Powerlight Abe Lincoln Car Show Spectacular
Saturday, Aug. 1, 8am-4pm
The largest car show in central Illinois rolls into Springfield on Saturday, Aug. 1, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For the third year in a row, the show, which offers free admission to spectators, will take place at Knight’s Action Park. This year’s event will move to the southeast side of the park, to the golf driving range. Although some attractions are weather dependent, the show itself is a rain or shine event, so watch the weather and dress accordingly.
A new attraction at this year’s event will be the display of the replica Lincoln Funeral carriage, created in 2014 by P.J. Staab. In 2013 Staab was tasked by the Lincoln Funeral Coalition with locating a hearse suitable for use in the 150 th Anniversary reenactment of Lincoln’s funeral. He discovered that hearse design shifted drastically during the 1880s. In order to present the most authentic vehicle possible, Staab and his dedicated team of crafters created a custom hearse to be used in the reenactment.
Other ground attractions include the Pinto Stampeders, who will have 30-50 Pinto Stampedes from all over the United States on site, the Fordzilla Monster truck, Justin Allgaier’s #51 Nascar show car, the Sangamon County Sheriff MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle and K-9 demonstration, the Illinois State Police Rollover vehicle, and more. A few “celebrity” movie cars will be present, such as Christine and Bumblebee from the movie Transformers, and the Back to the Future DeLorean, now with a special “hovering” feature, which will be showcased via demo, weather pending.
Attractions are not limited to the roads, however, as Saints Flight, an Arch Air medical program for critical care patients serving St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, will do a flyover demonstration and landing. Weather-pending events include a hot air balloon demonstration, a photo flyover taken from a Cessna 172, and a Goodyear Blimp flyover.
For a small fee, your vehicle can be a part of the entertainment as well. Registration for the show, an official Brighton Car Show “Best of the Best” qualifier, is from 8 a.m. until noon. The entrance fee is $15 per vehicle for judging, or $10 per vehicle for show only. All registered vehicles will be entered in a drawing for a $1,000 cash prize. An awards ceremony will take place at 4 p.m., where 300 awards will be given out in 60 classes, and a “Best in Show” car and truck will be crowned by the renowned Abraham Lincoln impersonator, Fritz Klein. Don’t miss your opportunity to get a photo with Fritz as Lincoln in front of your vehicle.
With vehicles representing the 1860s through the future, this is truly a car show for the ages. For more information about the Powerlight Abe Lincoln Car Show Spectacular, visit the event’s Facebook page at http:// Facebook.com/abelincolncarshow. Questions can be directed to Greg at 553-2271.
