After 30 years, the Karson Kruzers will not be putting on the “Run What Ya Brung” car show this June.
The reason for the hiatus is there’s a conflict of interest with another car show which has been scheduled for the same weekend. It seems the Carson City tourist/visitors planning staff and director failed to take into account the fact that having two different car shows the same weekend would put a financial burden on the Kruzers, Carson City’s local car club. The event has been held at Fuji Park for many years.
Organizing, sponsoring, advertising, ordering supplies, T shirts, ball caps, pins, mugs and other memorabilia, renting the park and pavilion, paying for insurance, attracting vendors, sponsors, awards, trophies and other associated costs, have always been, at best, a “break even” weekend for the car club. There’s no room for another car show that weekend. The Carson City visitors/planners were off base in allowing this to happen.
Interest will be drawn away from the Fuji event causing the loss of the income needed to make ends meet. One has to consider a person attending a car show is only going to attend one. If the downtown show is that One, then the Kruzers are going to be left out in the cold... It’s unlikely a person would go to a second event. Another important part of the Kruzers event was having a parade of cars up, and then down Carson street as its grand finale. Because of the out of town promoter’s domination of Carson and adjoining streets this will not be possible.
The Kruzers, having pulled out this year, have already made notifications to those normally involved, participants, classic car owners, sponsors, insurers, vendors. etc.. It’s nearly to late for the Karson Kruzer to regain the traction it takes to put on the Run What Ya Brung event. This whole thing points to a total lack of respect for the local car club by the staffs and directors of the city departments involved. The Kruzers appreciate the fact the Carson City Board of Supervisors is busy with a great deal of items on its agenda. However, the actions of subordinate committees, that are somewhat under their authority, must be checked on. Perhaps that will wake up the planners and staff to be more responsive to local organizations in the future.
The Karson Kruzers car club is a local main stay in Carson City. It’s existed since 1985 and started putting on the Run What Ya Brung in 1987. Over the years the car show has drawn participants from all over the country and those participants have brought money to spend here. Over the years Carson City and local business have benefitted by having the Run at Fuji Park, with the collection of thousands of dollars in taxes on motel and hotel rooms and participants spending in restaurants, casinos, night clubs, theaters, etc..
The Karson Kruzers intend to hang in there, There’s no intention of disbanding or anything of the sort. This summer, to keep their hand in, club members will be sponsoring several “Show N Shines” and “Street Cruses,” most in town and a few out of town. They are hoping in the future they will be included and receive the same kind of attention the other car show has been given this year. By giving priority to the local organization, first and foremost, the Run What Ya Brung car show will be back...
Robert Hickox is a member of Karson Kruzers.