Classic cars and Route 66 beauties come to Barstow

BARSTOW — Car lovers can cruise downtown Main Street and check out classic cars of all eras and styles in Saturday.

The Main Street USA Car Show, a fundraiser for the Barstow Police Activities League and the Saturday Night Cruisers Car Club, is celebrating a decade of providing a good time for car enthusiasts.

Car show organizer and Saturday Night Cruisers vice president Dennis Jones promised automobiles to suit any taste, from pre-1948 “street rodders” to “shoe boxes” from the 1950s and 1960s, to lowrider trucks and miniature cars or “Euros.” One of the highlights of the show will be a 1967 Mustang bearing actor Nicholas Cage’s signature, which was featured in the film “Gone in 60 Seconds,” he said.

Most of the contestants come from the High Desert, but one contestant travels down from Canada every year for California car shows, and another brought his Corvette from Colorado last year.

About 35 participants had registered as of Thursday evening, but Jones expected the number to reach 100 by Saturday. The events were scheduled to kick off with a Friday night cruise from L Street park and ride near Interstate 15 to the Skyline Drive-in.

As a tie-in with the car show, classic beauties of all ages will strut their stuff at the Miss Route 66 pageant, raising funds for the Barstow Route 66 Mother Road Museum. Contestants came from as far as Illinois to participate last year, said pageant organizer Kris Watson. The pageant is sportswear only, meaning that contestants are not required to show up in formal attire.

But some women doll themselves up in 1945- to 1960-era dress for the costume category, including a mother/daughter pair who both entered the pageant dressed as actress Lucille Ball of “I Love Lucy” one year.

“Everyone works really hard to promote the museum and the historical significance of Route 66, and they have fun doing it,” Watson said.
This year marks the seventh year of the pageant. Watson said she is already plotting a big blow-out for the 10-year anniversary.

If you go

• Downtown Main Street will be shut down for the Main Street USA Car Show Saturday, which runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost to register a car the day of the show is $25. Admission for the public is free. For more information, call Eddie Cordova at 255-1691 or 267-6538 or Dennis Jones at 256-0150 or 447-0704.

• Check out the Miss Route 66 Pageant at the Ambiance Steakhouse “Club Inferno” at 235 E. Main St. Pageant registration is $125 at the door. Registration is open until 8:30 a.m. Saturday for contestants aged 8 and under, 10:30 a.m. for ages 9 to 17, and 1 p.m. for ages 18 and up. The pageant is open to women of all ages. Admission is free to the public. Events run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For more information see http://www.Route66Pageant.com or call 760-257-3834.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4123 or abby_sewell@link.freedom.com