Brownsville, KY Car/Truck Show & Arts/Crafts Festival July 28th, 2012
Summary of the show.............. 117 registered vehicles. This number included the Tractors, Motorcycles, Cars & Trucks.
Approximately 7 Tractors & 5-6 Motorcycles with an approximate count of 105 Cars & Trucks.
Wow....what a fantastic day this turned out to be. Weather was perfect, the surroundings of a sleepy town under a few large maple trees on the town square with weather in the mid 80's all morning up until about noon.............made for the perfect ending of car shows in the month of July 2012.
This was the Fifth Annual Car show in Brownsville, KY to support "Relay for Life". A few interesting facts about Brownsville, KY. The town is only 1.6 square miles with a population that hoovers around the 950-1000 mark. Needless to say, this is truly a small town in the heart land of America.
We started the day off here in Gallatin, TN at 6:00 a.m. heading north on hwy 31E toward Scottsville, KY. The morning's weather was very nice with temps around 75 and no real traffic to speak of, made the drive up to Scottsville a delight. By the time we had made it to Scottsville, KY and about to turn left on highway 101 toward "Smiths Grove, KY" the sun had become fully awake and setting a wonderful landscape across the hills of Kentucky. The drive down highway 101 from Scottsville to Smiths Grove is about 19 miles and still has an abeyance of a lost highway with the exception of maintained asphalt. Smiths Grove is located at exit number 38 on Interstate 65 in Kentucky. After making a Coffee stop in Smiths Grove, we continued the remaining 14 miles down highway 101 into Brownsville.
As we came into Brownsville and started approaching the square. There was a man standing at the right turn to the square directing "show vehicles" where to turn. As we made the right hand turn and rolled up on the square. They had another person giving direction regarding how they would like you to back up to the side walk of the square and to back in straight. They had another volunteer standing on the side walk giving you an idea of how close you were to the sidewalk and respectfully told you when to stop the car. This was a nice treat, our cars were stopped with about 12 inches of space between our bumpers and the sidewalk. As I stepped out of my car and my wife got parked in her car. They let us know "when we are ready" where the registration was located.
While my wife got our cars registered, I begin to unload the chairs and cleaning supply's. We arrived about 7:45 in the morning. Outside temps were still at a nice and enjoyable 78 degrees. With the aid of Maple and Oak trees casting a nice shade over the parking area of the square, I knew my clean up regimen was going to be nice and easy. I popped and raised the hoods on both cars, so I could take advantage of letting the engine bays cool off in the rare low temps and shade. When my wife returned from getting our cars registered. I asked if they had any classes or if she had gained any useful information regarding how the car show was going to be judged or what type of format the show was going to have. After she replied with "nope" and handed me a sheet that had my name and a number on it. I knew this was not going to be a show to have high concerns of perfection in way of clean up. I simply grab my towels for wiping the cars off, a few of my wheel cleaning rags, wax for the bugs that had met their untimely death on the drive up ...and my tire shine bottle. No need to bring out the big guns and unpack everything at this show, nor was their a need to prepare where I was going to be laying down to wax and wipe off chassis components. While I was cleaning up my car and hers....I got to know some of the locals that would walk up and talk about our cars while we had begin clean up. As I had finished wiping down the back of my car and was about to start on the wife's Camaro....I heard a too familiar rumble pulling into the square. As I looked up, I seen the wonderful smile of our friend Semekia. It always amazes me how she keeps that 2011 Roush looking so good.
Here is a picture my wife grabbed of me making a a new friend while I was finishing the clean up on our cars. I only had two wheels left to do on the other side on my car and I was completely finished for the day. The individual with me in the picture. Had been with me while I was cleaning the wheels the Camaro and finishing up the drivers side of my car. I did not catch his name but, we talked about everything from motorcycles to old flat heads. He was truly a salt of the earth type of person.
After clean up was done, it was time to enjoy the day. As the flyer stated for the show, they had a "Top 40" with plaques and "10 best of show" Trophies. Every plaque had a local sponsor and was printed on the plaque and/or trophy. As the time went by....other cars started showing up. I had registered as entry number 6 and my wife's car at 7. Semekia had showed up in time to register as number 14. I personally didn't think many more cars would show up. This was my first time in Brownsville, KY and I can't say....that they had very much around the town. However, as you can tell from the 117 registered vehicles. They actually had a very good turn out. As a matter of fact, If you think about the turn out of car registration and the towns population. Registration alone grew the towns population by about 10% for the day. Knowing, all of the trophy's had sponsors tied to them. They raised a minimum of $1,170 for "Relay for Life" just based off of the registered cars. Not a bad day for a small town fund raiser car show. I'm pretty sure the event coordinators had not anticipated a turn out of this scale either. They ran out of food about 11:30 that morning. Which was okay with me, as I had already had one cheeseburger and was returning for another because...it was a very good burger!
Fairly wide verity of cars showed up. We had about 8 late model Mustangs. They had three 2010 and up Camaros. Probably 7-8 late model Corvettes. One truck stuck out for me. Someone had brought a 1994 Ford Lighting. It was a nice treat to check out a First gen Lighting. The rest was pretty much early American muscle.
The event had a few exhibitor (Vender) booths outside but the majority of them were located inside of the community center. Bathrooms and concessions were also located inside the community center along with a live band. Below are a few pictures taken inside the community center. They had a fairly wide verity of venders inside.
Judging was pretty simple and fast. I only watched them judge a few cars. They simply reached into the car, grabbed the sheet that had your name and "car number" on it. took a few steps back to look at the car. Walked off to the next car and performed the same routine. Take your sheet, step back...look at the car and move on. I could be wrong, but I am fairly confident this was not a point judging show. It was going to be a toss up to who may or may not get anything. As I sit under the maple tree enjoying the mid to high 80's weather and a nice calm breeze of 5-6 mph flowing through down town. I kept watching one of the vendor booths next to us. He had a tent set up and was doing some old school pin striping on a few pieces of old wood. Next to my wife's Camaro set on older but well done matte black Chevrolet pick up. I had watched the guy that was doing pin striping go over, set up and do some painting on this guys dash while at the show. I have personally always been a fan of "Old School Pin striping" but never really had anything to put it on. With the exception of a motorcycle helmet...but, I of course don't ride to car shows with my motorcycle helmet with hopes of getting it striped up. But, I could not pass up a chance of getting something done. After an hour or two of debating what I might have that would look good with pin strips. I gave up and decided to have my amp covers done. While "Old School Pin Striping" does not belong on any late model Mustang...and certainly does not flow well with my car. I think it turned out pretty well. It also added some "Old School Cool" to my car and I absolutely love it.
Here are a few pictures of the amps covers getting painted. I decided on two colors. Black and grey.
As the day came to a close, it was time for the awards. We all gathered around the main announcers tent and listen as they started calling off the Top 40 cars. He begin with..."These are in no particular order". The first 5-6 cars were 1930's and 1940's....I thought to myself, we are not going home with any plaques or trophies today. They went on through the list and had passed out about 20 of so plaques. Still haven't give anything away to a car manufactured before 1970. In the mist of leaning over to tell my wife I was going to put up our chairs while they did the awards....low and behold, Semekia was called up for a top 40 plaque. For the record. They did have a nice white Roush 5XR and a new 2013 Roush RS Mustang (the new V6 Roush). Neither of which placed in the top 40. So, as it turned out.........Semekia's Roush made an impression on the judges that the others did not. When they had finished giving out all of the top 40 plaques, I had came to terms...that I was not going to leave with anything in hand. Neither my 1999 Gt nor the 2010 Camaro made a big enough impact on the judges to be honored with an award. In all fairness, neither did 60 other very nice cars and trucks on the field. I was very happy that at least one out of our group of three had gotten something. At this pint they had started giving out the "specialty best of show" awards. I was ready to go finish packing up. I have personally never got a "Best of Show". I have always been a strict points show car winner. I leaned over again to tell my wife "I'm going to go finish packing up". She of course says no and reminds me who the boss is. So, I stay and respectfully clap for all of the other show winners. As they are starting to finish up, I hear my name called for a "Best of show 1980's & up all cars". As I was in a bit of shock...I humbly walk up to except my purple trophy with gold stars..............
As a wrap up to the report. This car show is an event worth checking out. Its not the best organized event in way of handing out awards or even the judging process...(which I'm pretty sure they had some type of system, just don't really know what it was. I'm fairly confident.....based off of Semekia and I winning something. The car had to stand out in some form or fashion and appeal to one of the judges). I will probably go back next year but with a completely different approach. I will most differently only take my car because a perfect stock Camaro just isn't going to pull an award. i can simple donate an extra 10 bucks that I would have paid for two cars instead of one...I may even through another 10 bucks in the donation for the gas that would be saved by only taking one car. However, I would not anticipate winning a best of show again.......nor would I anticipate winning a top 40 with my car. But, I would go back because this years experience even without the awards....was a very good one!
Here are a few random pictures
KY Car Show, KY Car Shows, TN Car Show, TN Car Shows
