The Labor Day show is limited to 54 vehicles, six in each of nine classes, and every car is invited.
“I hit about 30 shows and cruise-ins to find the entries, Highfield said. “There’s a lot of work involved in that alone, and making sure they are up to the standards for this show. Once a car has been in the show, it has to sit out at least the following year, maybe two, so we have new cars each year. It’s a special show with great history and I’m trying to make it even better. “
The show is actually a two-day event, held on Lincoln Park Boulevard near Shroyer Road. On Sunday, it’s a show for air-cooled Volkswagens of all types. But the Monday event is the invitational.
“I have to say, we draw the largest crowd for a car show that anyone can imagine,” Highfield said. “There are about 120,000 people (estimated) at the parade, and when the parade ends, you can see a wall of people moving toward the car show. It has to be 60,000 or 70,000. You can hardly see the cars for the people. And so many of these people are not car show people, but they crowd around the cars and talk with the owners. It’s really neat to see.”
The first-place cars for this year’s show:
• ’50s – Gerry Hasen, Beavercreek, ’54 Packard Pacifica
• ’60s – John Johnson, Germantown, ’68 Plymouth GTX
• ’70s – Bob Blank, Dayton, ’70 Olds 442
• Antique – Michel Belcher, Beavercreek, ’42 Packard 120
• Corvette – Kevin Clawson, Tipp City, ’59 Corvette
• Import – Larry Beasley, Dayton, ’56 Austin-Healey 100M
• Modified – Craig Frost, Dayton, ’72 Chevrolet Chevelle
• Street Rod – Dave Harbor, New Carlisle, ’47 Ford Sedan Delivery
• Truck – Raymond Agee, Springboro, ’50 Chevrolet 3100
Walter Yonka of Cincinnati won the President’s Award for his 1959 Edsel Villager. John Williamson of New Vienna won the Mayor’s Choice for his 1930 Ford Model A, and Frank Butler of Florence, Ky., won the Grand Marshall’s Choice for his 1960 Ford Sunliner.
If you are interested in getting involved, contact Rodney Highfield at RH@highfielddoorsales.com.
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