I had the wonderful opportunity to contribute to this show by helping with their graphic design needs for the past two years. It was an inspiring and fulfilling time helping the event transition from a two-year Covid-19 hiatus and the struggles of a changing leadership. So nice to see, not only the Curtis and Colombo family step up, but the entire Orange Plaza Rotary Chapter with help from the Santa Ana Rotary and other volunteers, the show was another huge hit.
Registration sold out in 45 minutes on February 1st, 2023 on EVITE. Over 400 cars were parked among the Orange Plaza and surrounding streets of Old Town Orange. Vendors lined the plaza park in the middle of the “Circle”. I was there from the very beginning of set up at 3:30am and rolled out as the show closed at 3:30pm. I set up a simple Hot Wheels track with the loop-d-loops for the kids to play all day. A box of cars kept them busy and gave the parents a bit of a relief. Of course, I was there with Cambra Speed Shop too. Ron and Laurie arrived first thing in the morning as Ron was one of the dozen parking volunteers and organizer. Twice during the event Ron asked his buddy 5-Time Nostalgic Funny Car Champ Bobby Cottrell’s to light up his Funny Car.
Then there were the star of the show. The cars. What a great variety. Every era represented, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Trucks, hot rods, classics, customs, muscle cars, resto mods, touring, commercial, dang nearly every genre. Here is a collection of cars, I thought were standouts among hundreds of standouts.
