Brought back a lot of pics but will just post one. Cars in motion and the sound of engines grab me most, so this pic catches of glimpse of the street scene during the Saturday night cruise. Car shows with cruises usually operate under more restriction - cruising around a fairgrounds or on block-off streets. But Centralia offers freedom - no boundaries, with hot rods and customs mixed right in with general traffic. Saturday night turned everyone loose on the loop that runs north on Tower and then south on Pearl. It is the closest thing to what I remember decades ago. For those too young to remember those days, the scene was right out of American Graffiti. The parade went on for hours. People lined to streets to see, hear and smell hot rods and customs rumble past. Drivers showed plenty of restraint, until late Saturday night when a fellow in front of the Olympic Club stopped cars and waved his shirt like the starter at a drag strip. Things got exciting, and people gathered. He was having a good time and so was I, but I wondered if in these times the City of Centralia will continue to look the other way. The Saturday night cruise gives the wings of freedom to Billetproof NW. Let's hope that its wings don't get clipped!
think positive, if its limited to one jackass things should be ok as you can bet the local merchants were crossing their fingers for this event to happen. with the poor economy in lewis county the $$$ were a welcome sight. the area has lots of appeal for this type of event.
It was BITCHIN all right! People were on there best behavior from what we could see. I think I we got something BIG here.
I think that the actions of one goofball will be overlooked because the group as a whole showed a great deal of respect for our community. If there ever was an area that lended itself to this type of cruise, I think Centralia is the place! A one way cruise area, plenty of side and backstreet parking, and businesses that are car friendly I was impressed by the number of cars that elected to cruise rather than park and watch. To all of you: thanks a lot, what an awesome day!! BUT...next year: someone feel free to tell Johnny Jackass to calm down and enjoy himself
I hope Billetproof continues in Centralia/Chehalis for years to come. I grew up in Centralia and I have to say the local law enforcement was extremely laid back last night for the cruise. I hope some of the things going on as far as any burnouts or drag racing downtown don't change that. Everyone seemed to be on their best behavior for what I could tell. I was surprised at some of the cars that qualified to make it in the show this year seeing alot of wheels especially, that would have disqualified them according to the rules. I can't bitch too much I had a great time at the show and the cruise. Thanks for putting on a kick ass show near home for me.
I was really discouraged with billetproof. It was a long distence to travel, it was WAY too much to enter, the show was spread out too much, and there wasnt much to do, not to mention that they kicked everyone out at 4:30. I dont think ill be back next year
Wow, sorry you feel that way. I don't think $10 is too much to see a show with that many rides, but hey, each their own
Dyna, that is a short jaunt to attend a show that attracts folks from miles around (multiple states etc...). I hope you were showing some sarcasism...
Great show. Remember, that was 35 bucks for TWO days. Thats less than the going rate. Plus, they gave the participants a cool Patch,Decal,and Poster. I thought it was a bargain. Can't wait to give them more of my $$$ next year. We were so busy checkin things out, I never even heard the bands.
You were calling a $35 entrance fee too much? Okay, whatever. That seems like a bargain for the atmosphere that I saw, and if there wasn't enough to do there, maybe you're just a little jaded...in my worthless opinion
I was all over the place shooting pics on Saturday. Will post some shortly. Saw some kids near the north end of the cruise egging people on. Seemed like a lot of the misbehaving came from cars not even eligible for Billetproof - later model muscle cars and high school shop junkpots. Can't do much about them, but the organizers and sanctioning city need to know about it. Seen it happen when rice burners show up at events uninvited and the gangs come along with them. What's cool about old-school is that so much of the younger generation loves it and they can fit right in. The police were there, even when you didn't see them. They're getting some high-tech tricks for tracking trouble. Just doing their job. I talked with a number of them and they seemed real friendly, as did the business people in Centralia. This was my first Billetproof. Don't have a car right now but still enjoyed the show. Very much like biker events - you're there for the time spent with brothers and sisters. A great time. I've never seen so many smiling sunburnt faces. All the machinery is a bonus. I guess for some it could be the other way around and you're there for the cars and the comraderie is a bonus. Either way, I saw tons of people have way more fun than most any other cruise I've been to. I'll be back and hope it never grows up into a polished super-organized event.
The pics look great. I could go for a cruise right now...I miss stuff like that. When I drive my car around here people look at me like I could be driving a space ship....no one out here in my area has old cars.
My truck did not make it... but they did honor my entry and let me and a guest in and still gave me the goodie bag. I felt it was a good bargain even still. Hope to see good turn outs at the upcoming tacoma shows!
The cars {and people }I saw causeing trouble were NOT Billetproof cars! A slimey green low-rider mid 80's Monte Carlo, And a black "Pro-Street" wannabe 68-69 Chevelle. The Chevelle was the A**-hole doing the burn outs! I believe it was the local jerks makeing trouble.
Yeah, "mostly" musclecars and tuners, but a couple of hotrodders getting crazy too, being "egged on" by the Spokane group..... That Chevelle is "somewhere" around the Tacoma area....it was TRAILERED down....haha..... I did see a cop or two pull out quickly....but never saw anyone in "trouble".... The cruisin' and hangin' at the campsite was a blast!
That black primered chevelle was being driven by a gal at one point. I think it is funny when a car has to put a emblem on it so you know what it is (Street Rod, Pro Street etc.. that car had a 10" tire, no pro street there except the emblem on the cowl induction hood
ACK! Not much to do? I was almost overwhelmed with all the cars to check out.... what else are you suppose to "do" at car shows anyways? I uh can't think of ONE better show, closer in distance to Auburn. $35 bucks ain't pocket change, but for 2 days of some of the finest cars in the NW/Canada, plus a cruise, and a great bunch of people.....what else do ya want?
Wow, wish my work schedule had allowed me to come down...maybe you can bump up the cut off year to 68 so I can enter my 68 T/C long roof... Sounded like a cool weekend, will hope to come down next year.
Your location lists you as from Auburn, WA... thats 70 miles from the show. I cant really help ya with how far you had to drive to get to the show, but 1.5 hours doesnt seem like a real long way to get to a hot rod show. I drove 13 hours to get here. I can say that for a two day traditional hot rod show Billetproof has a low price tag, if not the lowest around. I know Santa Maria, Lone Star Round Up and other cost more (note: this is not an indictment of either of those shows, I've looked at what they charge for a two day show, and priced mine lower than the general going rate). $35 for a two day show with 3 good bands, a cruise, and a pre-party aint too bad if you ask me. Some might think that is still too much. Most dont. As far as the show being spread out... the fairgrounds has two general areas for car parking with a midway in between, the vendors line the midway. Not really a bad set up. When walking from one area to another, you pass by all the vendors, and... The Beer Garden!!! No one was "kicked out" at 4pm. I was at the fairgrounds until ~7pm and there were still cars there. Everything has an ending time. Bars close at the certain time. No party is forever. If there was nothing to do at the show why complain about getting kicked out early? Someone complained to me at the show about getting "kicked out" at 4pm, I told him that no one was getting kicked out, and he and his friends actually stayed until about 7pm. From what I understand that party in the camping area went until very early this morning. Nothing to do? Hmmm, 650 cars... if you spent 1 minute looking at each one.. thats over 10 hours. That doesnt even count talking to the owners (really the best part if you ask me, getting the back story on the car, the build and making new friends), talking to old friends, sitting down to eat, drink or rest. There were 3 bands that played for about 1.5 hours each. There were a ton of vendors. There was a pre-party on Friday at the bowling alley. There was a cruise on Sat. night. If nothing else... it was a stunning day outdoors with 650 cars... I really dont know what more a car show could offer, even if you didnt include the rest of the stuff. Perhaps some motion to the cars... gotcha covered... Come to the Billetproof NorthWest Drag Races on Aug 29-30 in Toutle Washington. Everyone has to make their own value judgement about the show, and no one is "wrong" about whether they think its worth it to them as a way to spend their time, effort and money to come. I do my best to set the stage for all to have a good time. From there on out, its up to you. I'm not upset at anyone if they choose one way or another. I take complaints about the show seriously and I'm never upset about them. I listen to them and if I feel that its something that I can change to fix the situation I will do my best. If I cant fix it, or improve it somehow I let it go.
Sounds like the same primer black '68-'69 Chevelle driven by a chick who crashed the main parking lot at Hotrod-A-Rama last year when people started heading home. As soon as the barracades were pulled back in comes this POS Chevelle, as well as a few other cars not worthy of HRaR participation. Guess it happens everywhere. So how many billet cars crashed Billetproof?
got to respect a persons opinion if they feel $35 i too expensive as people are on tightened budgets and fuel costs are up. you need to come to a hamb & eggs and meet some of the nw. gang. you could always pm Choptop with some ideas for next year.don't give up on the show yet.
Maybe a couple....while I didn't see all the cars, it seemed the quality of cars was up, especially the customs. There were some great customs I'd never seen before.....and then seeing the cars cruising the streets was way cool. Alot of fun and I saw no real trouble, besides my pal's wife and mine getting "attacked" by the local CRAZY guy with the cane and peg leg downtown while we were down the street...... Choptop, his wife, and the Slo-Pokes did a fine job once again with the show. Thanks guys!
the show was bitchin,and the cruise was the coolest deal.we be coming back,and it took us 4 hours to get there.
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