Two local schools are gearing up to put on car shows this weekend.
On Saturday, Seymour High School and Trinity Lutheran High School will be destinations for motorheads of every make, model and class.
The Hot Rods and Academics Car Show will be at Seymour High School, 1350 W. Second St., with registration from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and awards presented at 3 p.m. The registration fee is $10 per vehicle.
Awards will be presented to the top three vehicles in the pre-1975 open class, 1975 and new open class and student class. Specialty awards will include best paint, best interior, principal’s choice, under construction, longest haul, best fabrication and best motorcycle.
There will be door prizes, and the first 50 entries will receive a free dash plaque.
Trinity’s second car and bike show will be in the parking lot at the school, 7120 N. County Road 875E, Seymour. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with judging at 10 a.m. and awards at 1 p.m. Cars must be present by 11 a.m. to be judged.
Pizza Palace’s food truck and other refreshments will be available during the event.
Both shows are organized by their respective school’s car clubs.
Trinity started its club, the Trinity Cruisers, in the fall of 2016. Sophomore Brayden Murphy is one of the founding members.
“I really like cars, and I wanted to learn some fundamentals about engines,” he said.
But Trinity didn’t offer an automotive mechanics class, so Murphy and some other students decided to start the club to incorporate the automotive field in what the school could offer.
“We get to learn a lot of different things and get to be with others that want to learn the same things and have the same interests,” he said.
There are currently six students in the club, and they meet once a week before school. The club is led by adult mentors Allen Hinkle and Greg Franks. Besides Murphy, other members include Jace Crockett, Sawyer Doggett, Chris Mau, Jake Mau and Jordan Peters.
During the first semester, the club spent a lot of time learning about engines and how cars work, and the second semester has focused on planning the car show, Murphy said.
Murphy owns a Jeep Grand Cherokee and has been working part time to do some modifications on it, but he dreams of something a little bit different.
“I’d love to one day be able to rebuild a muscle car,” he said. “I like anything Mopar.”
He also likes the old style of Volkswagen Beetle, he said.
Having been a part of Trinity’s inaugural car show last year, Murphy is looking forward to getting the opportunity to meet and talk with car owners again.
Club members are hoping to have 80 or more vehicles show up, and with the weather forecast looking favorable for Saturday, things are looking good, Murphy said.
“Last year’s show was great. We had a huge turnout. I loved all the different kinds of cars we had show up,” he said. “We had a representation of every decade last year. I love seeing how each person personalizes their vehicle. You can tell a lot about a person by how their car is shown.”
Seymour High School’s Customs, Academics, Racing and Restorations Club has been going strong for 13 years and is led by teacher Jeremy Wischmeier.
There are 38 students in the club this year.
“We meet a couple times a year and attend the World of Wheels Car Show Education Day in Indianapolis,” Wischmeier said. “Students get to listen to speakers from industry leaders and learn how they got to where they are.”
Students also get to visit tech schools and see what opportunities are available in the automotive field after high school.
The Hot Rods and Academics show is a culminating activity for the year and serves as a reward for the students.
“The students like seeing all the cars and also showing off their own cars,” Wischmeier said. “I overheard a couple of students talking about what they were bringing and encouraging others to bring their cars to show off.”
The goal is to have 75 to 100 vehicles at the show, giving students a wide variety to study.
“I enjoy being able to connect the students with the community and show them some opportunities they have if they choose,” Wischmeier said.
The support from the community has been a vital part of keeping the show alive, he added.
“Many see it as a way to connect with the youth and encourage them to continue their passion for the classic cars,” he said.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Second Trinity Cruisers Car and Bike Show
When: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Trinity Lutheran High School, 7120 N. County Road 875, Seymour.
Registration fee: $10
Information: 812-524-8547
Seymour High School CARR Club’s 12th annual Hot Rods and Academics Car Show
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Seymour High School, 1350 W. Second St.
Registration fee: $10
Information: Visit hotrodsandacademics.weebly.com or check out the Seymour High School CARR Club’s Facebook page
[sc:pullout-text-end]
