The 2010 version certainly achieved the lofty goals with 75 invited machines competing in seven classes and an additional 70 cars in the open class. The classes this year included American Classic, Truck, Muscle Car, Class of ’70, Street Machine, Street Rod and Sports Car.
“I focused on the ‘Class of ’70’ this year as it is the peak of the Muscle Car era,” Engle explained, “as after that the cars started to become more toothless in their performance as we headed into the great abyss of performance-less vehicles after 1973.”
Awards were made to the invitational cars based on judging by local enthusiasts and experts who combed over the cars before determining the results, while the open class was a top 25 format. In addition, a couple of special awards were given, including the “Kernel’s Choice,” awarded by the festival’s grand marshal, or “Head Kernel,” who this year was Roger Coy. His choice went to a ’57 Chevy owned by Mike Karns, who bought the car when he was 15 years old. The Sponsor’s Choice, chosen by Greene Memorial Hospital’s Dr. Harold Brown, was the 1969 Mustang GT500 of Joanna Spears and Terry Bach.
One of the class winners in Street Machines was Ed Lemanski’s 1973 Chevy Vega. This bright orange car is really a head-turner in every way. The workmanship is impeccable, the big block is chromed and polished with the giant blower coming out of the hood, while the interior is super-clean in black and orange.
Around at the rear, Lemanski provides a wide-view mirror for spectators to see the finely detailed rear end and suspension package along with the huge rear wheels. The car attracted spectators all afternoon and obviously suited the judges in the class.
Other winners were Richard Ward, 1957 Ford T-Bird in American Classic class; Jerry Johnson, 1941 Dodge truck in Truck class; Joann Spears/Terry Bach, 1969 Shelby GT500 in Muscle Car class; Rick Willis, 1970 Ford Torino Cobra in the Class of ’70; Bob Stanaford, 1929 Ford Model A in the Street Rod class; and Mike Swope, 1966 Sunbeam Tiger in the Sports Car class.
The Beavercreek Popcorn Festival Show is always held on the Sunday after Labor Day and plans are already under way for the 2011 show, which will be the fifth for chairman John Engle.
“For 2011, I plan to do an all-Camaro class, as this icon car is now back in production and it is time to highlight it in all of its forms,” he said.
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