Approximately 15,000 to 20,000 visitors attended last weekend’s annual Seal Beach Classic Car Show, according to a “conservative” estimate by Car Show Chair Brian Warner.
T-shirts sold out before noon, according to Warner.
The Seal Beach Lions Club reports that the 66th annual Pancake Breakfast and Lunch Grill fed around 1,000 people and took in more than $5,000. (For details, see page 15)
The Seal Beach Animal Care Center raised $1,938 from selling baked goods at the Car Show, according to Care Center President Dee Carey.
The winner of the annual Pinewood Derby event won $100 from the Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce. The winners were: Daniel McGuire of Long Beach, 1st Place; Liam Aniceto of Seal Beach, 2nd Place and Eli Simon of Seal Beach, in 3rd Place.
It was not clear what impact, if any, the overcast sky had on the turn out. Many establishments that were open during the Car Show appeared to do solid business during the event. Some areas of Main Street were more crowded than others.
“The car show this year felt like it was a little bigger,” said John Baker, an employee at Javatinis Espresso. “I haven’t seen the numbers yet but we were very busy. Felt like it drew a nice crowd. We had a line to the door for a number of hours. People were kind and tipped well. Good weekend for business.”
The event featured more than 500 classic cars and motorcycles, including at least three “Woody” cars that have long been associated with California’s surfing culture.
Custom American, Japanese, and British motorcycles returned to the Car show. The motorcycle portion of the show was sponsored by Tank Farm, a Main Street business.
Guests were shuttled from the Naval Weapons Station to the Main Street area for the iconic local event.
During the Car Show, city staff took a survey of visitors and residents for the Local Coastal Plan. Red stickers indicated that many of the car show guests came by car and enjoyed free parking.
According to Warner, the Car Show would not exist without support from G&M Oil, Original Parts Group Inc., Republic Services, Ferguson Realty, Bob Griffith, the Sun News, the city of Seal Beach, the U.S. Navy and Marines, and “fine Seal Beach Police Department.”
The following were the winners of the various Seal Beach Car Show Divisions. They are listed in order by division, by sponsor and by winner.
1. Best Early Ford Pre-54 – O’Malley’s – Floyd Doty 32 Ford Cabriolet; 2. Best Early Chevy Pre 54 – Warrior Up Fitness – Larry Boberg 37 Chevy Cabriolet; 3. Best Classic Early 55-57 – Home Instead SR. Care – Len Yerkes 57 Chevy 20R H/T: 4. Best Classic Mid 58-64 – M&A Business Advisors – Javier Murguia 58 Impala Convertible: 5. Best Classic Late 65-72 – Sixty Minutes Spectacles – Rafael Mendez 67 Camaro;
6. Best Late Model 73-UP – Water Safe Swim School – Mike Tucson 84 Ferrari 308 GTS; 7. Best Chevy – Selman Chevrolet – Allen Antoyan 55 Chevy Nomad; 8. Best Ford – State Farm- Mark Holdcroft 69 Mustang Machine; 9. Best Mopar – DWS – Rocky Pebly 69 Ply Roadrunner: 10. Best Early Pickup Pre 57 – Fresh Cut Creative – Brian Ratgman 50 Studebaker Plu;
11. Best Late Pickup 58-Up – Darin Smith 64 Chevy Pickup; 12. Best Volkswagen – Beachwood BBQ – Phil Nathans 63 VW Ragtop; 13. Best Porsche – Scott Levitt – Mike Poppe 59 Porsche 356 CPE; 14. Best European – Alamitos Eye Care – Rocky Siess 54 VW Bug; 15. Best Corvette – Craton Switzer & Tokar LLP – Harry Lekites 67 Corvette
16. Best Special Interest – Alamitos Eye Care – Ernie Fisher 33 Ford Woody; 17. Best Woody – Javatinis – Stan Matesich 47 Ford Woody; 18. Mayor’s Pick – Esther Kenyon – Matt Barba 60 Chevy Impala; 19. Police Officers Pick – So Cal Brain Center – Rick Lorenzon 70 Plym Superbird; 20. Firefighter Pick – OC Breeze – Rick Davenport 67 Chevy Elcamino
21. Ferguson – Ferguson – Chip Israel 63 Corvette; 22. G+M- G+M – Gil Giglio 57 Chevy Apache; 23. Opgi – Pick – Opgi – Eddie Swansenburg 67 Chevelle; 24. Sun Newspaper Pick – Sun Newspaper- Kip Cyrus 67 De Tamaso Vallelunga: 25. Chairmans Pick – Brian Automotive – Danny Summerman 32 Ford Coupe
26. Best Antique – Home Instead Sr Care – Brando Massel 38 Lasalle Conv; 27. Best Custom – Encore Awards – Toff Smith 50 Merc; 28. Best Muscle Car – RTI Insurance – Todd Fox 65 Chevelle; 29. Best Street Rod – Knock Knock – Ron Fairfield 32 Ford Sedan; 30. Best Street Cruiser – United Methodist – Greg Owen 58 Cadillac;
31. “Seal Beach’s Best” – Seal Beach Chamber – Jerry Ruskin 37 Ford 2DR Convertible.
Seth Eaker and Dave Peeters contributed to this article.
