The heat was on at the Operation Stand Down Car Show at Cornerstone Church

If you wanted to see a bunch of cars, Cornerstone Church was the place to be last Saturday. This one was a fundraiser for Operation Stand Down, which is an organization that helps homeless veterans get back on their feet. I’d say the majority of the entries here were late model Mustangs and Camaros, thanks to some pretty strong club participation. But there were plenty of other nice things to look at if Pony Cars aren’t your thing. It was very hot over the weekend, but that didn’t stop people from getting their cars out. The drive-through judging looked like it was running a little slow based on the long, stagnant line, but I guess that’s why they call these “car shows” and not “car races.”

Hendersonville Cruise-In kicks off 2019 at its new location

As a Hendersonville resident and a car cruise guy, I’m always happy when the Hendersonville Cruise-In kicks off for the season. This year, the location moved to the old World Market parking lot, which is basically the Target store off New Shackle Island Road. They hold this event every Friday night during the summer, and they always have lots of really nice cars to look at. I’m always amazed that they can hold this event this often and still draw in so many different and interesting cars each time. Naturally, we took the old truck there for opening night, and came home with a bunch of pictures and stories about the neat stuff in attendance.

Manheim Nashville employees show off their rides

When I’m not going to car shows, I actually have a paying job where I rep General Motors vehicles at the dealer auctions in Memphis and Nashville. Recently, my car show world and my professional world combined when Manheim Nashville had an employee Spring Fling and car show inside the gates of their massive campus in Mt. Juliet. Rain in the area probably kept several cars away, but a little water never hurt my old truck, so of course, I was there. The auction had set up a really nice event for their employees with lunch, games, and prizes, so I was really happy that they let me attend. What’s more, some of the people that work there have some really nice cars!

28th-Annual McKendree Village Car Show in Hermitage

For 28 years, the Exchange Club has been hosting their annual car show, and when I found out it was at McKendree Village in Hermitage, just five minutes from my house, you can bet that I was in. Not only was it convenient, but it had a bunch of nice cars. And not only did it have nice cars, but it had nice weather. And not only did it have nice weather, but it raised money for the Exchange Club, which helps abused kids. This is the kind of situation that’s impossible to pass up. Of course, if you couldn’t make it, don’t worry. I’ll show you some of the stuff that was there in this story, and you can make sure to attend the 29th-Annual Exchange Club Car Show next year.

The 4th-Annual Nostalgia Nationals in Bowling Green

Car-for-car, some of the best shows in the country are hosted by the Goodguys Rod and Custom Association. Nashville is lucky enough to not only have one downtown, but also an hour-and-a-half away in Bowling Green, Ky. The 4th-Annual Nostalgia Nationals was held at Beech Bend Raceway Park last weekend, and as expected, it had everything you could ever want in a high-profile hot rod and custom car gathering. From show cars to autocross to vintage drag racing, there was a little something for everyone.

Tuesday night at Tom's Cruise in Germantown

I’m spending more time in the Memphis area for work lately, so  last Tuesday night I checked out Tom’s Cruise in Germantown. As is the norm these days, it was an incredibly hot day, which may have had an impact on attendance. That being said, there was still a good number of nice cars at this cruise, and most of them stayed there for quite a while. High heat isn’t enough to keep real car folks at home. They just pack a few more bottles of water. Let’s take a look at some of the rides they packed that water in.

2015 ISSCA Nationals in Bowling Green

Most people don’t really consider the mid-1990s to be a high-water mark in the history of the automobile. It’s an era of bland, jellybean-shaped appliances and soulless Toyota Camrys. V8, rear-wheel-drive performance cars were out, and the word “horsepower” was being replaced with “fuel economy.” Luckily, General Motors was quietly building cars under the radar that bucked the trends of the time. The 1994-1996 Chevrolet Impala SS was a holdout from another era. It was big. It sat on a full frame. It had a 260-hp V8 when 100-hp four-bangers were the norm. Its sinister, monochromatic looks were like a big middle finger to the wheezy turd-mobiles with which it shared the road.

Goodlettsville Cruise was a nice little gathering

Saturday night, I made a quick stop at the Goodlettsville Cruise in the Publix/Firehouse Subs parking lot. I say “quick,” because there weren’t many cars there to photograph. Now that’s not really a reflection on the cruise itself. I’ve been to this same location when you would consider yourself lucky to find a parking spot. Unfortunately, they were right up against the new Cruizin’ Hendersonville event going on 15 minutes away. I think that was their biggest challenge. But I guess as a car guy, having too many cruise options seems like a good problem to have.

2014 Chevrolet SS test drive review. Not what it first appears to be

The car you’re looking at here may be one of the biggest sleepers in America.  It looks like an oversized Chevy Cruze.  It doesn’t really have a name.  And it is one of the fastest, most potent full-sized sedans you can buy.  The 2014 Chevrolet SS is one of those cars that you need to experience to appreciate.  But not many people will get that chance.  In spite of being the face of Chevrolet’s NASCAR efforts, this car is a secret.  And it will probably remain a secret until someone looks back on them and realizes what they missed.

1994-1996 Cadillac Fleetwood. Impala SS performance, complete with vinyl top and fender skirts

Most performance car enthusiasts look at the '90s with some level of fondness. Let's face it, even fast cars in the '80s usually weren't very fast, and if they had even a hint of performance, they usually used more fuel than what you got out of them.

Things improved greatly in 1992, when Chevrolet put the new 350-c.i. LT1 V8 in the Corvette. In Chevy small block history, this was a watershed moment. Corvettes were rated at 300-hp--a huge number at the time-- and people experienced fuel mileage in the mid-to-high 20s. That might not seem like that big of a deal now, but at the time, it was like a miracle.

Tonganoxie Days puts on a nice car show ... when it doesn't rain

It seems like every year when it’s time for the Tonganoxie Days Car Show at VFW Hall #9271, it rains.  And every year, I say something like, “they had a good turnout for the rain, but just imagine what it could have been if the sun was out.”  Well guess what.  When they held the show last Saturday, the sun was out.  And guess what else.  There was a park full of nice cars.  Turns out this can be a top-notch show with a little help from Mother Nature.

The 2014 Chevrolet SS recalls the full-sized, rear-wheel-drive Super Sports of the past

Thursday, Chevrolet took the wraps off of the much-anticipated, 2013 SS NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The car will be based on the upcoming, Australian-built, 2014 Chevrolet SS. This is pretty big news for bowtie loyalists, because it marks the return of full-sized, rear-wheel-drive performance to the Chevrolet lineup. But it certainly isn’t their first foray into this market segment. When people think of the SS badge, images of ’69 Camaro 396s and ’70 Chevelles with 454s might come to mind. But the SS badge was born on Chevy’s full-sized offerings.