The Fifth Annual Petty’s Garage Car Show presented by the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) drew a record 322 people to a VIP dinner at Richard Petty’s estate, Reverie Place, in Randleman, North Carolina, on Friday, Oct. 9. Dinner tickets were available only to the first 100 people to register for the Petty’s Garage Car Show that took place the next day at the Level Cross Petty Enterprises Historical Site down the road.
Dinner attendees were treated to a Southern cookout in a beautiful pavilion on the Petty estate, with the opportunity to tour the grounds and the family’s log cabin.
There was fun for the whole family at the car show the next day, Saturday, Oct. 10, including free admission to the Richard Petty Museum, a bounce house, DJ and local food truck, as well as the opportunity to buy and install new Petty’s Garage performance parts and to compete for the best scores on the dynamometer.
A highlight of the day was the chance to meet “The King” himself, as seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Richard Petty signed autographs for two hours in front of his museum. Some hardcore fans even slept out in the parking lot the night before.
“The only thing missing from this year’s Petty’s Garage Car Show was the sun,” says R.W. “Bob” O’Gorman, ALI president. “When rain moved in Saturday afternoon, it caused us to wrap up the show a couple hours early, but we really appreciate the dedication of everyone who came out and stayed with us until the end. We had a good turnout considering the weather, and the ALI team enjoyed talking with everyone, checking out the cars and sharing our lift safety message.”
The car show was open to all makes and models. Judges selected the Top 50 cars at the show to receive award plaques. Trophies were also presented to the following winners:
• Best in Show Classic: C.E. and Annette Gardner, 1970 Dodge
• Best in Show Modern: Robert E. Stadnik, 2014 Dodge Challenger R/T Shaker
• Best Mopar: Alton Dalton, 2013 Dodge Challenger R/T
• Best Ford: Kenny Haddaway, 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible
• Best Chevy: Robert Blakeslee, 2005 Chevrolet C6
• Best Engine: Joe Kelly, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T
• Best Paint (presented by Shine Shop): Denise Hampton, 1966 Chevrolet Nova SS
• Wildest Ride: John VanWagenen, 1968 Dodge Charger R/T
• Best Import: Jamie Queen, 1989 Honda CRX
• King of the Dyno: Joseph Williams, 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, 752.9 RWHP
For the full list of winners with photos, as well as many other pictures from the Fifth Annual Petty’s Garage Car Show presented by ALI, visit the ALI Facebook page, facebook.com/LiftInstitute.
The Sixth Annual Petty’s Garage Car Show will be held in fall 2016 on the Level Cross Petty Enterprises Historical Site in Randleman, North Carolina. Registration and more information will be available in the spring.