Plymouth Auto Club hosted an auto show on Saturday April 19. The show started at 9:00 a.m. and ended at 2:00 p.m. in the Hyde parking lot.
The auto show marked the start of an annual event by the Plymouth Auto Club. It cost five dollars to display a car in the show. The judging was split into five categories: Imports, Domestics, Trucks, Off-road, and Classic/Muscle. The winners of each category were determined by majority vote from the members of PAC.
There was an over-all best in show, which spanned all the categories, and was picked by the public attendees. Every person who entered the show was given a ticket, on which they wrote their vote and submitted it in a collection box. The votes were counted, and the winner received a ‘Best in Show’ certificate and a free t-shirt.
The ‘Best in Show’ award was given to the owner of a VR6 swapped Volkswagen Jetta. Best import was a WRX motor-swapped 2.5r/s Subaru Impreza, best domestic was a Chevy Cobalt SS S/C. Best truck was a 2004 Chevy Colorado ZQ8, best off-road was a lifted Ford F-350. Best classic was a Ford Model A, belonging to Jeff and Jody from Junkyard Dawgs.
WPCR hosted live music in the parking lot, and the Class of 2009 provided concessions, including hot dogs, drinks and snacks.”It was a huge planning process; we put a lot of time into it,” said Doug Plumley, President of Plymouth Auto Club. Originally, he wanted to plan the show in conjunction with Spring Fling, but it was too much work to coordinate.
PAC is using their annual auto show as a way to break themselves into campus affairs, “We’re trying to get people to come, not necessarily for cars, but to hang out with their friends and possibly find a new interest,” said Brad Olmstead, Vice President of Plymouth Auto Club. According to Olmstead, PAC wants to turn the auto show into a fair in the future, with events and activities hosted by other clubs as well.
The problem they’ve had so far on campus is getting recognition. “Being such a new club, we don’t have the reputation that other shows have,” Olmstead said. Most of their competitors were confirmed through on-line automotive forums or word of mouth. PAC managed to get a U.S. Army Hummer and a Plymouth fire truck to appear.”I’m hoping to fill the lot, but being the first [auto show], I have no idea,” said Plumley. In total, they showed about 37 cars.
Plumley and Olmstead had originally planned it as an all-day event running until 6:00 p.m. “We started packing up at two. The heat was getting to everyone and we didn’t want to drag it on,” Olmstead said. “It was our first show so it gave us great insight as to what we need to do or change for next year’s show.”
The club is hardly a year old, gaining university recognition Spring 2007. Initially it was a group of people with a common interest until they decided it was time to step up their role at Plymouth State.
Plymouth Auto Club is open to all members, with or without automotive experience. Currently, nineteen members meet in Hyde room 217 on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. They promote automotive discussion and debate, while also hosting cruises to destinations like the Kangamaugus Highway with more to come. The members pay $40 a year in dues or $25 per semester. This covers the cost of gas for their cruises and any auto show expenses, like printing t-shirts. They encourage any prospective members to attend their Wednesday night meetings, even without warning.
According to their mission statement, “PAC was formed to unite PSU students who share a passion for automotives. Our purpose is to provide a community where enthusiasts can learn different ways to modify their vehicles or just enjoy the company of their fellow members. We are all here to help others continue to learn as much as they can in the automotive field and involve the community is a positive way throughout the process.”