A 30-mile memorial cruise, three legendary stops, and one big-hearted day of cars, community, and giving back.
Some car events are about trophies. Some are about horsepower. Some are about showing off fresh paint, polished wheels, and the kind of engine bay that makes grown men stop mid-sentence.
Then there are the runs that mean something more.
The recent Mercifuls Fun Run supporting March of Dimes was exactly that kind of day. Part cruise, part reunion, part rolling memorial, and part fundraiser, the event brought together hot rods, classics, customs, trucks, cruisers, friends, families, and car clubs for a day built around the best parts of the Southern California car scene.
This event carries history. For 18 years, Pickups Limited hosted the beloved Jeff’s Fun Run, building a tradition of cruising for a cause while honoring friends from the car community who are no longer riding shotgun with us. When the time came to pass that tradition along, The Mercifuls So Cal picked up the keys and kept the run alive with a new name, a renewed energy, and the same old-school purpose: bring people together, raise money, remember our people, and enjoy the road.
That is the way it should be done.
The day started the way any respectable car run should: with coffee, donuts, handshakes, hood pops, and parking lot bench racing at Calvary Church of Santa Ana. Cars rolled in early, filling the lot with a mix of classic trucks, hot rods, street rods, customs, muscle cars, and cruisers. There was no velvet rope nonsense here. Just real car people showing up for a good cause.
From there, the run was organized in groups of 25 cars, leaving every half hour for a roughly 30-mile cruise through historic Central Orange County. The route wound through vintage neighborhoods of Floral Park and Old Towne Orange, familiar city streets, and foothill communities, giving everyone just enough time behind the wheel to stretch the cars out and enjoy the reason they were built in the first place.
This was not a park-and-sit show. It was a cruise. And that matters.
Along the way, participants made several memorable stops, each one offering something special for the gearhead soul.
At the Marconi Automotive Museum, cruisers were treated to rows of historic race cars and exotic machines that remind you just how wide and wild automotive passion can be. The place is packed with speed, history, and machinery that looks fast even when it is standing still.
The next stop brought the group to Jordan Family Classic Cars, where participants had the chance to see Adam Carolla’s Paul Newman race car collection. That alone is worth the drive. Newman was not just a movie star who dabbled in racing. He was a serious driver, a competitor, and a man who earned respect at speed. Seeing that collection in person added a heavy dose of motorsports history to the day.
Then came Highway 39 Event Center, home to an expertly curated collection of classic Chevrolets and hot rods. For anyone who loves Tri-Fives, Bowties, vintage dealership style, and the golden age of American cruising, this stop hit the sweet spot. It was clean, nostalgic, and loaded with the kind of cars that built the culture we are still enjoying today.
But threaded through every stop was the deeper reason for the run.
This was a memorial cruise, created to celebrate the lives of cruising buddies we have lost. Memorial boards were placed at each stop, giving friends and family a place to pause, remember, laugh, and maybe get a little quiet for a minute. That is part of the car community too. We do not just remember the cars. We remember the people who drove them, built them, talked about them, broke them, fixed them, and shared the road with us.
Back at Calvary Church, the run turned into the fun part of the Fun Run. Music filled the air, vendors set up, and the fundraising partner, March of Dimes, along with their supporters, helped keep the purpose of the day right out front. The Mercifuls, sponsors, volunteers, and participants all came together to make sure the event was more than just a good cruise. It was a day that gave back.
Sponsors included Cambra Speed Shop, Blacktop Media, and Innova Electronics, each helping support the event and the cause behind it. Innova also stepped up with tools for the raffle table, joining a spread of prizes that included a 65-inch TV and a stack of gifts from event partners.
And let’s be honest: a good raffle table is one of those old-school car show traditions that never gets old. People gather around, tickets in hand, hoping their number gets called, while somebody nearby claims they “I never win anything” right before walking away with some gold.
That is the charm of these events. The cars bring us in, but the people make us stay.
The Mercifuls Fun Run did what a proper car culture event should do. It honored the past without getting stuck in it. It respected the legacy of Jeff’s Fun Run while giving the event room to grow under new stewardship. It supported March of Dimes, celebrated lost friends, showcased some outstanding automotive collections, and put people back behind the wheel for a real cruise through Orange County.
In a time when too many events feel like social media photo ops with parking spaces, this one felt grounded. It had roots. It had a purpose. It had coffee and donuts. It had museum stops, raffle prizes, memorial boards, old friends, new faces, and a road full of cars doing what they were meant to do.
Jeff’s Fun Run may have changed hands, but the spirit is alive and well.
The Mercifuls have the keys now. Jump in and let’s go for a ride next year!
