Run What Cha Brung poker run, awards show today

Hundreds of classic cars streamed up Carson Street on Saturday evening during the Karson Kruzers' Run What Cha Brung evening cruise.

There was Jerry Campbell of Elko in his fiesta red and colonial white '50 Ford convertible; John Benkert of Carson City in his cherry-red '66 Chevelle Malibu with a built 454; Everett and Loretta Hopkins in their dark maroon '46 Ford business coupe and Jerry and Judy Perschky in their black '71 El Camino SS 454.

There are 330 cars registered in the Run What Cha Brung car show this year, said Jack Andersen, club president.

Were there so many entries they had to turn people away?

"No," he said. "We should've -- but we didn't." Andersen was barbecuing Albertson's tri-tip in Fuji Park on a grill shaped like a '57 Chevy.

"The park is packed," he said.

Rather than driving his own '55 Buick, '60 Pontiac or custom '69 Chevy truck in the cruise Saturday, Andersen and the Karson Kruzers were moving the soda and beer wagons up to the Carson Nugget's West parking lot for the second street dance.

Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said he had reserve deputies on hand to help protect the cars from the large downtown crowd. Strolling the grass of the park with his wife, Phyllis, and their 4-month old German Shepherd, Justice, Furlong wondered about the total value of all cars in the show.

"You figure an average of $40,000 each, multiply that by the number of entries and it gets up there pretty quick," he said.

With the seventh-annual Northern Nevada All-Gaited Horse Show going on in the arena, Fuji Park was a hive of activity.

"This is an excellent location," said Bob Webb of Bishop. "I'm glad they kept the park here. "I come to about one (car show) a month in the summer and this one is my favorite. It's casual and friendly."

Webb, who brought his '39 Chevy two-door sedan, was waiting in the barbecue line with his wife, Penny, and son, Jason, who lives in Reno.

Music was provided in the park Saturday by DJ Scott Gahagen of McClain's Mobile Music.

"The weather's cooperated beautifully and there are a lot of gorgeous cars out here," he said.

The official ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly refurbished park was held at 1 p.m. at the Fuji Park Picnic Pavilion.

At the raffle table Karson Kruzers Laura Ostermeyer and Leah Mahaffey were selling tickets to win prizes such as a barbecue donated by Lowe's and four Toyo Spectrum tires donated by Les Schwab.

The 19th annual Run What Cha Brung car show continues today with the poker run and awards ceremony.

Participants in the poker run will collect five cards at stops with board-game themes in a 40-mile loop around Carson. Whoever gets the best five cards will win a $150 award, according to Andersen. The awards ceremony starts at noon in Fuji Park. First and second-place finishers will drive their award-winning wheels past the audience.

If You Go

What: 19th annual Run What Cha Brung poker run and awards ceremony, features winning car drive bys

Where: Fuji Park, corner of Highway 395 and Old Clear Creek Road

When: Poker run starts at 8:30 a.m., awards start at noon

Cost: Free

For more information, call: 82-0829 or 883-0927