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Rain can't dampen Downtown Classic Cruise Night

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, May 11, 2008 by Steve Fry

By Steve Fry

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

A brief but heavy rain Saturday evening trimmed the number of restored cars and spectators at the Downtown Classic Cruise Night, but it didn't drench the enthusiasm of admirers of the classic cars and trucks.

"It doesn't hurt you," Jim "Bubba" Bogner said of the rain.

Bogner's three cars - a black 1950 Mercury convertible, a blue 1940 Plymouth Business Coupe and a 1971 Pontiac GTO - were parked near S. Kansas Avenue and 8th Street.

Bogner was holding grandson Cameron Harries, 15 months old, as he talked.

"Voom, voom, voom!" the toddler said, echoing the rumbling engines of nearby cruising muscles cars.

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Les Glenn, program manager at 99.3 The Eagle radio station and organizer of the cruise night, said about 500 cars and trucks filled the downtown streets along with 6,000 spectators.

"We still had a great turnout despite the rain," Glenn said.

Chris Beck sought shelter inside the Beck family's red 1967 Plymouth Barracuda convertible to get away from sometimes chilly, blustery winds.

The family came to the car show when husband Terry Beck said the rain wouldn't melt the Barracuda.

"We've looked forward to this for months so we came," Chris Beck said.

The Barracuda was parked in the middle of Kansas Avenue.

Car enthusiast Lonnie Remington wasn't surprised the crowds and cars showed up for the cruise night. Remington is restoring a 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle.

His brother, Lee Remington and his wife, Jerri, brought their 1966 Chevelle SS 396 to the cruise night.

"Car people like to get together," Lonnie Remington said. "They like to talk about car stuff."

Not all drivers had licenses on Saturday. Twins Peyton and Zachary Ziegler, 11 months old, wore seat belts as each rode in his 1928 pedal cars.

Accompanied by parents Breanna and Junior Ziegler, the brothers were pulled in their white Model A Fords, which had white paint and brass fenders. Grandfather Tom Grist, Breanna's father, did some conversion work to make them into strollers.

Steve Fry can be reached (785) 295-1206 or at steve.fry@cjonline com.

Rain can't dampen Downtown Classic Cruise Night

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, May 11, 2008 by Steve Fry

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