Cars in park

(Originally published in the Telegraph on 7/10/08)

ROXANA - Hundreds of auto enthusiasts are expected to pack the park this Saturday for the 29th annual Roxana Park Auto Show.

The show, sponsored and organized by the Alton Antique Auto Association and the Roxana Park District, will give car lovers a chance to check out a wide variety of classic rides - from Model Ts to 1990s Mustangs, and from turn-of-the-century antiques to 1970s stock cars.

First-, second-, and third-place trophies in 25 categories will be awarded to car owners who paid the $15 contest entry fee. The categories are based on automobile type, brand and date of original manufacture. All judged cars must be models from 2003 or earlier.

"The cars are predominantly from the '20s, '30s, '40s and '50s," said Don Huber, vice president of the Alton Antique Auto Association.

Past competitions have drawn close to 1,000 spectators and more than 150 cars from contestants living in Illinois, Missouri and Indiana, Huber said.

"We don't know exactly how many people come, but boy, there are a lot," Huber said. "We've just got plenty of room and a lot of shade trees. It's a beautiful place to take a car."

Contest registration will be open from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., and judges will award trophies at 3 p.m. The first 100 entries will receive free dash plaques and T-shirts.

The show also will include door prizes, pool passes, concessions, a 50/50 raffle and a music DJ. Raffle tickets are $1 each or six for $5. A winner will be drawn before trophies are awarded. The winner will receive half the money collected for the raffle, and the remaining 50 percent will go to the auto association.

Members of the association can display their vehicles but not enter them in contests. Entries for sale and display, including cars made more recently than 2003, will be charged a fee of $10.