or charities. The car community does a great job of coming together to support these important causes. Every enthusiast has their favorite show that they wouldn’t miss. It is fun to experience these shows a few times a year or even once a month. Over the past few years an alternative to the car show has been gaining in popularity. Promoters realized that not everyone has the time or means to set aside an entire day to the hobby they love. A new style of car show, I like to call them “gatherings” are growing in popularity. These gatherings are either free or around $5 and are held in the evenings, which is nice during our hot summer days. Even if you attend a larger show during the day this can be a nice way to end the day with friends. If you are like most car guys and work all week, meeting up with other car enthusiasts on a Friday or Saturday evening is perfect. On Friday evenings there is a couple events to go to. Weekly from April through September there’s the Hot Rod gathering at Clovis Missionary Baptist Church on Fowler Avenue. Rods start arriving around 6:00 pm. They serve hamburgers, chips and sodas for a small donation. On the first Friday of the month from April to October there’s Rods on the Bluff. There is a $5 entry and it starts at 5:30 pm. On a Saturday mornings at 7:30 rodders start gathering at the Burger King on the corner of Clovis Ave and Herndon. They gather inside and talk hot rodding. On the third Saturday of the month starting in May and ending in September from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm you can go to the Clovis Park in the Park. Participants are served hamburgers, hot dogs and some of the participants bring their favorite potluck dish. On the last Sunday of the month all year long, there’s Cars & Coffee. There is a $5 entry and runs from 8:00 am to 11:00 am, locations vary. Sunday mornings you might just jump in your rod and cruise over to the B S Coffee Shop at Sunnyside and Tollhouse. If you want to get out of town you could take a short drive to the Red Caboose out at Shaw and Academy Ave. The Clovis Senior Center has moved their car show to October 23rd. They will not be charging for entry into the show, they hope that more seniors will come out and show their rods. If your club or organization is putting on a car show or motorsports event we are always looking for interesting cars, people and events to share. You can reach Paul Hinkle at [email protected] or call (559) 970-2274 or Eric Hinkle at [email protected]. Be sure to follow us on Twitter@clovisparknpark and on Instagram@clovisparkinthepark. For more information on upcoming events, past events and articles, go to clovisparkinthepark.com. |