Sweet 16
That next weekend, Saturday, was the local car club’s annual major car show, the ‘Taconic State Nationals’. ?It being only 15 minutes up the road, I knew I was going, the only question was whether or not to take the Cobra.
Of course I did and for some reason decided to actually enter the car. ?No paint, body seams rough as hell, covered in dust and grime. ?Whatever, it would be fun. Drove in, paid my entry fee and parked next to someone’s pride and joy that appeared to have not one grain of dust.
Family arrived and joined me, sitting nearby in the shade of some trees watching all the people looking at my car.
The dog came too.
Many more than were looking at the ones beside me I might add. Had some ‘fair food’ and made our way over to the bandstand for the show awards.
There were what appeared to be hundreds of small boxes that were being handed out to entries, not in order, which appeared to be small show decorative plates. With so many, my assumption was all who entered in the first 200 would get one. ?With my entry being #169 I was expecting to get one. ?Until they were down to the last half dozen and then none left. ?Huh. ?OK, guess not everyone gets one, oh well, did I really expect anything from my far from show quality entry? ?Nah.
So the announcer went on to the next category of trophies, the ‘Sweet 16’. ?I’d not come across this before but quickly worked out that it’s for the top 16 cars in the show, save for just the ‘Best in Show’. ?After a couple of numbers were called, suddenly my brain triggers that he’s just said ‘#169’ and I catch him at ‘… Cobra, registered as a 2016 Custom’. ?Holy ****, that’s me! ?I actually won a prize! ?Not only that, but was considered in the top 16 of the 250+ cars in the show. ?I could only laugh (well, inside at least) as I collected my not-so-subtle, truly American style, trophy.
It will go in the garage – I’ll have to build a shelf.