The Champaign Cruisers are revved up for their 20th annual Firecracker Car, Truck, and Bike Show set for July 4 at Skelley Lumber, 1330 N. Main St.
Registration for the show will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the day of the show, but vehicles will begin to arrive as early as 7 a.m. There is a $10 entry fee to register a vehicle. Spectator admission is free. Donations, which go directly to charity, will be accepted. The event will take place rain or shine.
The award ceremony is scheduled for 3:30-4:30 p.m. Seventy-three gas pump trophies will be awarded for the 20th anniversary. A $20 gas card will be awarded with each trophy. Last year’s Best of Show award went to Belle Center resident Gene Evans’ 1968 Shelby GT500KR.
Food vendors and a DJ will be part of the fun. In addition, the Cruisers will give away $25 gas cards as door prizes every half hour.
The Champaign Cruisers’ first car show took place July 4, 1998, in Urbana, and 61 vehicles participated. The annual show has grown and included 636 participating vehicles in 2015.
Club President Nelson Faulkner anticipates a good turnout again this year: “As long as we have good weather, we hope to see 700-800 participants register this year.”
“The show has far exceeded our expectations,” said Faulkner. “It’s amazing how much it has grown. And beyond that, we have received amazing support from the community, and we are thankful for that.”
According to Faulkner, the Cruisers have donated more than $64,000 to local causes and organizations over its 20 years of activity. Some of the more frequently funded organizations include the Cancer Society, Champaign County Literacy Council and Caring Kitchen. Donations also have gone to local families who have fallen on hard times or experienced unexpected injury or illness.
The club organizes a toy drive around Christmas each year, providing gifts, hats and scarves to more than 300 children. In 2016, the club reached 11 food banks to provide food and gift baskets for those in need.
For more information, visit www.champaigncruisers.com.
