DENTON CAR SHOWS DEJURE
By
Deats H. Beaird

Click HERE for photos!

From the looks of the “Recent Galleries Posted” section of the HRH website it appears as though things have been very active in the wonderful world of car shows all across the US, and especially in the DFW area.  Heck, my brother even managed to send in an article and photo expose on a car show that he attended in Macon, Georgia. You see my brother goes to, as well as produces, a number of car shows every year.  And at every show he attends or promotes there is always, and as a minimum, photos taken.  And if he ever finds second gear which we believe is still somewhere in his personal tranny he even generates an article about a show he attends.  The Macon show, therefore, must have been an exceptionally good show because not only did my brother share his photos and provide us with a few words of “observation” about show to speak, he actually turn both in to HRH in a reasonable time frame relative to when the show was conducted; thereby giving Shelley a chance to post them in the year the show was actually done. No, my brother does not get in a particular hurry to do anything.  Exceptional at what he does yes.  Just does not get in a hurry to share what he has done with others.

Anyway, for those who watch for the annual arrival of one of the “big boy” shows that comes to the DFW area every year you know that the Good Guys Lone Star Nationals (Oct 1-3) is just around the corner.  Now I am going to be straight up with you and tell you that I am not a particular fan of Good Guys promoted events.  Consequently, while I do not have any particular passion for attending the upcoming GG’s rod and ride fest an opportunity associated with the GG’s event has prompted me to have a special interest in the 2009 version of the GGLSN gathering. At this point in time, however, I feel it inappropriate that I share more about my special interest in the 2009 GGLSN but will do so in my article I will be submitting to HRH post 2009 GGLSN.   And yes, unlike my brother, I will provide the article for posting in a timely manner.

Given the information that I provided in the paragraph above I went into the week of September 14th with a bit of a dilemma on my hands.  My ‘32’s engine was torn down for a “cosmetic refresh” of the 427 block, water pump, alternator, valve covers, and starter, as well as the associated wiring in the engine area.  All of this activity was being conducted in preparation for the 2009 GGLSN event.  Various replacement parts that I needed in order to “put humpty back together again” were scattered throughout Summit land somewhere between Denton and Atlanta.  All of this and then I learned that two car shows were to be held in Denton on Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th.  No way to get my ’32 back together in time to attend these Denton events. Faced with the vehicular condition of my ’32 so to speak the question rapidly became what was I going to do? Solution?  Still go to both shows, just do it the old fashioned way, ie no rod but with my camera and sidekick Camshaft in tow. (No, I haven’t mentioned Camshaft before.  But what I can tell you about her is that she is no more talkative than that kid Harley; but will interact with you much much more.) My crisis was resolved. Camshaft, Fuji, my Focus and I would attend both Denton Texas Roadhouse show on Saturday morning, and follow it up with the Denton Pep Boys show on Sunday afternoon.    

Saturday morning came and at about 10:35AM Camshaft, Fuji and I rolled up in the back parking lot of the Denton Texas Roadhouse.  We unloaded, Camshaft got a good drink before we left the Focus, and then the three of us were off to review the show.  As Camshaft and I walked closer to the show area one thing that I instantly noticed was that there were significantly fewer cars at this Texas Roadhouse show vs the one that was held back in July; fewer attendees at least at 10:35AM anyway.  So Cam and I walked around, checked out the vendors, photographed the rods and rides that were present, and said hello to my neighbor who had arrived previous to Cam and I in his ‘69 yellow Camaro.  After about an hour and one or two more cars arrived, the temperature got much warmer, and Camshaft got hotter.  You see, before we left the house it was a very pleasant temperature.  So much so that Cam decided that it would be okay for her to wear her black coat to the show.  Well, the temperature rose much quicker than either of us had anticipated to the point where Cam’s black coat became too much for her.  And, given that it appeared that there may not be any more rods arrive, Cam and I retreated for the Focus, fired up the AC, and headed for Pet Smart to stock up on another bag of Camshaft’s food. As I drove away from the Texas Roadhouse I could not help but think to myself, in July when it was so hot you could hardly breath 85 to 90 rods and rides showed up at Texas Roadhouse.  And now, in September, when the temperature was mostly pleasant (especially if you were not wearing a black coat) it appeared no more than 25 cars were going to make the show.  And this thought was followed by the proverbial question, Why?  (By the way I talked later with my neighbor and two other Texas Roadhouse attendees and collectively they thought that maybe 40 to 45 cars finally made it to the show.  A decent attendance, providing you ignore the attendance 90 days earlier.

Fast forward to Sunday afternoon. Was able to spend a few hours early in the afternoon on my ‘32’s  engine bay doing final paint touch up, hardware cleaning, plug gapping, starter reinstallation. You know, all the little peripheral things that are going to need to be done prior to the arrival of the “real” parts when sincere reinstallation of everything can commence.  When it came time to head out for the Pep Boys show Camshaft made it pretty clear that she had no interest in making the show; especially since the temp on Sunday was warmer than the temp on Saturday morning.  So, I grabbed Fuji, hopped into my Focus, and off to Pep Boys show I went. 

As I parked the Focus on the lower level of the Pep Boys 3 tier parking lot and headed up to tier one I noticed the same thing I did upon my arrival at Texas Roadhouse on Saturday; a significant shortage of rods and rides relative to the last Pep Boys event 2 months earlier.  What was a 50 rod and ride show 90 days earlier was a 20 rod and ride show on Sunday.  Anyway, as I walked across the tier one parking lot there he was;  that Harley kid.  However, looking at him stand there is his typical pose there seemed that there was something different about him.  Then I spotted them.  Harley was sporting a brand new pair of Harley riding boots.  I just hope Harley’s parents can keep a short rope on this kid because he is really beginning to look like he may be tempted to take a, “walk on the wild side”, so to speak.  After looking Harley over I walked over and said hello to Barry, his wife, Crap Shooter, and Lil Ace, all of whom had brought their “rides” to the show.

While the Pep Boys show was not large by any means it still had some very nice rides in attendance.  One if particular that caught my eye was a very fresh 1961 Red Vette convertible.  This particular automobile, with or without a top, just happens to be my boy hood dream car.  I could not afford one when I was a kid, and still can not afford one now.  And yes, I still slobber all over myself when I see one, especially when it looks as good as the one I saw at the Pep Boys show.

During the time I was finishing up my Pep Boys photo shoot Mouse came on the PA and announced that fried chicken and biscuits for everyone was on the way.  Ah man, not fried chicken and biscuits! With Mouse’s announcement I was immediately thrown into a dilemma.  Stay and eat with my rodding friends and acquaintances, or, get my bad self to my girl friends house in time to eat the dinner that she was cooking for me.  Yep, you know exactly what the outcome of my decision was.

In wrapping up this rodding weekend, and with two show’s being basic mirror images of each other in terms of attendance, I could not help but wonder; what causes any given show to have a “healthy” turn out one time, and everybody have a great time that one time, and then the next time you have a show at the same place and at the same time the attendance goes through the floor relative to the previous show?  Do I have theories?  Yes.  But rather than me expounding in the realm of speculation and sales and marketing strategy for the next two pages I believe that it best to leave the question with you the reader.  What do you think is the reason for large fluctuations in show attendance from one event to the next when the show is held in the same place and time, in the same format, and by the same promoter and sponsor?

Thanks again to Deats Beaird for his great story and photos! HRH