1997.
It was the year the Academy Award winning movie Titanic premiered, catapulting actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet to stardom; the year Princess Diana was killed in a high-speed car crash in a Paris tunnel.
It was also the year the Plant City Strawberry Classic Cruise-in rolled into downtown. Presented by The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, the third-Saturday monthly event celebrated 25 years of bringing classic auto collectors and enthusiasts together to share their passion for vintage rides.
While the smell of barbecue and kettle corn wafted through the air and classic tunes played over the sound system, it was all about the cars. There wasn’t a Civic or Corolla in sight on the street that day.
Instead, the parking lots near Union Station Depot and its surrounding streets were lined with approximately 485 vehicles, including an antique Ford Model T, Edsel Pacer, Oldsmobile Cutlases, Pontiac Silver Streaks, Chevy Supras and Novas and classic muscle cars like Chevy Corvettes, Camaros and Mustangs. There was even a Plymouth Road Runner on display.
Chairman of the car show committee John Paul Gasca, who has been involved with the show for six years, said it was a great turnout to commemorate the occasion. “Even though there were a couple other shows happening the same day, including one in Lakeland, we had a fantastic turnout,” he said. “It was a day of camaraderie and fun for automobile enthusiasts.”
Gasca is not just the show’s chairman but also a car enthusiast as well. He brought along his fully-restored black 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, identical to the vehicle Burt Reynolds drove in the popular action film Smokey and the Bandit. Reynolds even sat in the car and autographed the vehicle’s passenger-side dashboard.
Plant City resident Randy Harrison has been exhibiting his vehicles at the show since its inception. At the first show he had five cars on display. While he has a cavernous, air-conditioned garage filled with antique Plymouths, Dodges and Cadillacs, last Saturday, he only brought one…his black 1950 Chevy Starline. Its odometer sits at 29,000 original miles.
His girlfriend, Cindy Doles, said it took him days to wash, wax and buff the vehicle to a glossy shine.
“I like to take care of my vehicles,” he joked. “They’re my kids.”
His “kids” steal the show. Before showing up at the Plant City car show in the afternoon, he took the vehicle to a car show in Lakeland, where it won Best in Show.
Dover resident Donnie Moore displayed his 1963 Jeep CJ3 at the show.
“I didn’t want to just sit around my house and watch football all afternoon, so I decided to come out and display my car at the show,” he said.
His family purchased the Jeep in 1976 from the State of Florida and for years used it to tool around in the Everglades. It sat idle for 17 years until he restored it after his dad passed away.
“Cars are memories,” remarked Moore.
Lithia residents and attendees Daniel, Susan and Christina Nelson agree. They’ve been attending the Plant City Strawberry Classic Cruise-in for years.
“I grew up coming here,” said Christina.
For her mom, Susan, seeing a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS brings her back to the days of her youth.
“I had one of those cars growing up,” she recalled. “I had a job and used my own money to have it painted green and put new tires on it.”
She joked that Plant City police officers were always waiting for her to drive through town with it, making sure she wasn’t speeding. No promises with a car like that.
“This show just brings back so many good memories,” said Susan.
All in all, it was a good day to be a classic car collector or enthusiast in Plant City. At the end of the show, 55 Award of Excellence trophies were presented to stand-out automobiles.
Gasca is grateful to those who help make sure the event is a success every month, including John Mekita, who works with him at his mobile DJ company, this month’s guest judge Jody Summey and Sparky, who runs the chamber tent. He and his crew usually arrive by 10 a.m. to set up.
“It’s a major undertaking to set up the tents, tables and banners and spread 26 loudspeakers throughout downtown,” he said.
Even though it’s a lot of work, he hopes the show continues another 25 years.
“As long as the Chamber presents it, I’ll be here,” he said.