[CCS71]

Small local shows are notorious for car show politics, and "outsiders" sometimes don't stand a chance.

If it was participant vote, the awards usually go to the ones who have the most friends there, regardless of meeting judging standards for showmanship.

Judged show: Can be subjective. You may have lost points for not having hood open when judging occurred. Judges could have been inexperienced and easily impressed by something negligible. I've also heard that late model car owners are "cheating", because the car is new and doesn't need as much work to maintain it.

All that matters is your car makes you smile when you start the engine. Don't sweat the small stuff.

[protovack]

Yea who cares about winning a car show category, what matters is do you like your car and do you have fun driving it?

[dpevans]

and I thought car shows were just a place to meet and greet new people. stupid me.

[shaffe]

Originally Posted by SPARTAN sui

At least your car shows have categories that make sense.

The local show here that started out like 6 years ago has like 4 categories, two of them are like pre 1963 and post 1963. So you know a 6th gen Camaro isn't going to stand a chance going against anything newer than 1963. I've been on the car show "board" for a couple of years helping out, (not anymore, maybe they didn't like my opinions?) but they don't want to charge anything for entry nor do they want to have real trophies or plaques, just some homemade junk. Like a license plate with spark plugs screwed into it for hanging your keys. Cool stuff. I'd really enjoy driving 80 miles in my $50,000 show car to come out and win some garbage. /rant

See that is just dumb. Car shows need multiple categories.

I think when my pops was doing them, they had them separated by years then into even more sub categories.

Example, 1950's Stock, 1950's Street Machine and 1950's Pro-Street. That way you don't have say a numbers matching all original 57 T-Bird going against an full frame off resto mod 57 Chevy Bel Air

[mako22]

Originally Posted by protovack

Yea who cares about winning a car show category, what matters is do you like your car and do you have fun driving it?

I agree - but somehow I left there feeling bad about myself and my car

[01pewterz28]

Originally Posted by CCS71

Small local shows are notorious for car show politics, and "outsiders" sometimes don't stand a chance.

If it was participant vote, the awards usually go to the ones who have the most friends there, regardless of meeting judging standards for showmanship.

Judged show: Can be subjective. You may have lost points for not having hood open when judging occurred. Judges could have been inexperienced and easily impressed by something negligible. I've also heard that late model car owners are "cheating", because the car is new and doesn't need as much work to maintain it.

All that matters is your car makes you smile when you start the engine. Don't sweat the small stuff.

What politics at car shows

[gpskinzhut]

I haven't been to a show in over a year. Had something similar at one where some goofy 5th gen beat out several 1st gens, a survivor 2nd gen, couple of nice 3rds. It had a hood and wheels. Heard some spectator telling the owner, "Man you really keep it in good shape!" Like it's difficult to keep a 1yr old car "in good shape". I was little dumbfounded. I did that show 3 years I think. Placed 3rd once. One of the judges walked around just giving me the stink-eye all day for some reason.

At another, the judges (all older guys, and I'm in 40's if that gives you any idea), refused to even look at the car, and that was my IROC which was over 20 years old a that point.

Originally Posted by shaffe

See that is just dumb. Car shows need multiple categories.

I think when my pops was doing them, they had them separated by years then into even more sub categories.

Example, 1950's Stock, 1950's Street Machine and 1950's Pro-Street. That way you don't have say a numbers matching all original 57 T-Bird going against an full frame off resto mod 57 Chevy Bel Air

Works well if the field is big enough for it. Been to a few where it segmented the field so heavily that there were 1-3 cars in each class. Almost participant trophy level.

[SPARTAN sui]

Originally Posted by shaffe

See that is just dumb. Car shows need multiple categories.

I think when my pops was doing them, they had them separated by years then into even more sub categories.

Example, 1950's Stock, 1950's Street Machine and 1950's Pro-Street. That way you don't have say a numbers matching all original 57 T-Bird going against an full frame off resto mod 57 Chevy Bel Air

Yeah, they don't have nearly enough categories at all. Every year it seems to be about the same vehicles turning out too. They're really not bringing new people to participate, the same regulars. So it almost gets dull. I've been to a car meetup a few years now that's all younger guys driving what they have. It's more of daily drivers and project vehicles, the average age is probably 22-25 years old. Tons of imports, some trucks, some off the wall project vehicles, and a quite a few older cars too. It's a lot of fun. It's only 80 miles away from here, but I have never seen any of those vehicles at our show.

We're too small to be strictly exclusive to classic American automobiles, if they want to bring in more people we need the younger crowd. The only way to draw in people is to have incentive, trophies, plaques, door prizes, etc. Shoot one year they did a balance beam and burnout competition at the fairgrounds, it was awesome!

Now for the past few years it's been on our little main street to coincide with our main street sales day...which is very underwhelming considering there's now a few empty buildings on main street and the local businesses that are there don't have very good sales or enticing products. It's essentially destroying our car show by forcing the vehicles on main street versus using our fair grounds which is a few blocks North and offer waaaay more space on nice lot of grass. You can't categorize and organize the vehicles on Main Street properly for judging and just straight organization. It's a mess.

Now they've been trying to add more variety by opening it up to tractors, snowmobiles, and now this year, boats. What? Why not focus on vehicles? I can understand tractors, as we're rural North Dakota, but we really don't have the space for them on Main Street (we would at the Fair Grounds!), and rec vehicles really don't draw my interest. I want to see vehicles of all origins and age. Get more variety. Have trophies, plaques, a better location, and better categories.

Sorry for the wall, the show is coming up in a few days and I'm just depressed it's going to be the same thing over and over again. I tried to help, I built them a website (for free), but some people on the board decided to my website wasn't good enough? Even though it looks way better than what they had their guy create. I really do not like his web design style. www.bottineaucarshow.com/

It's been a frustrating experience. Especially since I've been there from the start, attended all the shows, pitched in my help and experience, and I'm the youngest one there. I'm just annoyed.

[CCS71]

Originally Posted by 01pewterz28

What politics at car shows

[01pewterz28]

Originally Posted by CCS71

In all honesty yea it's pretty bad these days friends of a friend will vote for certain cars, ect..

The only show I get prepared for is when I enter my car into a 1000pt judged show. At that point it's all about correctness and being clean. The judges could care less about the flashy lights, and stuff.

[CCS71]

Originally Posted by 01pewterz28

The judges could care less about the flashy lights, and stuff.

Hey, I resemble that comment, LOL.

I agree, the point system with PROFESSIONAL judging is optimal if you show it. Otherwise, shoot the breeze with like minded enthusiasts, soak up some rays, take pride in the admiring gazes from the spectators, and consider your entry fee to be a donation to the fundraiser.

[01pewterz28]

Originally Posted by CCS71

Hey, I resemble that comment, LOL.

I agree, the point system with PROFESSIONAL judging is optimal if you show it. Otherwise, shoot the breeze with like minded enthusiasts, soak up some rays, take pride in the admiring gazes from the spectators, and consider your entry fee to be a donation to the fundraiser.

Bingo


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HighIron]

Originally Posted by gpskinzhut

At another, the judges (all older guys, and I'm in 40's if that gives you any idea), refused to even look at the car, and that was my IROC which was over 20 years old a that point.

I'm in my 50s and I notice it too....a generational bias of sorts. I'm guessing that's also why they feel the need to BLAST 1950s music over loud speakers, as if "car culture" is solely a late 50s/early 60s domain.

[JLSuperfly]

The Russians meddled with the voting.