Horizons Online Edition

Issue date: 4/15/09 Section: Diversions

Media Credit: Nelson Palmer A classic Deuce Coupe is parked outside the Lower Hangar.

Cars. Fast cars, Italian cars, pointless cars, tiny cars, cars that haul ass, grande cars, tuner cars, American muscle cars. All were there in spades. Where, you ask? At the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University parking lot, just in front of the bookstore and Lower Hangar. The College Motorsports Association's first annual car show was held in that exact spot on Sunday, Apr. 5.

The show may have lacked some more traditional aspects, such as tractor pulls and showgirls, but it was still big for a first-year event organized and run almost entirely by a group of college students. In addition to its size, the show offered a wide variety of different cars: it pulled in Lamborghinis from Phoenix, a few Volkswagens owned by the Aircooled Addicts, a self-made Trident, and a number of overpowered American motors.

The car show also did its fair share of community service. Sponsored and run by the College Motorsports Association was a side project collecting donated canned food. An added bonus for car owners that donated food was a $3 deduction from their registration fees for every 3 cans of food brought in.

Not wanting the charity to end there, the College Motorsports Association gave out Buffalo Wild Wings gift cards to top players of Forza Motorsports.

Getting back to the cars, there was a Best POS (Potentially Outstanding Showpiece) award for a car that just happened to stand out for whatever reason. The Best POS award was just one of a multitude of awards handed out at the end of show, including, but not limited to, Best 4x4, Best Bike, Best of Show, and Best Classic Car.

Best Bike was not limited to A-list choppers. The class was open to just about anyone with a motorcycle. Fast, new imports and a few standard classics like a single Triumph Trophy were also on display for the viewing pleasure of the masses.

The event did have a few shortcomings that detracted from the overall vibe. The ERAU Jet Dragster never showed, and no one ever gave a reason why. They handed out the food a little late and they ran out of drinks halfway through. The awards, although many were very cool, got handed out late in the afternoon, long after many of the exhibitors had packed up and gone.

If you missed the show this year, or avoided it for some reason, you should definitely come to next year's show. For further information on the next car show, the ERAU racing club, or anything else car-related, you can contact the ERAU racing club at [collegemotorsprts@gmail.com] or 928.221.8698.

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