By Gary Meyer

Nearly 800 people were in the streets of Frazier Park Saturday, May 28 for the 3rd Annual Ridge Route Run Car Show.

Clerks at Frazier Market that morning said they were very busy. Harry Spyrka at Ace Hardware was hustling through his store in the middle of the afternoon. “We’re trying to get things straightened up here after the rush,” he smiled. Kathy Parker at Alpine Lumber was selling Booster Club raffle tickets to help the high school sports programs. Spectators young and old were enjoying the coupes, classics and hot rods from across the western states.

Kody Hughes of Lebec sent photos and enthusiastic comments: “I think the car show was amazing. There were so many cars that everyone could enjoy. I also love the fact that there were cars from early years all the way up to modern day cars and every thing in between. I love cars and I love photography and think this show was the highlight of the month for me. I would like to get a car show like this going for Fiesta Days (in August). I contacted Mountain Memories about it and they like the idea so far. Hopefully this year we’ll have another show to enjoy.”

Dick Bennett from San Juan Capistrano won the Best of Show prize. He is a medical machinist by profession, making medical prosthetics, including inventing a lap-band for Johnson & Johnson. Restoring classic cars is his hobby. “I took a 1935 Chevy I found near Amarillo, Texas and made a new car out of it,” Bennett said, “It is worth around $80,000 now.” He added that he and his friends enjoyed the show and plan to come again. He’s also looking into driving the Ridge Route when the Ridge Route Restoration Association offers an opportunity. About 10 of his “south county” friends attended the show with him.

Organizer Kevin Lundin said that profits from the car show will be donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Frazier Mountain.

—Reporting by Patric Hedlund

This is part of the June 03, 2011 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

Have an opinion on this matter? We'd like to hear from you.