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Va-va-voom: Street Machines show fires on all cylinders

Journal Staff Looking out over 700 cars and thousands of spectators at Canatara Park brought a tear to the eye of Sarnia Street Machines president Jo-Ann Thorne.
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Jay and Bryan Bendall, right, stand beside their custom- built cars. Jay spent seven years build ing his 1983 Camero, compete with a 500 cubic inch turbo engine. Bryan’s 1974 Chevy Nova has a four-cylinder engine with a turbo charger. Glenn Ogilvie

Journal Staff

Looking out over 700 cars and thousands of spectators at Canatara Park brought a tear to the eye of Sarnia Street Machines president Jo-Ann Thorne.

Hot August Nights, the club’s annual concert, dance and show car cruise, has been plagued by rain the past several years.

So when the weather gods finally gave a thumbs-up to the Aug. 2 event it came as a big relief.

"This is the best ever that I recall," Thorne said, surveying the huge crowd in the park’s central field.

The 13th annual show attracted everything from 1920s hot rods to muscle cars and classics in all shapes and colours.

"It's the first time we've been here and it's absolutely fabulous,” said Tracey Haynes. "There's lots of people here and it's great."

Sarnia's Terry Fisher checks out some of the 700 cars and trucks at the show. Glenn Ogilvie

Admission was a donation to Pathways Health Centre. Since 2005, the 70-member club has raised more than $230,000 for the children’s facility and its services.

In fact, this fall Sarnia Street Machines will be inducted into the Canadian Street Rodding Hall of Fame, in part for its sizeable community work.

What's the hold-up dad? Two-year-old Hudson Thomas Young sits in a custom "T Bucket" made by dad Mike Young of Sarnia, who was showing off his Nissan 240.

It was a hot August night in Canatara Park on Aug. 2 when spectators of all ages turned out to view about 700 vintage cars and trucks. Glenn Ogilvie


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