Car show question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 268
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From: Williamsport Maryland
Car show question
I'm sort of confused about car shows and the classes and what it take to win. Could someone enlighten me as to why one car wins over the other. Is it the mods or how well it is detailed? Could a totally stock car win if in show room condition? Just wondering---Thanks
Safety Car
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From: NC
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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I'm sort of confused about car shows and the classes and what it take to win. Could someone enlighten me as to why one car wins over the other. Is iwith t the mods or how well it is detailed? Could a totally stock car win if in show room condition? Just wondering---Thanks
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
From: Copperas Cove Texas
I've been doing the "car show" thing for sometime now... and I'm sure opinions on this subject will vary....
If the car show has participant judging then it's just that, but most have judges from the group or venue the car show is for.. you may have fellow car owners judging, or maybe just anyone who can hold a clipboard!!
So with that said..a judge gives an opinion... key word!!! So the judges individual opinion of the car, and any specific guidelines provided by the venue..such as point sheets are tallied up.
So in a nutshell... a well detailed car will stand out every time, when attending a show, ask how the judging will be done.
Kind of LONG winded.. but I hope this helps
If the car show has participant judging then it's just that, but most have judges from the group or venue the car show is for.. you may have fellow car owners judging, or maybe just anyone who can hold a clipboard!!
So with that said..a judge gives an opinion... key word!!! So the judges individual opinion of the car, and any specific guidelines provided by the venue..such as point sheets are tallied up.
So in a nutshell... a well detailed car will stand out every time, when attending a show, ask how the judging will be done.
Kind of LONG winded.. but I hope this helps
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
From: Madrid Iowa
Good luck! I just did my local Labor Day show, I had my 02 Trans Am WS6 with a cam and headed ls6 z06 motor swap, headers, true duals, tubular Kmember and upper lower control arms,150 shot of nitrous, and the list goes on. My car is clean 53k miles on it. It's my daily driver,8+ hours went into detailing it. It's red lowered 2 and a half inches, black z06 rims, all the windows are tinted. It looks sharp as hell. I took 2nd! lost to a 06 or 07 mustang gt with cat back, rims, chrome intake that was about it. I was so fustrated.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 12,071
Likes: 0
From: Hoover Alabama
I've been doing the "car show" thing for sometime now... and I'm sure opinions on this subject will vary....
If the car show has participant judging then it's just that, but most have judges from the group or venue the car show is for.. you may have fellow car owners judging, or maybe just anyone who can hold a clipboard!!
So with that said..a judge gives an opinion... key word!!! So the judges individual opinion of the car, and any specific guidelines provided by the venue..such as point sheets are tallied up.
So in a nutshell... a well detailed car will stand out every time, when attending a show, ask how the judging will be done.
Kind of LONG winded.. but I hope this helps
If the car show has participant judging then it's just that, but most have judges from the group or venue the car show is for.. you may have fellow car owners judging, or maybe just anyone who can hold a clipboard!!
So with that said..a judge gives an opinion... key word!!! So the judges individual opinion of the car, and any specific guidelines provided by the venue..such as point sheets are tallied up.
So in a nutshell... a well detailed car will stand out every time, when attending a show, ask how the judging will be done.
Kind of LONG winded.. but I hope this helps
There can be a lot of politics in some shows so prepare yourself.
Just my .02
Slik
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 65,010
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From: Title town, Champs live here.
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
As previously stated there can be alot of politics (cliques) at car shows, just get it as clean as you can and have fun. If you win it's icing on the cake. Good Luck (unless I'm there
)
)
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 16,270
Likes: 30
From: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
NCM Sinkhole Donor
I agree with these guys - my single experience was a show that was sponsored by one of the local clubs. It was "People's Choice" and participant judged. I spent almost 30 hours detailing every single thing that I could touch on my car. It was as clean and sharp as I could make it. When we pulled in - I was asked for my club affiliation, to which I replied - none.
I was directed to park in the boondocks. I gave my car a final last minute wipedown, opened up my folding chair - and never saw a single person walk down to where we were. All of the activities, the music, the DJ, the food, etc. was at the other end of the parking lot where the sponsoring club was parked.
When the awards ceremonies started - the only cars that were awarded were the club members cars.
Bottom line - do your best. Detail it twice. Don't attend with any expectation of winning and you might be pleasantly surprised. I did all of the above, and I wasn't surprised - in fact it was what I expected!
Best of luck!
I was directed to park in the boondocks. I gave my car a final last minute wipedown, opened up my folding chair - and never saw a single person walk down to where we were. All of the activities, the music, the DJ, the food, etc. was at the other end of the parking lot where the sponsoring club was parked.
When the awards ceremonies started - the only cars that were awarded were the club members cars.
Bottom line - do your best. Detail it twice. Don't attend with any expectation of winning and you might be pleasantly surprised. I did all of the above, and I wasn't surprised - in fact it was what I expected!
Best of luck!
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,664
Likes: 15
From: Wellsboro Pa
You should be grouped into a similar group as your vehicle. If you have an original car that's the group that you should be competing against. Some judges will put you into the modified class if you only changed your radio (I had this happen at the Dale Earnheart Legacy Show in 2004). I still pulled a trophy but would have done bette against original. Bottom line, don't update your stereo to keep up with technology. It will bite you in the azz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,478
Likes: 20
From: guthrie oklahoma
Really depends on what type of show it is. I compete in regional nccc shows which judge on how well your car is prepared . Meaning how clean it is. They break each year group ( that is c2c3,c4. etc) into further groups. Wash and show( street driven cars do not show under the hood) Street show (similar to WS except is judged under hood) Concours prepared (toughest class judged ) and modified (judged similar to concours must have 4 major mods). Sounds confusing but really fun to do. I was Carolinas region champ for 2006 and showed in Concours with 2003 ZO6 and I have served as a judge for several years.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 9,984
Likes: 1
From: Assault is a behavior, not a device! Cypress TX
St. Jude Donor '11
Honestly car shows are all over the map class and judging wise. An all Corvette show to me is the most enjoyable because the classes are more broken down by style and year. The Corvettes are generally judged by someone who knows what to look for in our cars. In the open car shows I've participated all bets are off. In the opens...mostly the vintage "muscle cars", street rods, or latest year, over the top, blinged out Vette will take the honors. If it's a people's choice award you can bet it the oldest, cleanest, red Vette will take the trophy in the Vette class.
It's nice to win but I do them to be around the cars, getting new ideas and being around what generally turns out to be a lot of nice people who also love cars...especially at Vette shows.
It's nice to win but I do them to be around the cars, getting new ideas and being around what generally turns out to be a lot of nice people who also love cars...especially at Vette shows.
Last edited by jughead1; Sep 12, 2007 at 08:07 AM.
Uber Waxer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 8,651
Likes: 5
From: Hanover MD
Cruise-In 8-9-10-11 Veteran
CI 9, 10 & 11 Car Show Winner
St. Jude Donor '08-'10
for c5's, its hit or miss. my c5 is tastfully done without allot of chrome and its difficult for me to win no matter how clean it is. but my C1, I can spend 10 min wiping the dust off of it and usually take a trophy home.
its really subjective, participant judging you have to look at the type of show it is and the age of participants that are there. If its judged, then you have to look at whos judging it, are they vette people or just judges at a car show.
I took my 62 to a show this last weekend and they picked the car apart like it was in a concours event, if I had known that I probably would have put a little more time into it rather than a quick wipe and wax before getting there.
what I found more now is to just go and have fun with car people and not worry about taking anything home.
its really subjective, participant judging you have to look at the type of show it is and the age of participants that are there. If its judged, then you have to look at whos judging it, are they vette people or just judges at a car show.
I took my 62 to a show this last weekend and they picked the car apart like it was in a concours event, if I had known that I probably would have put a little more time into it rather than a quick wipe and wax before getting there.
what I found more now is to just go and have fun with car people and not worry about taking anything home.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 945
Likes: 1
From: Tigertown Ohio
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
I built and showed three different frame off modified tri five ('55-56-57) Chevy cars over 10 years. I had a closet full of trophies that gathered dust. I observed grown men and women throw tantrums and trash their trophies/certificates in front of the sponsors and host club because they didn't place higher. I heard "friends" bad mouth other members cars so they could win a $2.99 plastic trophy. I saw non car people damage very expensive show cars because they had no respect for others property. I witnessed the politics of car shows...you vote for me and I'll vote for you.
Go to a car show to have fun, admire other peoples cars and display your car. Admiration from fellow enthusiasts is better than any trophy.
Go to a car show to have fun, admire other peoples cars and display your car. Admiration from fellow enthusiasts is better than any trophy.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
From: Montoursville PA
Honestly car shows are all over the map class and judging wise. An all Corvette show to me is the most enjoyable because the classes are more broken down by style and year. The Corvettes are generally judged by someone who knows what to look for in our cars. In the open car shows I've participated all bets are off. In the opens...mostly the vintage "muscle cars", street rods, or latest year, over the top, blinged out Vette will take the honors. If it's a people's choice award you can bet it the oldest, cleanest, red Vette will take the trophy in the Vette class.
It's nice to win but I do them to be around the cars, getting new ideas and being around what generally turns out to be a lot of nice people who also love cars...especially at Vette shows.
It's nice to win but I do them to be around the cars, getting new ideas and being around what generally turns out to be a lot of nice people who also love cars...especially at Vette shows.
