Silver Dollar Car Classic rumbles into town

A stalled economy isn't putting the brakes on Carson City's Silver Dollar Car Classic.

Get ready for the parade of '57 Chevys, Oldsmobile 442s, Pontiac GTOs and other vintage autos arriving today for the 15th annual get together for car enthusiasts.

Despite a slowdown that has hampered other events, the capitol city celebration that takes place before Reno's Hot August Nights is on track to be as big as ever.

"Registrations are right where we were last year," said Joy Evans, special events manager with the Carson City Convention & Visitors Bureau, which organizes the event. "We have more than 200 registrants. About 80 to 85 are out of area. The farthest one is from Wisconsin."

The event kicks off tonight at 6 p.m. with a party at the Plaza Hotel and Conference Center. On Friday, Mills Park fills up with about 400 cars and close to 50 food and crafts vendors. Then the Carson Nugget hosts a dance party featuring the five-piece band The Ragtops playing classic rock from the 1950s and '60s starting at 7 p.m. in the casino's west parking lot.

Saturday starts at 8 a.m. with a pancake breakfast hosted by the Dayton Kiwanis while judges, including officials from the Thunderbolts, the oldest car club in Sacramento, will spend the day judging entrants in the Show 'n' Shine competition.

"We have about 60 categories, from 'best make-out car' to 'most likely to get busted,'" said Bob Davies, owner, Western Pacific Events in Bakersfield, Calif., which produces the event. "The fun thing is to try to recognize everybody with categories that everyone can fit into."

On Sunday, the official judges will also honor several best-in-show cars during an awards ceremony at 1 p.m. in Mills Park.

New activities this year include an ice cream social hosted by Model Diary Ice Cream from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Plaza Hotel and a slot tournament at the Carson Nugget starting at 11 a.m., both on Friday.

"It's become a real family event," said Rich Ronning, a Douglas County resident who has participated in the car show for the last five years. "It's an all-around fun event that you can bring the whole family."

This year Ronning is entering his midnight blue 1963 Pontiac convertible in the Show 'n' Shine.

"I bring a different car to each event. Last year it was my (Corvette red) '37 Chevy pickup," said Ronning.

Ronning also owns a brilliant blue '69 Camaro, a '70 El Camino, which he describes as blood red and charcoal two-tone, and a '52 Cadillac, which he is in the process of restoring.

He says the Silver Dollar Car Classic and other local car events are a good way to catch up with old friends and make new contacts for classic car parts.

"I'm looking forward to it," said Ronning. "I'll go from this to Hot August Nights and then to Gardnerville."

Hot August Nights takes place July 31 through August 9 in various locations in Reno and Sparks. The Main Street Event in Carson Valley, another competition featuring about 250 cars as well a street dance and barbecue, is set for Gardnerville's Lampe Park August 14-16.